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IM Bryan Smith (2500)
Bryan grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and learned how to play chess at the age of thirteen, when another kid on the school bus taught him how to play. His first game had to be "adjourned" however, when the bus hit a particularly large bump in the road, sending the chess pieces flying! Soon after he began competing in tournaments. Although there were not many tournaments in Alaska, he loved the game and studied it from books. When Bryan went to college in Baltimore he was able to play more frequently. He is now an International Master who plays in tournaments around the world, in addition to teaching chess.
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IM Daniel Rensch (2400)
Daniel learned to play chess at the age of 10. With the help of his grandpa, brothers, and close friends -- a chess team was started at the Shelby School (a local private school). Danny went on to compete with the Shelby School chess team for many years, and as a group they won 11 National Scholastic Chess Championships and over 25 Arizona State Championship titles. He is now an International Master and a full time Chess Coach. Danny still regularly competes in high level chess tournaments around the world.
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IM David Pruess (2400)
At the age of twelve, David was lucky to be brought by his mom to a session of the Berkeley Chess School's Friday night kid's chess club. There he met Master Robert Haines, who showed him that chess was full of deep strategies and cool tactics. He also showed David a thing or two about teaching. Seventeen years later, David is still in love with the game, and with teaching.
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NM Andy Lee (2300)
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NM Matan Prilleltensky (2200)
Matan is a teacher, student, and chessplayer in New York City, where he lives in a shoe. He is completing a graduate degree in education, and has worked with many afterschool groups and
private chess students, from the beginner to the World Youth level. Matan won the TN State High School Championship in 2005 and received the National Master title in 2010.
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Amanda Mateer (2100)
Amanda learned how to play chess when she was 10 years old and joined her elementary school’s chess club - only because her best friend was in it! Though her friend quit a year later, Amanda stuck with it, playing in hundreds of events in Phoenix, Arizona. Over ten years later she still competes regularly in chess events across the country, and hopes to one day soon travel to Europe to play chess abroad. She attends college in Tucson, Arizona, and dedicates all of her free time to studying, playing, and teaching chess.
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David Petty (2000)
David learned how to play chess with his brother while on vacation at the tender age of 6. David and his brother didn't always move pawns correctly, but they sure had fun! When school started, David signed up for chess classes and the fun continued. David played in many local chess tournaments and made lots of friends through chess. While in college, David rediscovered the game, and began teaching scholastic chess. David loved teaching so much, that even after graduation, he continues teaching chess to kids every day.
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