Qiyu Zhou
| Qiyu Zhou | |
|---|---|
|
Qiyu Zhou at the 2014 World Youth Chess Championships in Durban, South Africa | |
| Country |
Finland Canada |
| Title | Woman International Master |
| Ranking | No. 1 ranked woman in Canada |
Qiyu Zhou (born 2000) is a Canadian chess player who holds the FIDE title of Woman International Master (WIM), one of the youngest to achieve this in Canada at the age of 15. She won the gold medal in the U-14 girls section at the 2014 World Youth Chess Championship.
Other notable achievements include winning a silver medal at the World Youth Chess Championships in 2008, held in Vũng Tàu, Vietnam,[1] and a gold medal (U-18 Girls) in the North American Chess Festival held in Toluca, Mexico in 2015.[2] She has also won two gold medals in the Canadian Youth Chess Championships, and two gold medals in the Canadian Chess Challenge (Gr. 7 and 8). While representing Finland, Qiyu has also won the 2010 Nordic School Chess Championship in the U-11 Open, held in Västerås Sweden. She also finished first at the Finnish Women Chess Championship in 2010 in Helsinki, and has five gold medals in the Finnish Youth Chess Championships. She won her first gold medal at the age of 5 in U-10 Open section Finnish Youth Chess Championship in Oulainen, Finland.
Chess career
Early chess years in France
When Qiyu was four, she went to a local chess club, thus starting her chess career in Antibes, France. It was suggested that she participate in local tournaments, and she got third place at the Nice Youth Chess Championships (U-8) in April, 2004. After another month, she won third place at Hyères, in the Southern French Youth Chess Championships in May, 2004. In late 2004, she moved to Finland.
Finnish Youth Chess Championships
Qiyu Zhou has won the Finnish Youth Chess Championships 5 times (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010) in the U10- Open sections.
Nordic School Chess Championships
Qiyu Zhou has played the Nordic School Chess championships 6 times (in the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) in the U-11 sections. Qiyu won the 2010 Nordic School Chess Championship in the U-11 Open, held in Sweden.
Canadian Youth Chess Championships
Qiyu Zhou has played the Canadian Youth Chess championships 4 times (in the years 2011,2012,2013,2014) in the U-12 and U-14 sections. Qiyu won the 2012 and 2013 Canadian Youth Chess Championship in the Girl U-12 (Surrey) and Girl U-14 (Ottawa),Canada.
Canadian Chess Challenge
Qiyu Zhou has played the Canadian Chess Challenge 2 times (in the years 2013, 2014) in the G-7 and G-8 sections. Qiyu won the 2013 and 2014 Canadian Chess Challenge in the G-7 and G-8 sections, held in Ottawa,2013 and Winnipeg,2014.
North American Junior Chess Championships
Representing Canada, Qiyu came second in 2013 in the U-14 Girls’ category in Toronto, Canada, second in 2014 in the U-18 Girls’ category in Tarrytown, USA, and first in 2015 in the U-18 Girls’ category in Toluca, Mexico.
World Youth Chess Championships
Qiyu Zhou has played 9 World Youth Chess Championships in total. She has represented Finland at the World Youth Chess Championships 6 times (2005 in Belfort, France; 2007 in Antalya, Turkey; 2008 in Vũng Tàu, Vietnam; 2009 in Antalya, Turkey; 2010 in Porto Carras, Greece. She also represented Canada after switching federations in late 2010, by playing in Caldas Novas, Brazil (2011), Maribor, Slovenia (2012), Al-Ain, UAE (2013) and in Durban, South Africa (2014). Her most notable achievements at the WYCC were a silver medal in 2008 while representing Finland and a gold medal in 2014 while representing Canada.
World Chess Olympiad
Qiyu Zhou has represented Canada at the 41st Chess Olympiad in 2014, in Tromsø, Norway. She scored 6.5/9 playing on the fourth board.
World U-16 Olympiad
Qiyu Zhou has represented Canada at the Hungary World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad (2014), playing on the fourth board as well. The team finished 5th place.
Invited Tournaments
In 2015, Qiyu was invited to play in Cappelle la Grande, one of the largest open tournaments in the chess world. She also followed up by being invited to Reykjavik Open 2015. In 2016, Qiyu was invited to play in Kista, Stockholm Young Talents Tournaments.
Beyond Chess
Apart from chess, Qiyu has also been interviewed by Finnish TV and Kaleva, and in Canada by New Tang Dynasty (NTD) and ctvnews . She has also appeared as a chess player in an unaired "The Mystery of Games" (airing in TVOKids, at 6:30pm,Feb. 18, 2016).
References
External links
- Qiyu Zhou won the world youth U-14 chess champion
- live interview with WIM Qiyu Zhou in 2016 Stockholm Chess Challenge
- Let’s care for each other-produced by Qiyu Zhou
- Nappulasta tuli shakkilaudan daami (from dream to realization/Du rêve à la réalisation/从梦想到实现/Unesta toteutumista/Från dröm till förverkligande)
- Qiyu Zhou's website
- 世界青少年杯国际象棋冠军 周齐宇的成长轨迹
- Quiy Zhousta tuli kuin tulikin maailmanmestari
- Ottawa youth takes top spot in world chess tournament
- Ottawa girl wins International chess competition
- Ottawa chess master conquers world
- 14-Year-Old Chess Champion From Canada Shares Life Lessons
- WYCC U14G Durban, South Africa, 2014
- Oululainen Qiyu Zhou sai hopeaa Vietnamissa järjestettyjen nuorten MM-kilpailujen 8-vuotiaiden tyttöjen sarjassa! Onnittelut!
- Oululainen Qiyu Zhou shakin MM-hopealle
- Qiyu was mentioned as one of the most famous figures in the 400-year-old history of Oulu, Finland
- /Qiyu in Oulun menestyneet urheilijat 2010 (Oulu successful athletes in 2010)
- Qiyu Zhou, 15 Year Old High School Student From Ottawa, Is A World Youth Chess Champion!
- Under 14 World Youth Chess Champion Qiyu Zhou
- Qiyu Zhou rating card at FIDE