Chess4Life Chess Coaches

Keith Huntzinger

Keith is a talented and experienced educator.  He has taught all ages and tutored many subjects, including English, Spanish, French, World Literature, and Math.  Currently he is finishing a MA in TESOL and Education at Seattle Pacific University. He has visited 20 countries on 5 continents, worked in a Physics laboratory at Stanford, run a bookstore in Paris, lived on a farm in southern Spain, and caught the winning goal of the 2004 Ultimate Frisbee National Championships. Such a wide range of life experience has made Keith an open and versatile teacher, capable of adapting to any student who steps into his classroom.

Chess Background

Though not active in tournaments, Keith is a regular player of approximately 1700 rating.  As a high school student in south Seattle, he studied chess for two years under IM Nikolai Minev, a prolific chess coach and author.  When not spending free time with his baby son, Keith prepares for serious tournament play.

Chess Coach

Keith has spent the last year as a head coach at Chess4life.  He is a coach for several schools, center classes, and private students.  He also helps direct Friday night quads.

Keith approaches chess as an art.  He believes that everyone has a unique style.  His focus is to identify that style within each student and cultivate their natural ability.  In this way, chess is not only a game, but a path to self awareness.

Keith specializes in introducing the fundamentals of strategy and positional chess.  His favorite tools are the games of Grandmasters, though he adapts his lessons and activities for each student.

Education

M.A. (in progress), TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and Education, Seattle Pacific University.
B.A., Linguistics, Minors in Russian studies and Mathematics, University of Colorado.

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