Hi, I’m Jeffrey Xu (or a lot of kids call me coach Jeff). I’m a National Master of Canada (since 2018), FIDE Candidate Master (since 2013), and dental student. My ratings are ~2120 FIDE, ~2280 Canadian, ~2250 Australian, and ~2500 chess.com.

My passion for chess started when I was six. Like many kids, I enrolled in chess lessons to beat my grandpa, but then I got a little carried away. Everyone says I spend too much time on the game, and they’re 100% right. I’ve met a lot of good people and friends, and chess is a very fun game.

I’m not someone who believes that chess is a serious sport. You need muscle for that claim (if I ever give you gym advice, do the opposite). Instead, chess is something you’re meant to enjoy with the community and hopefully develop some logic and calculation skills.

Chess has also let me see a lot. I’ve traveled to many countries for international tournaments. I’ve played some pretty well-known opponents: Hikaru Nakamura, GothamChess, BotezLive, and more. I’ve also been acquainted with the infamous Hans Niemann Moke - Magnus Carlsen’s #1 enemy nowadays. I remember him as the kid who randomly challenged my friend and I to a ping pong match at the 2015 World Youths in Greece. We stayed in contact after. It’s already been 11 years, but those are unforgettable memories I made from chess.

Canadian Chess Challenge in Manitoba, 2014. I’m back row, far left. I was part of the winning Team Ontario, can you recognize who my teammate on the right is?

What I’m up to now

As I get older, weaker and mentally slower, I’ve transitioned from competitions to teaching. I’ve coached a few hundred students over the last 10 years cumulatively.

I’m currently studying dentistry at the University of Sydney, Australia. It’s really busy, but I still try and contribute to the local chess community, help out the chess clubs, and train the next generation of chess players.

I currently teach chess at schools across Sydney’s West and Inner West. When I wait in the afterschool assembly area for the students to sort themselves, I often find that my group of kids ends up being the largest. It wasn’t always like that. The support I’ve received from parents, staff, kids, and competitive players has been awesome. I’m proud to be a member of the Toronto and Sydney chess communities.

I created this website to serve as a career-oriented repository. If you respect my rating, contact me for chess class. If you like how I wrote this website, contact me for English. If you think dental students understand biology, contact me for that.