Avi Kaplan plays chess with his fellow chess club members on Nov. 29, 2022, at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago. The teen was awarded the title of National Master by the U.S. Chess Federation.
A chess rating, which ranges from 100 to nearly 3,000, is an estimate of one’s playing strength based on previous results. To reach “master” level, a player must reach a rating of 2,200. Before completing 26 games, the rating is provisional and can change drastically after winning or losing. Later, ratings change incrementally based on the result and the ratings of the opponents. USCF assigns ratings to those who play in official tournaments.
Each month, USCF publishes a Top 100 list of chess players in the U.S., including youth and adult players. Avi first made the list at age 8 in August 2015. He has since made the Top 100 lists 50 times in total. Zherebukh, who lives in Chicago, is one of the world’s top chess players and 16th in the U.S. for chess with a 2,695 rating.
“You can only make progress if you love the game, and he really loves the game,” Zherebukh said. “That stood out from the jump, and this is something you need to make progress in the game. Overall, he’s an optimistic, enthusiastic kid, so I noticed that from the start.”While Avi’s dedication to improving his game has helped him reach the national master level, it’s not all about ratings and titles.