All Ages Chess Instructor

Joseph S.

Chess

My chess tournament experience began in high school with simple knock-out tournaments. Even then, I was a student of the game – studying many chess books on opening play, middle game tactics and strategy, and end games. In college (beginning in 1977), I joined the Bloomington-Normal chess club. I was mentored by the president of the club and we attended many local tournaments. Upon graduation, I moved to the Chicago suburbs and joined the St. Charles Chess Club and eventually the Oak Park-River Forest chess club. Over the next several years I played regularly at both clubs in the evening and attended many weekend tournaments. My knowledge and ability increased rapidly and I attained a US Chess Federation rating of over 2000, which is Expert class. (Master is 2200 and above.) Shortly after reaching Expert class, I began giving my first formal chess lessons – with an adult, once a week for one hour. Eventually, I gave lessons to more adults and through word-of-mouth I made contact with those working with scholastic chess. Soon I was instructing several grade school and junior high players. A few years later, I was asked to coach the Benjamin Middle School chess team, as two of the players I had coached individually had propelled their team to win the IL State Chess Championship – Elementary Division. As coach of the Benjamin Middle School, we went on to win four more state championships (junior high) over the next 16 years. When many of these chess players went onto high school at West Chicago High, a chess team was initiated, and three years later I became the chess coach and still am after 10 years. My chess teaching has extended to a library and two park districts. I have also taught at eight one-week chess camps. One of my most notable accomplishments was to receive in 1998 the “Colias Teaching in Excellence Award” for my work with young Illinois players in the national Top 50 for their age. My instruction range has included beginners who have never played chess through advanced players w