Chess Team Members

Max Cornejo's Interesting Journey Brought Him to UTB/TSC

Max Cornejo fought almost impossible odds to get from to Peru to Brownsville in time to join the UTB/TSC chess team.

He obtained his Visa to travel to te United States on the same day his flight was to leave, something foreign travelers realize is next to impossible.

"My parents did not think I was going to meet all the requirements the Embassy wanted," Max said. "But everything worked out in the last minute. I didn't have much time to pack but I made it here, and I'm glad I did."

So Max left in a rush from Peru, his native country where he learned chess at the age of 8.

He learned to play in elementary school tournaments together with his brother Guillermo, who is three years older than he is. When his father saw that his children were improving their chess game, he drove them to tournaments all over Peru and even Ecuador.

At their first tournament together in 2001, Guilermo finished first and Max third. "After that tournament, the Peru Chess Federation called us to be part of the Under 12 team. We trained with older kids, just the best ones."

Brother Guillermo, who had a rating as high as 2220, is no longer playing competitive chess. But Max continued, and began playing in major tournaments in Peru and improved his rating.

He finished high school in December 2006 and began college work at Universidad de Lima, studying economics for two yers.

"I was part of team first team there, and did not want to leave Peru," Cornejo said. "But a friend from Uruguay encouraged me to send letters to the United States so that I could get a scholarship to play chess."

Max said UTB/TSC is known by the best chess players in the world as a solid program. "I had seen some pictures on the website, but that was it," Max said. I was very surprised. It is much more relaxed here than Peru. For me, it’s perfect here. I miss my family, but I will go home for part of the summer."

One of the biggest adjustments Max has had to make was perfecting the English language.

"Because English is my seocnd language, courses like history and composition are difficult for me because people speak very fast. I am trying to comprehend. Sometimes I have to translate everything."

Max plans to stay at UTB/TSC and graduate with a bachelor's degree in Business.

"I want to get a master’s degree in economics, whether it’s here or somewhere else," he said. "I don’t know if I will wind up here to go Peru. Here in the U.S., I have a better quality of life than I would in Peru. I have time to decide that later."

When he decides he will not be rushed to leave like he was when he got to South Texas.