Luke Harmon-Vellotti is used to being the youngest person in the room.

The 14-year-old mastered his times tables before he could see over the kitchen counter and was beating his dad in chess by the time he was 9 and a three-time national champion.

Black-and-white checkered boards cover the tables in John Wooden Center’s games lounge as the UCLA Chess Club gathers to practice and strategize.

Luke Vellotti is going to rule the world.

The invitation Luke Harmon-Vellotti had been waiting years for finally arrived this spring; a place in the 10-person U.S. Junior Chess Championship Tournament.