Name: Meet Ryan Mecham, the 7-year-old Houston chess prodigy
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Meet Ryan Mecham, the 7-year-old Houston chess prodigy

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When Ryan Mecham sits in front of a chessboard, he does so with confidence, knowing he can put his opponent’s king in check. The pint-sized 7-year-old from Katy has competed against contenders more than twice his age and won.“I like everything about chess,” Ryan told Chron. “I am open to playing anybody.”Amid the pandemic, the game is mostly virtual.“Normally, we’d be going to a couple of tournaments a month, but because of COVID-19, everything is on hold,” said Mary Mecham, a 30-year-old stay-at-home mother who homeschools her son, Ryan, and his two sisters.It was Mary who first taught Ryan the basics of the game. Within two weeks, he was winning. Ryan was 5 at the time.“After he started beating me, I knew he was good at it,” said Mary, who began taking Ryan to the chess club at Katy’s Maud Smith Marks Library. “By the time he was beating everyone at the library, everyone was telling me that it is not normal for kids to be this good this fast.”Chess tournaments followed, including the 22nd Annual North/Central Texas Grade Championship in Nov. 2018, where he received first place through the United States Chess Federation.“He got a perfect score. I have never seen that happen,” said Houston professional chess coach Bryant Crawford, 24. “That’s when I came in. I have been teaching him for more than a year.”By year-end, Ryan will rank in the top 50 percentile of players in the U.S., all ages, according to Crawford.“Ryan has been playing online during the pandemic, which is something he has struggled with. It is very different from playing on the board. I am proud of him,” Crawford said. “The ability to sit down and focus is tough for kids. As young as he is, to have the work ethic he has is rare.”Although Ryan excels at math, that doesn’t automatically make him a great chess player, Crawford said.“But it does mean that he is logical in thinking. Ryan is a problem solver.”In Dec. 2018, Ryan placed 12th in the U.S. for his age at nationals in Orlando, Fla. He now regularly goes head-to-head with competitors up to the 12th grade level.“He knows he is good at chess. He has a bit of an inflated ego about it,” Mary said laughing. “I keep wanting to take him to tournaments so other people can puncture his ego. He puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else.”Most recently, Ryan has started playing blindfold chess.“I saw Magnus Carlsen, the world chess champion, play blindfold and wanted to try,” Ryan said.In blindfold chess, moves are communicated verbally, and one (or both) of the players must keep track of the locations of all the pieces by memory alone. With 32 pieces to start on a 64-square board, that is no easy feat.Ryan sees the board in his head, having memorized the diagonals and coordinates.ICONIC:“During my first and second games, I opened my eyes,” said Ryan. “On my third try, I checkmated my mom."Although Ryan has not won any cash prizes to date, he has taken home more than 20 trophies. But the awards aren’t why Ryan continues to play. He says he simply loves the game.“He sits there for hours with his board and books, going over tactics and strategies and playing games,” Mary said. “He has 15 chess boards.”Ryan is not alone in his passion for the game. Chess has grown more popular this year as people pursue hobbies at home during the coronavirus pandemic.But with the success of Netflix’s "The Queen's Gambit,” interest has increased even more with sales of chess sets surging.Crawford said the success of the hit series has shined a spotlight on the game, creating a buzz that is positive for Ryan, even if he is too young to watch the show.“I am seeing more adults want to play and sign up for coaching. It is wonderful,” Crawford said. “I am pleased to see it and glad to see Ryan get the attention he deserves.”Crawford’s admiration for his student goes beyond the game.“It is not just about the ranking, it is about the student. He has a great attitude, he’s polite and he is extremely smart,” Crawford said. “He also loves being a kid. He enjoys spending time outdoors and is family-oriented.”Ryan is keeping his eye on the ultimate prize. One day, he wants to follow in the footsteps of Carlsen.“I want to be the world chess champion,” Ryan said. “It motivates me.”

When Ryan Mecham sits in front of a chessboard, he does so with confidence, knowing he can put his opponent’s king in check. The pint-sized 7-year-old from Katy has competed against contenders more than twice his age and won.“I like everything about chess,” Ryan told Chron. “I am open to playing anybody.”Amid the pandemic, the game is mostly virtual.“Normally, we’d be going to a couple of tournaments a month, but because of COVID-19, everything is on hold,” said Mary Mecham, a 30-year-old stay-at-home mother who homeschools her son, Ryan, and his two sisters.It was Mary who first taught...

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Marcy de Luna

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Meet Ryan Mecham, the 7-year-old Houston chess prodigy

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