Students can expect help understanding concepts, locating their particular weaknesses, and creating a study plan to reach their goals. All ability levels are welcome. Have a more specific question? Send me a message!
About John H.
Here goes...
I am a chess teacher, tutor, singer, and Shakespearean actor in NYC! I guess you could say I wear a lot of hats.
I graduated with honors in 2009 from New York University with a BFA in Drama. I've been professionally teaching since 2012, but I have always loved sharing the game of chess with anyone who wants to learn (just ask my friends).
Students can expect to face new challenges and to improve each and every week. I am happy to work with students of all different ages and experience levels. As a teacher in the New York Public School system, I know how to make chess simple and friendly enough for Kindergartners, Senior Citizens, and everyone in between! And as an active tournament player (current rating 2000), I can offer great insight into the needs of any skill level. I am thrilled to work with ambitious tournament players and those who just want to learn how to beat their friends :).
Chess is a wonderful, challenging game, but I truly believe that anyone can learn to play if they are motivated. Come work with me and discover your new obsession!
Reviews
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Excellent first lesson with John- we look forward to more.

John came to the lesson excited, prepared and did a wonderful job of explaining tactics while involving me interactively in the lesson.

Welcoming and patient. Socratic teaching method. Intellectually challenging yet kind and supportive.

John is an excellent instructor. A complete beginner, after working with him I’ve turned a casual curiosity into a real hobby. I leave each session excited having learned something valuable and difficult to obtain otherwise (from books or online videos.) I highly recommend John.

John is energetic and knowledgeable!

Really enjoyed my first lesson, it was fun and learned some good things. Excited for the next lesson!


Very good instructor! Definitely worth every penny!

This is an update to my prior review. My reviews remain excellent! There was an error in posting and my prior review showed only one star which was a huge mistake! I meant to give 5 and if I could give him 10, I would. John is a terrific teacher!

John was great! My 10 year old son learned a lot and really enjoyed it.

John was terrific! He has a very nice way about him and the delivery of the information is understandable and fun. My son can’t wait for his next lesson. Thank you!

First of five lessons. Off to a great start! John is very attentive and insightful. Looking forward to my future lessons!

Well prepared, interesting, and highly qualified. Excellent for a player like me.

My son loves taking lessons from John

it was awesome.


He can interact with my kid quickly, understand his weakness right away. work with my kid nicely.

wonderful teacher.

Excellent

I started working with John almost a year ago. I was completely new to chess and was interested in learning to play. John has done a great job teaching me the basics (and now some more advanced material) and has also gotten me really excited about the game. Lessons are a nice mix of tactics, broader strategy, and some chess history. It has been really wonderful taking lessons with John. Beyond providing great lessons, he is a really fun and enthusiastic person. It's hard not to be excited about chess when working with him. He is also a dedicated teacher and regularly follows up by email in between lessons, sending homework and lots of resources for outside work.

I have had the pleasure of being one of John's chess students for almost a year and half now, and I can confidently say I have improved leaps and bounds from where I started. While John always has an interactive and challenging lesson planned, I appreciate that the lesson is fluid and adaptable to my particular needs/interests that week, whether it be because I have questions about a specific tactical exercise or master game we are reviewing, or because I have experienced a particularly memorable success or failure in my chess-play that I would like to review. The lessons logically and effectively build upon themselves so that your basic skills are solidified and bolster you as you move on to more complex theories and exercises. As an adult, with a hectic job, I am immensely appreciative of John's flexibility when it comes to arranging lessons and his ability keep me challenged and developing into a more formidable chess player.

I first met John at an unrelated event, but he really got me interested in Chess, and it has become an activity that I really love and enjoy due to his instruction. John's lessons are engaging, substantive, and honestly fun, and he's helped me improve my game dramatically. John is a great guy and an excellent instructor, and I would encourage anyone with even a passing interest in Chess (no matter the skill level) to give him a try.
Photos & Videos
3 Photos & VideosExperience
Managing Chess Teacher
Sep 2012 - PresentNYChesskids
Curriculum Chess Teacher through NYChesskids for New York City Schools. I currently manage the entire chess program at an elementary school in Harlem
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Drama
Aug 2005 - May 2009New York University
Languages
English
Fluent / Native Proficiency
Spanish
Limited Proficiency
Affiliations
United States Chess Federation
Jan 2009Let Our Student Counselors Help You
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