Benjamin Hamp highest rated 5 year old by USCF.

I appreciate some of the comments, but I'd like to give a word of warning and encouragement to all. Be careful what you say about a fine young chess player. For those of you interested in playing Chess in tournaments, I'll tell you what my coach told me before most of you or your parents were born, "You're going to loose a thousand games before you will be an expert." Natural ability is fine for those who play for fun or not at all and dismiss it as a game. But to become an expert at anything it takes 10,000 hours of study and practice. The question you should ask yourself is, 'Are you willing to invest that much of your life to Chess?' If you are you will succeed!" Good chess to all who want to learn and appreciate the game.

I wore my wife out tonight, she and Benjamin's Mother went to a movie and when they returned home we ere still doing the lesson. Whenever he makes a move not recommended by Bruce he wants Nero show him why it isn't mentioned. Well I warn all of my students that their score will be effected if I give them more information than what Bruce gives, but somewhere along the way through there are harder positions to explain and somehow the test evil olives into a true lesson and that's ok, but I can't give them their approx rating. Or if I did it's inflated. Ben is ready to be able to use all the resources chess.com has. I showed him chess mentor and explained to only go the lessons that have already been scored, but when I came back my 2390 rating had increased to 2394:-) happy coach. I think his parents will upgrade his membership to Diamond. He starts or drift in the middle game, but when he gets 4-6 moves away for a checkmate he's all over it and sometimes faster Thani can calculate it myself. I'm as proud of him as I ever have been. He's ready to work at it and put in the study time.

hey why did he stoped playing after this?? he has great potential. I can see now he dropped to 900 uscf back...please ask him to do more tatics puzzel. currently i am working with my son he is 5 year old and having uscf 1390 with last tournament. Please encorage young kids and consistency is the key.

Oh yes, I have seen multiple of those at wide-open otb tournaments

Later in 2013 he fell below 1000.

Just now, 5 years later, he's over 1000 again. His rating is 1019.

Obviously that is special. You don't play in otb tournaments so you don't know what I am talking about. You played other chess as a kid?

1100 at 5 may be special.

But he quickly went under 1000 and wasn't rated over 1000 again until 5 years later so...

obviously he was overrated.

And a 1000 rated 10 year old is not special at all.

Well, a very harsh one, to say the least

 

These are not facts.

Maybe we should play a correspondence game.