On a Sunday afternoon in Tucson, chess coach Ken Larson sits across from eight-year-old Nik Jain, a second grader at Ventana Vista Elementary, and offers a gentle nudge: “Maybe you should protect that pawn.”
Larson has been coaching chess since 1983 and has guided generations of young players to success, including Nik’s father, Sameer Jain, a former Arizona state champion and CFSD grad. Now, he’s passing that same wisdom to the next generation.
Under Larson’s guidance, Ventana Vista’s chess team has earned second place in the last two Arizona state chess championships, bringing home trophies nearly as tall as its youngest players. His gift lies in making complex strategies accessible for children, connecting logic, creativity, and confidence—one move at a time.
As Sameer puts it: “Ken is a good individual. He’s got a kind heart, he cares. He’s very smart. He plays chess at an extremely high level.”
Thank you, Mr. Larson, for inspiring a love of learning, patience, and problem-solving that reaches far beyond the chessboard. Read the complete story by KGUN 9 here.