Eighteen-year-old national master Jacorey Bynum from Lauderhill, Florida, recently gained widespread recognition by checkmating grandmaster Magnus Carlsen during Chess.com's Titled Tuesday tournament on January 27. The victory, featuring a smooth queen sacrifice, drew smiles from Carlsen and coverage from outlets like The Times of India and Worldstar Hip Hop. In an interview with Chess Life Online, Bynum discussed his chess journey and ambitions.
Jacorey Bynum has long been a prominent figure in Florida state and scholastic chess. At age 11 in 2019, the town of Sunrise declared September 28 as “Jacorey Bynum Day” to honor his accomplishments and community service. In 2024, he broke the 2200 national rating barrier, earning coverage in The Chess Drum. Last year, Bynum placed eighth in the K-12 Championship section of SuperNationals VIII, scoring 5½ out of 7 and finishing just half a point behind the seven co-champions. In July, he received an $8,000 Maurice Ashley Fellowship for his excellence.
Bynum's breakthrough came on January 27, when he defeated Carlsen online. He recalled feeling nervous upon pairing against the grandmaster. “When he missed the trap, I thought that it wasn’t even checkmate and I was missing something. I had to look at it over and over again,” Bynum said. The win prompted immediate congratulations, escalating to broad recognition within and beyond chess circles.
Bynum began playing chess seriously at age 9, inspired by early wins and his mentor's encouragement for tournaments. He achieved national master status at 16. “The hardest part of achieving the title is overthinking the ways you can get to NM,” he noted, advising others to “just try to play your best chess no matter who you are playing.” His first mentor was Mo Hylton, who introduced him to the game, followed by coach FM Ramon Lorente.
At SuperNationals, Bynum enjoyed the challenging games, highlighting his match against IM Eric Liu as a favorite despite the loss: “It was a very tough game, and there were moments where I could’ve got a better result. It was the turning point of my tournament.” Another proud victory was against IM Roman Pyrih in November at the U.S. Masters.
As a high school senior, Bynum is considering colleges with strong chess programs while prioritizing other activities. He plans to study psychology or forensic studies. His ultimate chess goal is clear: “My goal is to reach GM.”
