Boy among top young U.S. chess players

Dennis Neymit Dennis Neymit, 14, a ninthgrader at Agoura High School, has been playing competitive chess for the last three years.

Despite playing relatively late, as many children he competes against have been playing since they were 5 and 6 years old, Dennis is in the top 100 youths in the country by chess rating for his age and is in the top 10 in California.

Dennis has been competing in tournaments playing against adults and has many successes. During his latest tournament in July, the Pacific Coast Open, Dennis won second place in his section and $560 in prize money.

He also received first place at both Western Class 2008 and Pacific Open 2007. He has won more than $2,000 at various events.

Dennis studies chess on a regular basis and also takes lessons from a private coach.

His younger brother Andy, 8, started playing chess recently and has won several trophies at scholastic tournaments.

Dennis used chess for one of his eight-grade school projects. The assignment was to perform a volunteer work in the community and Dennis organized a free chess class for young children from Yerba Buena Elementary School where his brother attends. The response was positive and the class had a waiting list. Due to Dennis' efforts, the school has brought back an after school chess program.

The academic benefits of chess among young people have been widely documented by a number of studies conducted both in the US and abroad. In a 1994-97 Texas study, elementary students who participated in a school chess club showed twice the improvement of nonchess players in reading and mathematics between third and fifth grades. A New Jersey study (1980-1987) found that chess consistently promoted self-esteem after a year of exposure.

Chess is part of the school curricula in nearly 30 countries.