I am very excited to be back teaching chess.  I have missed chess a lot over the last few years while I was focusing on law school and a public interest fellowship in Washington DC, but now I am back in  Seattle playing actively and teaching.  The skills I learned playing and teaching chess were essential to my success in law school.  Chess teaches students how to plan, set goals, follow through and focus.

Teaching:

I offer Personal chess lessons for children or adults. Learn everything from the basics of the game to advanced competitive techniques for tournament play. Study plans focus on gaining a strong foundation of tactics, endgames, and learning how to master a skill.

I have high expectations for my students and parents. Learning chess for children should be a cooperative experience. Parents do not need to be avid chess players, but do need to be committed to helping their children learn on a daily basis. I teach not only the skills to learn chess, but also the skills to master any subject as part of chess, whether it be law, math or music, the same basic principles and work habits will benefit any life-long learner.

The first time you meet with me, I will do a half-hour introductory evaluation of your chess skills free of charge. Weekly 1:1 lessons are recommended for most students ranging between 1/2 hour to 1 hour per session. Students must be prepared to study daily including keeping a journal of work completed and questions for future lessons.

I am willing to travel to any location within 10 miles of Seattle or meet at a public place within the city.

Diverse people of all learning styles are welcome. Lessons are customized for each students learning style!

Rates:

1st 1/2 hour introductory half hour is free.
$35 per half hour single lessons
* 30 minute weekly chess lessons – $130.00/month
* 45 minute weekly chess lessons – $175.00/month
* 60 minute weekly chess lessons – $220.00/month

Perspective students may also want to check out the new student page to get an idea of how I teach.

Where I play:
I can be found playing at SOHO Coffee Company, Cherry Street Cafes or the Downtown Seattle Public Library. I am always up for a friendly game feel free to approach me if you see me at a coffee shop.

Bio:
I started playing chess in the early 1990′s and have been addicted ever since. I started by playing coffee house chess and moved on to tournament chess a short time later. In the late 1990′s I started teaching chess in the Portland Oregon / Vancouver Washington area at local elementary and middle schools along with private lessons. Most recently I taught two 8 week chess classes at the Perkins School in North Seattle. I have worked with students ages 4 on up. I also took private lessons from Senior Master Charles Schulien in the late 1990′s.

I hold a law degree from Seattle University class of 09 and degrees in Informatics and Political Science from University of Washington. I have extensive experience in teaching at all levels ranging from tutoring math and reading to elementary school student through the America Reads program to teaching Masters level classes at University of Washington’s Information School and continuing legal education seminars on copyright and patent law.