PRIVATE LESSONS
Before purchasing private lessons, email chad@rosecitychess.com to confirm coach availability. Most lessons are held online, but occasionally a coach may be available for in-person instruction.
Axel Bachmann is Grandmaster-in-Residence for Rose City Chess. He earned the Grandmaster title in 2007 and later achieved a peak FIDE rating of 2662, which ranked him as one of the top 100 players in the world. He has won several national and international championships. Most importantly to Rose City Chess, he is a terrific chess coach who works as hard on his teaching as he does on his own chess. Axel "coaches the coaches," as well as working with our most motivated and advanced students.
Matt Zavortink is Master-in-Residence for Rose City Chess. He is an USCF National Master and three-time Oregon State Champion. He won the 2021 Oregon Closed Championship with a score of 6.5/7.0. Matt coaches beginner through advanced students as well as adult improvers.
Robert Hecht is a Candidate Master and Coach for Rose City Chess. Robert learned chess at 14 and won a State Championship with Adlai E. Stevenson High School in 2008. He shared first prize in the under 2000 section of the World Open in 2011 and has achieved a peak rating of 2175. He is a trained educator who has taught high school science and worked privately with hundreds of students in academic tutoring. Robert has great pride in his teaching and works hard to diagnose his students' needs and help them set and achieve new goals. He is available for private coaching. Robert currently coaches students up to USCF 1400.
Dave Murray is Coach and Tournament Director for Rose City Chess. Dave has a peak rating of USCF 1951 and has consistently ranked among the Top 50 players in Oregon. He tied for first place in the U2000 section of the 2021 Oregon Open and won first place in the 2022 Portland Chess Club Championship. Dave currently coaches students up to USCF 1400.
Chad Lykins is Founder of Rose City Chess, President of Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation, and Oregon’s Scholastic Coordinator and State Delegate to the United States Chess Federation. He is a FIDE National Arbiter and US Chess Senior Tournament Director, as well as a club-strength chess player with peak ratings of USCF 1654 and Lichess Rapid 2110. He teaches beginner and intermediate students up to US Chess 1200. Chad started chess coaching as a volunteer for Chess for Success at Hayhurst Elementary School in 2016, where all three of his children played on the school’s award-winning chess team. Chad holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy and has published research on out-of-school learning.
Jonathan Pulvers won four all-state honors and two team state championships as a scholastic player at Lincoln High School. He has taught chess off and on for twenty years in Portland and in Washington, DC. Jonathan also co-coached three national champion constitutional debate teams at Lincoln and will be competing in nationals for contract bridge. He currently teaches chess and bridge and cares for his three young children in SE Portland. When not doing those things, you can find him on the tennis or pickleball courts or watching his beloved Blazers.
Before purchasing private lessons, email chad@rosecitychess.com to confirm coach availability. Most lessons are held online, but occasionally a coach may be available for in-person instruction.
Axel Bachmann is Grandmaster-in-Residence for Rose City Chess. He earned the Grandmaster title in 2007 and later achieved a peak FIDE rating of 2662, which ranked him as one of the top 100 players in the world. He has won several national and international championships. Most importantly to Rose City Chess, he is a terrific chess coach who works as hard on his teaching as he does on his own chess. Axel "coaches the coaches," as well as working with our most motivated and advanced students.
Matt Zavortink is Master-in-Residence for Rose City Chess. He is an USCF National Master and three-time Oregon State Champion. He won the 2021 Oregon Closed Championship with a score of 6.5/7.0. Matt coaches beginner through advanced students as well as adult improvers.
Robert Hecht is a Candidate Master and Coach for Rose City Chess. Robert learned chess at 14 and won a State Championship with Adlai E. Stevenson High School in 2008. He shared first prize in the under 2000 section of the World Open in 2011 and has achieved a peak rating of 2175. He is a trained educator who has taught high school science and worked privately with hundreds of students in academic tutoring. Robert has great pride in his teaching and works hard to diagnose his students' needs and help them set and achieve new goals. He is available for private coaching. Robert currently coaches students up to USCF 1400.
Dave Murray is Coach and Tournament Director for Rose City Chess. Dave has a peak rating of USCF 1951 and has consistently ranked among the Top 50 players in Oregon. He tied for first place in the U2000 section of the 2021 Oregon Open and won first place in the 2022 Portland Chess Club Championship. Dave currently coaches students up to USCF 1400.
Chad Lykins is Founder of Rose City Chess, President of Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation, and Oregon’s Scholastic Coordinator and State Delegate to the United States Chess Federation. He is a FIDE National Arbiter and US Chess Senior Tournament Director, as well as a club-strength chess player with peak ratings of USCF 1654 and Lichess Rapid 2110. He teaches beginner and intermediate students up to US Chess 1200. Chad started chess coaching as a volunteer for Chess for Success at Hayhurst Elementary School in 2016, where all three of his children played on the school’s award-winning chess team. Chad holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy and has published research on out-of-school learning.
Jonathan Pulvers won four all-state honors and two team state championships as a scholastic player at Lincoln High School. He has taught chess off and on for twenty years in Portland and in Washington, DC. Jonathan also co-coached three national champion constitutional debate teams at Lincoln and will be competing in nationals for contract bridge. He currently teaches chess and bridge and cares for his three young children in SE Portland. When not doing those things, you can find him on the tennis or pickleball courts or watching his beloved Blazers.
Before purchasing private lessons, email chad@rosecitychess.com to confirm coach availability. Most lessons are held online, but occasionally a coach may be available for in-person instruction.
Axel Bachmann is Grandmaster-in-Residence for Rose City Chess. He earned the Grandmaster title in 2007 and later achieved a peak FIDE rating of 2662, which ranked him as one of the top 100 players in the world. He has won several national and international championships. Most importantly to Rose City Chess, he is a terrific chess coach who works as hard on his teaching as he does on his own chess. Axel "coaches the coaches," as well as working with our most motivated and advanced students.
Matt Zavortink is Master-in-Residence for Rose City Chess. He is an USCF National Master and three-time Oregon State Champion. He won the 2021 Oregon Closed Championship with a score of 6.5/7.0. Matt coaches beginner through advanced students as well as adult improvers.
Robert Hecht is a Candidate Master and Coach for Rose City Chess. Robert learned chess at 14 and won a State Championship with Adlai E. Stevenson High School in 2008. He shared first prize in the under 2000 section of the World Open in 2011 and has achieved a peak rating of 2175. He is a trained educator who has taught high school science and worked privately with hundreds of students in academic tutoring. Robert has great pride in his teaching and works hard to diagnose his students' needs and help them set and achieve new goals. He is available for private coaching. Robert currently coaches students up to USCF 1400.
Dave Murray is Coach and Tournament Director for Rose City Chess. Dave has a peak rating of USCF 1951 and has consistently ranked among the Top 50 players in Oregon. He tied for first place in the U2000 section of the 2021 Oregon Open and won first place in the 2022 Portland Chess Club Championship. Dave currently coaches students up to USCF 1400.
Chad Lykins is Founder of Rose City Chess, President of Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation, and Oregon’s Scholastic Coordinator and State Delegate to the United States Chess Federation. He is a FIDE National Arbiter and US Chess Senior Tournament Director, as well as a club-strength chess player with peak ratings of USCF 1654 and Lichess Rapid 2110. He teaches beginner and intermediate students up to US Chess 1200. Chad started chess coaching as a volunteer for Chess for Success at Hayhurst Elementary School in 2016, where all three of his children played on the school’s award-winning chess team. Chad holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy and has published research on out-of-school learning.
Jonathan Pulvers won four all-state honors and two team state championships as a scholastic player at Lincoln High School. He has taught chess off and on for twenty years in Portland and in Washington, DC. Jonathan also co-coached three national champion constitutional debate teams at Lincoln and will be competing in nationals for contract bridge. He currently teaches chess and bridge and cares for his three young children in SE Portland. When not doing those things, you can find him on the tennis or pickleball courts or watching his beloved Blazers.
