Omaha teen named a national master in chess; now he wants a learner's permit

The 16-year-old just recently became the fifth native Nebraskan to earn a national master title in chess while still in high school.

“It’s a big milestone,” he said.

The U.S. Chess Federation awards the national master title to players who achieve a rating of at least 2200. His is 2206. Less than 1% of rated players hold the title.

A stellar performance at the 2026 U.S. Open and at the Denker High School Tournament of Champions in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in August, in which he placed eighth, helped him lock it up.

“It’s funny because I put off studying for my learner's permit until after the U.S. Open was over so that I could spend time preparing for the tournament,” he said. “So now that it's over, I can shift my focus back toward getting my learner's permit.’’

Hengen, who is homeschooled, was excited to receive the lifetime title and said the chess community in Omaha has been amazing and supportive.

John Watson, Rod Malpert, Paul Rohwer and Keaton Kiewra are the other four Nebraska players who previously accomplished the same feat in high school. All are members of the Nebraska Chess Hall of Fame.

“It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time, so it feels great to reach this goal,” Hengen said. “I know there’s still a lot I want to improve on, and I look forward to continuing to work on chess and see how far I can take it.”

An International Chess Federation master designation is his next goal.

Hengen has been playing since he was 12. He practices between three to five hours a day.

He reviews previous games against opponents, studies chess tactics and plays online opponents on chess.com He’s been attending the local Jack Spence Chess Club, which he said has been very helpful.

“My favorite parts about the game are strategy, the competitive aspect and the game itself,” he said. “I like the fact that anyone is able to play chess, and it’s a game where people from all walks of life and all ages get to meet and play each other.”

Hengen is a state champion against all ages of competition. He has also won the Nebraska Individual State High School Championship in each of the past two years.

He would like to start playing internationally. He is considering competing at the 2027 Reykjavik Open in Iceland in the spring to help him earn the FIDE title.

But as much as he enjoys chess, it sure would be nice to add driving to his resume.

“Hopefully my parents will let me test drive their cars a little bit,” he said.