From personal loss to community action.
Two high school chess players from Upstate South Carolina turned one family's heartbreak into a movement for an entire community, and now, beyond it.
How it started.
Caton Tsao and Allen Hong are expert-level chess players from the Upstate region of South Carolina. They've been playing since childhood, competing in tournaments across the state, training for hours, living the game.
But chess became something much more personal for Caton when his grandparents developed Alzheimer's disease. During visits, they could no longer recognize him. That experience, feeling invisible to the people you love, was something no chess rating could prepare him for.
"Personally, I have witnessed the profound impact of the disease on the patient and the family. With this project, I hoped to help others in my community since I couldn't help my own family member on another continent."
Inspired by early research suggesting that mentally demanding games like chess might help support brain health, Caton reached out to Allen. Their idea was simple: use what they already loved (chess) to do something meaningful for their community.
They began hosting tournaments with chess clubs across Upstate and Midlands South Carolina, raising funds for the Alzheimer's Association's "Do What You Love to End Alz" campaign. They also started visiting local retirement communities to teach chess directly to seniors, bringing cognitive stimulation, laughter, and real connection to the people who needed it most.
What started as two students with a chess board and a cause has since grown into a multi-city initiative, including an ongoing research collaboration Caton and Aman started with Clemson University to explore whether chess might help support brain health as people age.
Caton Tsao
Co-founder · D.W. Daniel HS
Expert-level chess player
Allen Hong
Co-founder · Upstate SC
Expert-level chess player
How it grew.
A personal spark
Caton's grandparents develop Alzheimer's. Unable to help his family directly, he and Allen decide to use chess to raise awareness and funds in their community.
Community tournaments launch
Caton and Allen partner with chess clubs across Upstate and Midlands South Carolina to host a series of fundraising tournaments for "Do What You Love to End Alz."
Chess classes at retirement homes
The founders begin visiting local retirement communities to teach chess directly to seniors, bringing cognitive engagement and social connection to those at highest risk.
Clemson collaboration begins
Caton and Aman Sreshta bring their idea to Dr. Kaileigh Byrne at Clemson University: exploring whether playing chess might be connected to brain health later in life. The project starts taking shape in 2024.
The initiative scales
Checkmating Alzheimer's continues to expand: more cities, more events, and more students joining the cause. The mission: show that chess can be part of the story of Alzheimer's, through awareness, community, and honest research.
Why this matters
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting millions of families, including Caton's. There's currently no cure, but community awareness, early detection, and continued research all matter.