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Ten-year-old Menlo Park chess champ Shawnak Shivakumar has brought home another trophy — this time a third-place one from the under-10 age category in the Pan American Youth Chess Championship 2018 in Santiago, Chile, a weeklong tournament that ended on July 29.
Shawnak was one of 650 competitors from North and South America. Shawnak’s mom, Devleena Shivakumar, says he competed against chess players from Argentina, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, and the United States. He won five games while four others ended in draws, and he had no losses.
Shawnak’s third-place finish helped his U.S. team place first in the tournament.
In November, Shawnak is due to travel to Spain for the international World Cadet tournament.
Shawnak and his younger brother Sahil, also a competitive chess player, live in the Willows neighborhood of Menlo Park with their parents, Devleena and Shiva. The brothers attend Laurel School.
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See earlier stories:
• Menlo Park 8-year-old is state champion chess player plus a whole lot more
• Menlo Park brothers are chess champs
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Shawnak Shivakumar, a 10-year-old from Menlo Park, poses with the bronze trophy he won for placing third in his age group in the recent Pan American Youth Chess Championship in Chile. (Photo by Devleena Shivakumar) -
Members of the U.S. team, including 10-year-old Shawnak Shivakumar from Menlo Park (third from left, front row) show off the trophies they won on their way to first place for the team in the recent Pan American Youth Chess Championship in Chile. (Photo by Devleena Shivakumar) -
Shawnak Shivakumar (third from left) poses with the staff at the hotel his family stayed at in Santiago, Chile, and the bronze trophy he won for placing third in his age group in the recent Pan American Youth Chess Championship. The staff baked him a cake in honor of his accomplishment. (Photo by Devleena Shivakumar) -
Staffers at the hotel Shawnak Shivakumar’s family stayed at in Santiago, Chile, were so excited about his success in the recent Pan American Youth Chess Championship that they baked him this cake. (Photo by Devleena Shivakumar)
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