I am a nationally ranked chess player who has been playing competitive chess for 25 years and teaching chess for 13 years. When I teach chess I cover a broad list of topics that include the opening phase, the middle game phase and the endgame phase of the game while also going over tactics, calculation, general strategy and positional theory. As both a chess instructor and student of the game, I understand that not everybody plays the same and that every chess player has their own unique style of play, so when I work with students on a one on one basis, I make sure that I help that individual student find the playing style that suits them best in both casual and competitive play. Whether a student plays the game casually or competitively makes no difference to me because playing chess by itself is a wonderful exercise for the mind on so many fundamental levels. The game improves both long and short term memory, sharpens spatial reasoning and teaches critical thinking skills among many other cognitive benefits. It's a game that helps every student discover who they are, its an art form that encourages every student to express themselves authentically and more importantly it's a game that proves that the learning process can be filled with creativity and fun.