Why do i play chess?

I always grew up as a competitive person. It didn’t matter what sport or game it was, I always played to win. Naturally, chess, being the ultimate strategy game, became something I was very competitive in from day one. Subsequently being introduced to tournament play skyrocketed my motivation to get better at the game. But most importantly, it’s fun! When you can be around like-minded people, sharing and enjoying a common interest, it only makes the game that much more enjoyable.

I’ve always been told I had a special talent for helping others in any way. I took up chess coaching during my senior year in high school as soon as I turned 18-years old. I began by teaching elementary school kids. It always gave me a very special feeling seeing them not just learn new ideas in chess and implement them, but also seeing them with a huge smile, laughing and having fun, which I believe is the most important aspect of teaching chess. It felt like I was having a positive impact on their lives and giving back to the community. It is my number one passion to help others grow not just as chess players, but as people.

Besides chess, boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) have been a recent passions of mine—many afficionados of those sports have said that combat sports and chess share a lot of parallels. I also love spending my time with my family and friends, listening to music, and enjoying whatever the beautiful city of Miami has to offer.