Committee Members
Kavin ganeshkumar
Kavin is a Senior at DeBakey High School. Introduced to the game at just 5 years old, Kavin Ganeshkumar has been playing competitive chess for 10 years, consistently placing top 10 in the state for his grade. Kavin has competed in hundreds of chess tournaments at the local, regional, and state level achieving a peak rating of 1576. Kavin hopes to spread his passion for chess through Aspiring Pawns to other students who are interested in the game through reducing their barrier to entry to help others enjoy the game as much as he does.
Alen Polatbekov - Volunteer Coordinator
Alen is a Senior at Bellaire High School. A passionate player, Alen Polatbekov has over a decade of chess experience under his belt. Placing at or near the top at dozens of tournaments all over the greater Houston area over the years, he has reached the 98 percentile of scholastic players nationwide. He has also contributed to the success of the T.H. Rogers Chess Club through multiple state team titles. With Aspiring Pawns, Alen wants to bring the game to underserved students at all levels in order to spread his enthusiasm for chess.
Board Members
Kylan Naidoo-University of Houston
Kylan began playing chess at five years old at the T.H Rogers Chess Club. He has played actively and competitively, reaching an 1800 level. In middle school, Kylan moved to Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan and began forming the chess club there, helping the school take state titles. In high school, Kylan became more involved in community service through chess. He was the first person to put together a chess tournament at DeBakey High School, and he
co-founded a non-profit organization, Aspiring Pawns, that focuses on teaching chess to students who do not have access to resources. He is also a registered tournament director which has taught him responsibility and integrity. Even in college, Kylan continues to be involved in the chess community, teaching students and coaching his university club.