IM Greg Shahade visits South Korea!

What is Korea known for globally? Maybe for spending tons of money on English education yet not being very good at it. Maybe for being the male makeup capital of the world. Or maybe for its rambunctious neighbor up north. But certainly not for its chess. So it was a pleasant surprise to find chess.com's very own PRO Chess Organizer International Master Greg Shahade visiting Korea's chess scene this week.

 

In board games, Koreans usually stick to Baduk, also known as Go. There's even Janggi, a variant of Chinese Chess. These games have a far longer tradition in Korea, so they have much more familiarity within the population.

 

But chess in Korea is not without its prospects. There is a ton of activity in public and private afterschool programs, thanks to the work of tireless chess instructors. Most notably, there is K-league, a team event held biannually featuring over 300 players both young and old, Korean and foreigners living in Korea. The least stressful (and most fun!) way to enjoy chess in Korea though, is to head to one of the many chess meetups in Seoul. And this week, IM Shahade did just that!

 

Korea's top players showed up Tuesday evening for a chance to play against the titled player. Here's one of the blitz games between IM Shahade and Korea's top prospect!

 

 

The game was lost in time scramble, but Jun Hyeok held his own well before that. In another game, he even got a winning position before losing on time! Better luck next time. 

 

Perhaps due to lack of national interest, master level coaching, and strong domestic tournaments, Korea has yet to produce a single IM. But these days, some players are getting very close!

 

Thank you IM Shahade, it has truly been an honor. Thank you for showing us such a fine level of chess!