My Journey
Hi, this is IM Yichen Han, I was born on 17 Nov. 2007 in Eindhoven, Netherlands I currently live in Oxford, England.
I started playing chess at the age of 4.5 years old and have played for ESV chess club, Forest Hall and 4NCL Chessable White Rose.
My FIDE rating as of August 2022 is 2332 and I have ranked in the top 10 in the world and top 5 in Europe.
My peak live rating is 2455.
Major chess achievements:
2013: I became Dutch champion (below 7 years) when I was 5.5 years old
2014: I won the Dutch Championship below 7 again.
2014: I was part of the winning team in the Dutch championship below 10 at the age of 6.5 and obtained the 100% score award.
2015: I won again Dutch championship below 8
2016: I became Dutch Champion below 10 at the age of 8.5 and had the chance to attend World Youth Chess Championship 2016 in Georgia
2016: I finished the third in Dutch Junior National Competition (under 12) at the age of 8.5 and will attend Europe Youth Chess Championship 2016 in Prague
2016: I played the European Youth Chess Championship under 10 at the age of 8.5, placing 67th.
2016: I won Dutch championship below 9. I am the only Dutch player who has won the Pupillendag championships four times (http://www.eindhovenseschaakvereniging.nl/?p=8697#more-8697). Also, it's the 7th time I won the dutch nationals.
2017: Once again I won the under 10 dutch championships, qualifying for the world youths and making it the 8th national title.
2017: I won the British chess championship under 11 with a 100% score at the age of 9.
2017: I got fourth in the British Terafinal(under 18). I won the under 11 and under 9 sections.
2017: I beat my first titled player(a FM) at the age of 9
2017: I participate in the European Under 10 championships in Mamaia, Romania, finishing 18th.
2017: On my 10th birthday, I drew with my first GM in a rapid game.
2018: I won the British chess championship under 11 with a 100% score at the age of 10.
2018: I won the British chess championship under 12 at the age of 10.
2018: I won the world's biggest youth event (40,000 players participated) winning £750
2018: I won my first ever Open congress, the Huddersfield Congress. https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/10-year-old-chinese-chess-14725645
2018: I beat my first GM in a classical game and also broke 2000 FIDE for the first time.
2018: I participated in the World Cadets under 12 scoring 7.5/10 (missed the first round). I beat 2 2300+ and 1 2400+ while finishing 15th at the age of 11.
2018: I reached a FIDE rating of 2195.
2019: I obtained my first title of Candidate Master and crossed 2200 in the Irish International Open.
2019: I beat my second GM in a classical game.
2019: I came 19th in the European Youth Championships Under 12 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
2019: Once again won the Under 12 Terafinals at the age of 11.
2019: Invited by Judit Polgar to attend the Future Champions of Europe event in Budapest.
2020: Beat a 2470 in the Irish New Year Norm.
2020: Became FM at the age of 12 years and 2 months.
2020: Won the Northumbria Zollner County Championships, becoming the youngest ever to win the trophy.
2020: Represented 1st board for the Netherlands in the U16 FIDE Candidates Youth Tournament.
2020: Came 14th in the Online European Youth Championship U14.
2020: Came shared for 1st place in the U18 British Caplin Online Championships.
2020: Came 3rd in the British Caplin Rapidplay Online Championships.
2021: Came 5th in the British Online Chess Championships 2021 after drawing with GM Michael Adams.
2021: Came 1st in the U18 British Online Chess Championships 2021 with 6.5/7.
2021: Won the Witney Congress with 5/5.
2022: Won the St.Albans congress.
2022: Won the Hammersmith Congress.
2022: Earned my first IM norm at International Tournament Paracin with 6/9 and 2460 performance rating, ranking 13th.
2022: Won the Vojvodina International with 7/9. A strong tournament featuring 4 GMs 11 IMs and players from 14 different countries.
2022: Won the Senta Open with 6/7.
2022: Earned my second norm at the Sahovski Leto IM Norm event.
2022: Many thanks to Boris Friesen, Arjan Smit, Ger Dekker, Frits Schalij,GM Peng Zhaoqin, GM Sipke Ernst, FM Tim Wall and the Dutch Chess Federation for supporting me.