JtM Co-Founder
Grandmaster Gergely Szabo is a FIDE Trainer from Romania and has coached Canadian teams at the World stage, including the 2018 Canadian Women’s Olympiad Team, as the Head Coach of the Canadian delegation at the 2015 World Youth Chess Championship in Greece, and as the Trainer and Captain of Team Canada at the 2014 U16 Olympiad, which won 5th place. As a player, GM Szabo has won several strong tournaments, including the Memorial "Victor Ciocâltea” GM group, București in 2009 and again in 2011.
JtM Co-Founder
Victoria Doknjas has been the Canadian Head of Delegation and Team BC Captain including at the North American Youth Chess Championship (in New Jersey 2017 and in New York 2014) and at the World Youth & Cadet Chess Championships (in Halkidiki, Greece 2015). She won the 2016 Canadian Senior Woman Champion title. Victoria is the co-author of the Everyman chess book, What Chess Coaches Don't Tell You.
JtM In-House Master
FIDE Master Joshua Doknjas tied for 1st Place at the 2019 North American Youth Chess Championship - U18 Open. He also won the 2018 BC Junior Championship as well as has seven national titles for his age including the 2019, 2012, and 2010 Canadian Youth Chess Championships. Joshua is a chess coach and co-authored the Everyman chess book, Opening Repertoire: The Sicilian Najdorf (2019) and authored Opening Repertoire: The Ruy Lopez (2020) and The AI Revolution in Chess (2022).
JtM In-House Master
FIDE Master John Doknjas won the 2024 and 2021 BC Championship; and the 2017 U18 Canadian Youth Chess Championship, as well as placed first in several strong tournaments in British Columbia, including the Grand Pacific Open in 2022 and 2015. John won a record four BC Junior Championships. He has been a chess coach for 9 years. John co-authored Opening Repertoire: The Sicilian Najdorf (2019) and What Chess Coaches Don't Tell You (2023) and authored Opening Repertoire: The Modern Benoni (2020) with Everyman Chess.
JtM In-House Master
National Master Neil Doknjas won the 2023 BC Championship, as well as was the Co-Champion for the 2024 and 2023 Keres Memorial. He has won five BC Youth Championships and four BC Grade Championships, as well as nationally, Neil won the 2012 U8 Canadian Youth Championship and tied for 1st Place in the 2022 Grand Pacific Open the 2021 U16 Canadian Youth Championship. He also won the 2019 and 2016 BC Junior Championship and the 2016 Oregon Open U2000 Championship. Neil teaches both private and group chess lessons.
JtM In-House Master
International Master Adrian Musat has been a Team Canada Coach at several international events including the 2023 World Youth Chess Championship in Italy, the 2022 World U16 Youth Olympiad in Azerbaijan, and 2022 World Cadet Chess Championship in Georgia. IM Adrian teaches both private and group chess lessons.
JtM In-House Master
International Master Nicholas Vettese became Canada's youngest ever National Master at the age of 10. He won the 2022 North American Youth Chess Championship - U18 Open and has been National Champion multiple times including Canadian Youth Chess Champion in 2015 and 2018 and CCC Champion in Grades 3-6. Nicholas was the U12 North American Champion, participated in the World Youth Chess Championships twice, and was a member of the U16 Olympiad Team in 2019.
JtM In-House Master
Grandmaster Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux tied for 1st Place in the 2022 Canadian Zonal. He won the U12 North American Youth Chess Championship (NAYCC) in 2015 as well as was the 2018 Canadian Junior Chess Champion. Shawn has represented Team Canada at several World events including the World U16 Youth Olympiad and World Youth Chess Championships.
JtM In-House Master
FIDE Woman Grandmaster Maïli-Jade Ouellet won the Women Canadian Zonal in 2017 and the Women Continental Championship in 2019. She won three Canadian Youth Chess Championships and the North American Youth Chess Championship in U18 Girls at only 14 years old. Maïli-Jade has participated in several World Youth Chess Championships, Olympiads, and two World Cups. She is an integral member of our JtM Mentorship Program.
JtM Leadership Development Team Member
National Candidate Master Noah Yuen is an active member of our Juniors to Masters Leadership Development Team. Noah is a seven-time North York Youth Chess Champion and a two-time 3rd Place winner at the Canadian Youth Chess Championship. Noah was a Member of Team Canada at the 2018 World Cadet Chess Championship and was an Official Representative of Canada at the 2019 North American Youth Chess Championship.
JtM Leadership Development Team Member
Joshua Imoo is an active member of our Juniors to Masters Leadership Development Team. Joshua has competed in many provincial, national, and international tournaments. In 2020, he won the premier section of the Jack Taylor Memorial with a perfect score of 6/6. Joshua has received training from numerous masters and veteran coaches, and he hopes to pass on his knowledge and experience via our JtM National Training Program for Canadian Youths as sanctioned by the Chess Federation of Canada.