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 If you are interested in Working for Chess4Life
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National
Master Elliott Neff is the founder of Chess4Life, as well as
a mostly self-taught chess master. He is well-read in chess literature
and brings his extensive experience working with both younger and older
players to the table in helping others achieve success in the chess world--and
therefore, in life. <more>
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Grandmaster Emil Anka has
extensive coaching experience, competitive success, and a history of running
international events.With a university degree in chess coaching and many
victories in international tournaments, Grandmaster Anka brings his high
standards and instructional excellence to all our students at Chess4Life.
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more>
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 National
Master John Graves is a very enthusiastic and energetic chess
coach who started playing chess in 1986 and became a National Master only
3 years later. He has won the Washington state junior championship three
times and the Oregon Open Championship. <more>
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FIDE
Master Curt Collyer has achieved a rating over 2300 and is
therefore one of Washington's top players. He tied for second place
in both the 2009 and 2010 Washington State Championships and has also
competed in Germany, UK, and Japan. <more>
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 Brad
Stensland leads the Issaquah region of Chess4Life. He has been
playing chess for most of his life, starting at the age of 7. He has extensive
experience working with children, including 15 years as a volunteer youth
soccer coach and 13 years as a Camp Fire day camp counselor. <more>
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Michael
Hosford leads the Kirkland/Redmond region of Chess4Life. He
has been coaching students and teams to the state and national championship
levels since 1999. Michael's philosophy on scholastic chess teaching is
to keep it interesting by combining structure, humor, and positive motivation.
<more>
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 Amy
Byykkonen leads the South Sound region of Chess4Life. She has
extensive experience working with children as owner of a tutoring business,
and has discovered that chess is a perfect vehicle for doing what she
loves best: helping children learn to think and to develop strong character
qualities. <more>
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 Roy
Almasy is a member of the Chess4Life team. He is a patient
coach who has a passion for positively impacting the lives of children.
While coaching, he uses the game of chess to teach practical life lessons.
<more>
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 Bert
Rutgers has a strong chess background and has been working
several years as one of the most successful coaches with beginner to intermediate
students. Bert's high energy and animated character inspire and excite
his students. <more>
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 Lane
Van Weerdhuizen has been playing chess competitively since
the 3rd grade. His ratings are1851 NWSRS and 1831 USCF. Lane's goal is
to become a chess expert within the next couple of years. His chess teaching
style is planned, attentive, and exciting. <more>
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 Conrado
Julian teaches his chess students as if they were his own children.
"I began to teach chess to my own kids to ensure I have some tool to be
able to talk to them when they get older. Now, even when I lose, I still
win because I still gained!" <more>
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 Alan
Bishop has been playing chess for over 30 years. His main chess-playing
goal is to finally achieve the master title, which he was very close to
years ago! Alan enjoys sharing the wonders of chess with others, especially
kids, and seeing them progress and attain new skills. <more>
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 Dale
Almasy comes from the Kearsley, Michigan, Chess Program, which
has a rich chess history. Dale places an emphasis on team building in
the classroom. He uses his background and personality to teach patience
and discipline as a chess player. <more>
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 Ryan
Ackerman is rated over 1800 USCF and among the top junior players
in Washington State. His love for the game stems from its immense complexity
and harmony through logical strategy. He enthusiastically teaches patience
and forethought to students and happily watches them become very successful
on the chess board. <more>
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Tyler
Britton has been playing chess competitively for four years.
He studies the games of chess masters such as Karpov and Capablanca and
emulates their solid, defensive playing styles. His goal for 2011 is to
raise his USCF rating, and his long term goal is to become a chess expert.
<more>
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Brian
Opalewski loves helping kids learn the game of chess and ardently
believes that students derive benefits that go well beyond how they play
the game itself. Brian emphasizes home study and competitive play, along
with good sportsmanship. <more>
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 Hilary
Marcacci first learned the game of chess at the age of seven
when her dad taught her how to play. As a teenager she spent many nights
at the local coffee shops playing chess against her friends. She moved
to the Seattle area with her husband and two children in 2009 from Phoenix,
Arizona. <more>
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 Mark
Trevor Smith retired from teaching university English in 2009
and piloted his U-Haul 2000 miles to live 2 miles from his grandson. His
philosophy of coaching emphasizes beauty and joy and individuality and
never giving up.<more>
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 Hristo
Arabadjiev has coached multiple students privately, helping
them to achieve in the top 15 in the state of Washington elementary chess
championships. Originally from Bulgaria, Coach Hristo has followed his
two passions: music and chess. <more>
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Keith
Huntzinger has taught all ages and tutored many subjects. 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. His focus
is to identify the unique style within each student and cultivate their
natural ability. <more>
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 Drew
Dawson "Chess is a beautiful game but children are more
important." Coach Drew began working at Chess4Life in 2006; by 2008,
he was the youngest head coach in the company. His goal as
a coach is to push his students to their full potential within the boundaries
of childhood. <more>
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 Jeremy Glasco was welcomed into the
captivating world of chess two decades ago by his father, a passionate
student of the game. He is currently working towards his bachelor's degree
in education, and finds his position as chess coach to be a rewarding
and enjoyable way to help others realize their goals and develop their
intellect. <more>
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 Vishnu
Warrier's goal as a chess coach is to motivate his students
to do their best and realize their potential to become better chess players
and better people through the game. As an aggressive player himself, who
has achieved a peak rating of 2013 (expert), he usually focuses on middlegame
positions where precise calculation of different variations is of the
utmost importance. <more>
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 Anand
Mehta first learned to play chess at the age of 14 in Tanzania,
and primarily credits his love for the game to his excellent coach/English
teacher at the time. Besides chess, Anand enjoys badminton, soccer, traveling
to explore other cultures, and going on nature and wildlife safaris. Surprising
to many, Anand does not work at Microsoft and is not related to World
Champion Vishy Anand!
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 Jill
Downey joined Chess4Life as a coach in 2010. Having earned
teacher's certification and a master's degree in education, Jill plans
chess lessons that are developmentally appropriate for young children
and that encourage discovery through exploration on the chess board. Jill
grew up the older of two, where the dinner table was used for three things:
family dinners together, homework, and chess. <more>
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 Tim
Campbell began playing competitive chess in high school when
he discovered the beauty and complexity of the game. Most of his jobs have
focused around helping kids, including tutoring, teaching gymnastics, and
now chess. Tim is an avid proponent of game analysis as a tool to help improve
at chess. <more> |
 Nick
Rider has been enjoying the game of chess since the age of
five. He is eager to share with his students the complexity, challenges,
and rewards of the game. Nick enjoys reading, writing, history, building
balsa wood airplane models, and strategy games. Whenever possible he goes
up flying.<more> |
 Abe
Chang has a skill for developing a connection with students over
time. He is a student at the University of Washington in the health field.
He plays tennis and speaks Spanish as a second language. |
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 Anne
Luong is working on her bachelor's degree in education with an endorsement
for special education at Western Washington University. She started playing
chess in the third grade and currently enjoys recreational and competitive
games. Some hobbies she loves are playing competitive tennis, composing
original piano works, and being with family and friends. |
 Michael
Gray has a passion and desire to work with children in schools
as a teacher and by teaching chess classes. He is married with 2 young children. |
 Stuart
Wang began playing chess in elementary school under the Chess4Life
program. He looks to bring out every student's strengths and develop their
sportsmanship and leadership potential through the game of chess. <more> |
 Thomas
Lancaster, who lives in Kenmore, loves the connection between chess
and solving puzzles of all kinds. |
 Wade McCorkle has an accounting background. |
 Aaron
Low, who has been working with Chess4Life since 2006, coaches
out of the Issaquah Center. |
 Rudy
Vrana has achieved a peak USCF rating above 2100 (high expert).
He went undefeated in his debut tournament at the famous Bryant Elementary
Scholastic Classic in 3rd grade. In 2004 he ranked in the top 25 for 18-and-under
in USA. <more> |
Alex Vaschillo is currently studying math
as well as coaching chess. He specializes in coaching younger children,
4-5 years old. |
Joshua Pritchard earned a BA in business
from Azusa Pacific University. He first learned to play chess in elementary
school while living in the Netherlands and taught chess in Texas before
coming here. He has worked with children of all ages, and looks forward
to passing on many of the lessons he has learned through chess to his students.
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Cameron Justice is a swimming instructor
and lifeguard, with a martial arts background in instructing children. He
has taught CPR and first aid and worked as an EMT. |
| Brian Combs taught chess in
Texas before coming to Chess4Life and has worked previously for Microsoft. |
Andrew Duggins lives in Sammamish
and coaches in the Issaquah region. |
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