Jan Saminskij

Growing up as the youngest in the family, I learned early how to stand my ground. My first “big” battles were fought at home, across the chessboard from my older brothers. When they had better things to do, I would happily play against myself—and even then, I sometimes lost. At five, I finally got to take my first chess lesson. From then on, I was never bored again. The royal game had cast its spell on me.

For me, chess is a world of its own—one you can immerse yourself in. I am fascinated by the depth the game reveals anew with every game. In this world, you encounter all kinds of situations, some of them downright crazy. Every game is a unique experience that can never be repeated exactly. You never know how it will unfold or end. That uncertainty is precisely what makes chess so compelling to me.

I currently attend Gymnasium Rämibühl in Zurich. Balancing school and chess is not always easy. Both matter greatly to me, so I work hard and stay disciplined every day to meet my responsibilities while moving closer to my goals.

My next goal is to earn the IM title by my 16th birthday. My dream is to one day represent Switzerland in international competition at senior level.