Top chess player wants game to spread across Atlantic Canada

Chess can be an exciting sport just as soccer or hockey, and Jorge Moreno shares his passion for the game with Holland College.

By Val Mandujano, Feb. 15, 2023

Jorge Moreno was cracking his knuckles before starting the next game. The next contestant approached and sat in front of the chess board. Moreno let him choose the colour.   

With the black chess pieces on his side, Moreno shrugged his shoulders a bit and leaned forward with a stare.   

    The clock started running.   

Moreno arrived to P.E.I on 2022. He hopes to share his passion to chess with people and encourage students to try it. VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO

    Moreno’s hands flew across the board. He moved a piece and immediately hit his side of the timer. His opponent’s hands were wavering and doubtful, choosing which piece to move.  

    The moment the contestant made a move, Moreno was already moving his white knight. With 15 seconds left on the opponent’s clock, it was checkmate.  

    That scene was repeated over and over on Feb. 1 as players struggled to last 60 seconds – or beat Moreno – in a game of speed chess. 

    The Holland College cafeteria was crowded. People around the chess table were staring, whispering to each other and biting their nails.   

    “I’m sure someone can get the prize. It shouldn't be that hard to beat him.”  

    The prize for lasting at least a minute or beating Moreno was a pizza.   

    “He is moving really fast.”  

    With 50 seconds left on Moreno’s clock, the 13th game was about to end. A quick move and checkmate.   

    The opponent smiled and put his hands to his face with his eyes wide open. Moreno shook his opponent’s hand above the chess board, then fell back into his chair with a sigh.  

    Unbeaten.  

    The tournament was a sample of what Moreno wants to achieve with chess at Holland College, and eventually in the Maritime provinces, to promote chess.  

    Moreno’s goals go beyond winning.   

    He wants chess to become a competitive discipline at the same level as basketball or hockey.   

    Working with the Holland College Athletics Department, he offered to start a chess club.  

    “It is not just having a student club like any other, but that at some point chess could become a competitive discipline here,” he said. 

    Moreno launched Holland College's first official chess club Feb. 8.   

    “The idea is that, together, we can organize tournaments between universities or colleges, so that they can also, eventually, participate in the nationals as a team.”  

    The club is seeking support from the Holland College Student Union to buy more boards and clocks for future tournaments, and the Athletics Department has provided them with a room to practice in the McMillan Centre.  

    "The idea is that this continues to grow. It is not only for competing and having fun, but it also helps you develop study habits, calculus, memory, concentration,” Moreno said.  

    The 26-year-old chess player arrived in Charlottetown last year.    

    Moreno has won competitions in his hometown of Lima, Peru. He won first place in the National University Team Chess Championship, twice. And here in P.E.I, he came second in the Maritimes Chess Championship and first at the UPEI Chess Fall Quick Tournament in 2022.   

    The most recent success for Moreno was on Feb. 5. He won the P.E.I Closed Chess Championship, the most important tournament in P.E.I., where every year, the six highest-rated players in the province are invited to compete. One will become the provincial champion to defend the title the next year. This year, Moreno was named champion. 

Jorge Moreno moves his chess pieces fast but wisely at the Holland College cafeteria speed chess tournament. He only used two seconds of his time at the middle of the game. VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO

Moreno learned chess by himself.   

    When he was in middle school, his grandfather taught him the basic moves, then Moreno started playing with his classmates and won every time.   

    “I’m pretty good at this. I beat my teachers and friends at school,” he told his father. 

    Moreno’s dad took him to Plaza Francia, a betting place in Lima. He lost all the games.  

    “What I did the other day at the tournament was what they did to me that time, I was impressed. I realized that it was much more complex than just playing with your friends,” said Moreno.  

    He started studying chess and took part in more contests. But he quit playing for a while because no one in his grade played.   

He took it up again in university when he met Oscar Quiñones, an International Master.  

    “He changed my perspective on chess. He gave me the opportunity to play in the university team, despite not having competition experience,” said Moreno. 

    Moreno has found it hard to get professionally ranked by FIDE, the International Chess Federation, since he started to play at a later age than most professionals.  

    “At the Maritimes Chess Championship, people were really impressed and told me ‘You have a Master’s level but you don't have a Master rating,” he said. 

    The Maritimes tournament was in Summerside. Moreno was going to play, but after hurricane Fiona it was impossible for him to travel there from Stratford. 

    He called Fred McKim, president of the P.E.I Chess Federation.   

    "Just worry about participating, about representing the province well. I want to support you because you are committed,” McKim said. 

    McKim paid Moreno’s way to Summerside.  

    At the tournament, Moreno ended up playing one of the best games, according to the site Chess.com.  

The hardest game of the quick chess tournament at the Holland College cafeteria. Moreno’s opponent made him spent 20 seconds of his time, being the closest to last more. VALERIA MANDUJANO PHOTO 

    People crowded around him.   

    "We saw you sitting there and we had no idea you played like that.”  

    He even beat two Master level players at the tournament. He won both games. 

    “You won a fantastic game, congratulations,” one of the Masters told Moreno. 

    “I thought it was a very noble gesture. The community is very committed. In Peru if won like that, many would get angry for sure.”