About Us

Kousuke Nguyen-Kawamura is a second-year Computer Science student at York University - Keele Campus and the Founder of the Lightning Knights Chess Club.  Having competed in major tournaments such as the AFM1st Peel Region Chess Tournaments and Toronto Chess Centre events for many years, he is passionate about creating a welcoming, organized, and enjoyable experience for chess players of all ages and skill levels.

Kousuke discovered chess at the age of 10 and quickly developed a fascination with the game's combination of creativity, strategy, and problem-solving.  He later earned the Arena International Master (AIM) title and continues to enjoy every aspect of the game, from bullet and blitz to classical and bughouse chess.  Beyond competing, he has become increasingly involved in the organizational side of chess, believing that well-run tournaments play an important role in growing the chess community.

In addition to his achievements as a player, Kousuke is a National Arbiter (NA) with the Chess Federation of Canada (CFC).  He has officiated and assisted at numerous CFC and FIDE rated tournaments, gaining valuable experience in tournament organization, pairings, and fair play.  He is also working toward earning the FIDE Arbiter (FA) title to further contribute to the international chess community.

Outside of chess, Kousuke enjoys programming, exploring new technologies, solving mathematical and logical puzzles, volunteering at community events, and continously learning new skills.  Through the Lightning Knights Chess Club, he hopes to inspire players to develop both over the board and beyond it by fostering a fun, inclusive, and competitive environment where everyone has the opportunity to learn, improve, and enjoy the game.

• https://www.chess.ca/en/ratings/p/?id=179516

• https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2657180 

• https://www.chess.com/member/kwnk001 

• https://chessarena.com/profile/828799