Hi, I’m Chess Coach Charles!
I retired in 2019 after a career in manufacturing upper management. I spent many years solving problems, organizing people, and sitting through meetings that were almost certainly longer than necessary. After retiring, I had more time to enjoy two of my longtime passions: chess and tennis.
I started a local chess club where players could meet for casual games, rated tournaments, and friendly post-game analysis — the part where everyone suddenly realizes what they should have played three moves earlier.
In 2022, I was approached by ThinkChess LLC in Houston about coaching chess at several schools. Since then, I have coached about 300 boys and girls from elementary through high school. Several of my students have gone on to earn US Chess Federation Top 100 rankings in their age groups.
A partial list of my schools included:
Harmony Science Academy Sugar Land
Saint John Paul II Catholic School
Christ the Redeemer Catholic School
Memorial Private School
In 2025, I joined the Texas Chess Center in Bellaire, Texas, where I currently coach kids and adults from beginner through intermediate levels. I also perform as a certified US Chess Federation Tournament Director.
My teaching style is friendly, practical, and encouraging. I believe students learn best when they understand chess move by move, instead of just memorizing openings or tricks. I help players learn why a move works, what changed on the board, and what plans are available next.
My mission is simple but not easy: help students enjoy chess, build confidence, think more clearly, and recover from mistakes — because in chess, as in life, sooner or later someone is going to hang a rook.