Jiro

Jiro is a polite and unassuming individual, someone without pretension. Despite their quiet attitude and easygoing demeanor, they are arguably one of the strongest chess players in the club.

They’re also one of the earliest members of the current iteration of the Eugene Chess Club, having attended regularly since 2022. Jiro first became interested in chess after watching the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. Not long after learning the game, they wondered if there were others in the area they could play to hone their skills. A quick Google search led them straight to the Eugene Chess Club.

Jiro is modest to the core. When asked, “What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?” they answered, “I’m not that smart. People think you have to be smart to play chess, my grades are average.” Yet this same “not that smart” person is known for being able to play ‘blindfolded’ chess. As Jiro puts it, “I think chess is more practice than talent.”

Their humility shows again when asked if there’s a player who inspires them. Without hesitation, Jiro named Zoey Tang, Oregon State Chess Champion and Oregon’s first female Grandmaster. “She’s gotten a lot of girls into chess." Jiro has her autograph and even had the chance to play against her. “When I played her, she was really cool,” Jiro said. And when asked how the game went, they smiled and admitted, “I lost, terribly. It was a slaughter. It’s a hard game.”

Jiro plays an integral role in the Eugene Chess Club community, and we’re genuinely glad to have them here.