United StatesAbout me
I am 34 years old. I've been coaching chess since 2009 and teaching chess to private students since 2012. I started teaching chess full time in 2016 when I was hired by the Renaissance Knights Chess Club in Chicago. I've since moved out of the city and continue to teach chess full time both online and in person.
Playing experience
I'm currently rated 1965 USCF and 1878 FIDE.
I began studying chess in 2007 when I was 16. In high school in 2008, I was the only player to beat FM Albert Chow in a 30+ board simul at Aurora Central Catholic High School. In 2009, I won the division 2 state individual championship in Illinois. I also led my team to a top 25 finish as 1st board.
I focused on college and teaching in the 2010s, but still managed decent tournament results. Through 5-6 tournaments and a performance rating of over 2000 I raised my USCF rating to 1851, FIDE rating to 1830, and USCF blitz to 1971.
I started 2022 with a renewed focus on my own studying. I won the Class A section of the Chicago Class with 4.5/5. I also finished 4/4 at the USAT North including an NM scalp. I played in a couple of US Opens and managed a 20 move FM scalp in a Sicilian Dragon. More recently, I remained undefeated at USAT Reserve on board 1, won 1st place on board 1 at USAT North 2026, and drew GM Alexander Shabalov in a simul.
My tournament playing is sparse as most of my focus is on teaching and growing chess in my community. I began building the Kankakee County Chess League, which is in its 11th season, to regrow what used to be a bustling chess scene. The league ranges from beginners to USCF 1850, plus myself. I won the first 10 Kankakee County Championships, donated the prize fund back into the pool for the next season, and grew a modest 8 player league to 45 players (30 active).
I began studying chess in 2007 when I was 16. In high school in 2008, I was the only player to beat FM Albert Chow in a 30+ board simul at Aurora Central Catholic High School. In 2009, I won the division 2 state individual championship in Illinois. I also led my team to a top 25 finish as 1st board.
I focused on college and teaching in the 2010s, but still managed decent tournament results. Through 5-6 tournaments and a performance rating of over 2000 I raised my USCF rating to 1851, FIDE rating to 1830, and USCF blitz to 1971.
I started 2022 with a renewed focus on my own studying. I won the Class A section of the Chicago Class with 4.5/5. I also finished 4/4 at the USAT North including an NM scalp. I played in a couple of US Opens and managed a 20 move FM scalp in a Sicilian Dragon. More recently, I remained undefeated at USAT Reserve on board 1, won 1st place on board 1 at USAT North 2026, and drew GM Alexander Shabalov in a simul.
My tournament playing is sparse as most of my focus is on teaching and growing chess in my community. I began building the Kankakee County Chess League, which is in its 11th season, to regrow what used to be a bustling chess scene. The league ranges from beginners to USCF 1850, plus myself. I won the first 10 Kankakee County Championships, donated the prize fund back into the pool for the next season, and grew a modest 8 player league to 45 players (30 active).
Teaching experience
My coaching experience began as an unofficial coach for the Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School chess team. In the few years I coached and played there I helped them achieve 3 top 25 finishes in Illinois as well as a 13-0 conference record in the SWSC.
After moving to Chicago, I then began to build my business tutoring chess on Wyzant.com, where I accumulated 200+ total reviews of all 5 stars. My wyzant profile can be found here: www.wyzant.com/match/tutor/82057970
I was then hired to teach for the Renaissance Knights chess club where I ran chess programs in different schools all over Chicago. I've since moved out of the city and make a living teaching about 20 students each week, coaching tennis, and running chess events in my community.
Since moving out of the city, I started a chess team at Bishop McNamara Catholic High School; a small school with just over 300 kids. Despite starting late and only half of our team having more than a few months of experience, we qualified for State in our first partial season. Next season, our first full season with a full lineup, we went undefeated in conference, placed 7th/24 in sectionals, and 3rd in 1A at the State Tournament. In 5 years coaching the team, we achieved 3 Conference titles, 2 top 5 Sectional finishes, 5 top 5 1A State finishes, and a 4th place finish in our division at Nationals.
After moving to Chicago, I then began to build my business tutoring chess on Wyzant.com, where I accumulated 200+ total reviews of all 5 stars. My wyzant profile can be found here: www.wyzant.com/match/tutor/82057970
I was then hired to teach for the Renaissance Knights chess club where I ran chess programs in different schools all over Chicago. I've since moved out of the city and make a living teaching about 20 students each week, coaching tennis, and running chess events in my community.
Since moving out of the city, I started a chess team at Bishop McNamara Catholic High School; a small school with just over 300 kids. Despite starting late and only half of our team having more than a few months of experience, we qualified for State in our first partial season. Next season, our first full season with a full lineup, we went undefeated in conference, placed 7th/24 in sectionals, and 3rd in 1A at the State Tournament. In 5 years coaching the team, we achieved 3 Conference titles, 2 top 5 Sectional finishes, 5 top 5 1A State finishes, and a 4th place finish in our division at Nationals.
Best skills
I am especially skilled with long term students. Most of my students start under 1000 chess.com rapid. Ambitious students who also work in between lessons have generally improved a few hundred points per year, with some "graduating" from me and progressing to over 2200 chess.com rapid. These ambitious students also get full support from me in between lessons including answering questions, making private Chessable courses, assisting and traveling to tournaments, and more.
Teaching methodology
I meet the student at their individual needs. I can provide expert guidance for the beginner just looking to learn a few things all the way to full dedication and support for the serious tournament player. I focus heavily on helping the typical online player shed their "beginner baggage" or, bad habits that have stuck around a little too long. I am definitely an opening theory nerd and I use this expertise to help students to stop passively developing in the opening to seamlessly constructing plans revolving around center control and other imbalances.
I believe that chess should be taught and studied as a sport, emphasizing work, exercises, and repetition. The typical lesson will emphasize this through extensive pattern study including introducing the pattern, giving historical context when relevant, pulling examples of said pattern from my games as well as from the masters database, practicing the pattern with exercises, and testing over the pattern while replicating real-game conditions.
I believe that chess should be taught and studied as a sport, emphasizing work, exercises, and repetition. The typical lesson will emphasize this through extensive pattern study including introducing the pattern, giving historical context when relevant, pulling examples of said pattern from my games as well as from the masters database, practicing the pattern with exercises, and testing over the pattern while replicating real-game conditions.