Josh Waitzkin, famous child chess prodigy of the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer, is also 5-time and current Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands Middleweight National Champion in both the Restricted Step and Moving Step divisions. In 2004 he won the Middleweight World Championship Title in Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands (Fixed Step) and became the Middleweight World Co-Champion in Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands (Moving Step) competing in the 7th Chung Hwa Cup International Tai Chi Chuan Championships in Taiwan.

"The most important thing I believe I've learned [from chess] is the idea of when you have an opportunity, a gift, whatever it is, you take advantage of it."