Steve Jang

Q: What future did your parents envision for you and were you able to fulfil it?
A: My parents wanted me to be in business and help them at their grocery market and pizza stores. However, I wanted to go to medical school. Going to medical school was tough and hard and so I gave up and eventually started my own business.

Q: How did your interest in chess began?
A: My interest in chess sparked when I was 9th grade in Canada. I started having good matches with my Math teacher and winning. Also, winning county championship in California was sweet, too.

Q: About two years ago, you opened a great coffee place in the heart of Garapan along Beach Road— Ete-Cafe. What do you project this place to be? What does the word “Ete” mean?
A: Ete is a French word for summer. Saipan’s weather is warm and hot and so I named it Ete Café.  Ete Café opened on March 16, 2018, just little over one year.
I’d like to see Ete Café be a quiet cozy place where people can sit down and enjoy chatting or doing their work. Ambience was created so that all age groups like it.

Q: What’s common between coffee and chess?
A: Hmm…interesting question! I am not sure what’s common between chess and coffee but if I were to take a guess, I would love to have a beautiful checkmate while having coffee and talk trash! Hahaha.

Steve Jang, owner Café Ete and president/CEO of H&C International, LLC, poses with YoungStyle contributor Alex Megino. (Contributed Photo)

Q: What’s your favorite chess piece and what chess piece best describes you?
A: My favorite chess piece is the queen. The queen is the most powerful piece on the chessboard. Does the queen piece best describe me? Hmmm…I can’t …. many days and times, I feel like a pawn.

Q: What is your most memorable chess match?
A: My most memorable chess match was in Canada and state county high school championship in Southern California, representing my own school. I beat the top senior players from other high schools. That felt good!

Q: How much time do you need to understand the strengths and abilities of your chess opponent?
A: Understanding the strength and abilities of ones rival is very important. Recollecting different moves and defensive moves is always a plus.

Q: What’s your corporate move in a situation when you are losing the game?
A: I don’t have a corporate move when I am down a piece. However, my plan and strategy is not to trade pieces with my opponent. I become very defensive, make sure all the pieces are protected from one another.

Q: On whose side is the truth, black or white?
A: Of course, I like white better. You get to move first and have the advantage of attacking. I tend to be defensive when I hold black side.

Q: what is your favorite quote?
A: Hmmm…I have many favorite quotes but if I were to take one … I like to quote from Robert H. Schuller …
“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.”