Kayden Troff facts for kids

Kayden William Troff, born on May 6, 1998, is an American chess grandmaster. He is known for his impressive skills on the chessboard. In 2012, he became the World Under-14 Chess Champion. This was a huge achievement for him at a young age.

About Kayden Troff

Kayden Troff lives in West Jordan, Utah. He shares his home with his parents, Kim and Daniel. He also has a sister named Brynndi and two brothers, Jeremy and Zachary.

How Kayden Started Playing Chess

Kayden showed his talent for chess very early. He learned to play at just three years old. He picked up the game by watching his father play. When Kayden was six, he trained for a week. His coach was the famous Grandmaster Igor Ivanov. Later, he also received training from Melikset Khachiyan and Alexander Chernin.

Kayden won his first Utah State Elementary Championship at age six. After that, he continued to win first place in his section every year.

Early Achievements in Chess

In December 2007, Kayden was chosen for the United States Chess Federation's 2008 All-America Chess Team. This is a big honor for young chess players. At age 10, he was again named to the 2010 All-America Chess Team. This award is one of the highest national honors for young chess players. On December 14, 2008, he took second place. This was at the fifth-grade level of the National K–12 Championships.

In 2009, Kayden won the Utah Speed Chess Championship. He was only ten years old, making him the youngest player to win this event. He then became the Utah G/60 Champion. Again, he was the youngest player to achieve this. After this win, the tournament director called him "Utah's Mozart of Chess." He also won the 2009 North American Youth Championship. This was for players under 12 in Mazatlán.

Kayden's quick rating was the highest for all US players under 13. This was according to the USCF's Top 100 rating list. This ranking lasted from June 2009 to October 2010. In May 2010, he played against Harold Stevens. Stevens was Utah's highest-rated player at the time. Kayden won all three games in that match. In October 2010, he won the Utah Open tournament.

Major Chess Accomplishments

Kayden Troff has achieved many important things in his chess career.

World Championship Win

In 2012, Kayden won the world championship for players aged 14 and under. This big event took place in Maribor, Slovenia. Before that, in 2010, he won a silver medal. This was for ages 12 and under at the World Youth Chess Championships in Greece. He finished behind future grandmaster Wei Yi.

Becoming a Grandmaster

To become a Grandmaster, a player needs to reach a certain rating. They also need to earn three "GM Norms." Kayden achieved his Grandmaster title in May 2014. He reached a 2500 Elo rating at the Saint Louis Invitational. He was only 16 years old when he earned this top chess title.

US Junior Chess Champion

In June 2014, Kayden Troff became the US Junior Chess Champion. He scored 7 out of 9 points in the tournament. This was another significant win for him.

Kayden's Chess Streaming

In June 2023, Kayden Troff started sharing his chess games online. He began streaming on Twitch. His channel is called ChessSharkz. This allows fans to watch him play and learn from his strategies.