Armin Namini
Candidate Master
Rating: 2189
Where are you from? Sweden and Iran

At what age did you start playing chess? 5

Who do you teach?
All kinds of students

Why did you start teaching chess? I enjoy teaching and have taught different subjects all through my university years

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
Most probably another strategy game, such as GO

What inspires you? Self-improvement

Who is your all-time favorite chess player?
Kasparov (and Karpov)

Do you think everyone can play chess? Everyone should start playing chess, it teaches analytical skills, responsibility for one's actions, art and beauty.

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career?
Finding a rook sacrifice versus GM Bellon with 30 seconds left on the clock in a rook endgame, winning the game tying our match in the Swedish League.

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose?
Paul Morphy
Swedish Junior Grand Prix 1995 – 1st place
Wasa Master 2019 – 1st place (8/8 points)
Aleksei Sorokin
Fide Master
Rating: 2521
Where are you from? I'm originally from Barnaul, Russia. I currently live in Lubbock, Texas.

At what age did you start playing chess?
When I was 8, I started to train at the local chess club.

Who do you teach?
All levels, children and adults.

Why did you start teaching chess?
I think I have achieved great success in chess. Now I want to share my knowledge.

What in your opinion is important when learning chess?
The most significant thing when learning chess is constant training and practicing just like in any other sport.

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
I would spend much more time on computer science. Actually, I'm currently doing my bachelor degree in computer science. I think that there are a lot of similarities between chess and computer science because both of them can improve your analytical and logical skills.

What inspires you? I'm inspired by learning new things. It's always a lot of fun to learn something new and exciting.

Who is your all-time favorite chess player?
My all-time favorite chess player is Mikhail Tal because he played with a lot of sacrifices and combinations. I can never get enough of his beautiful games. Tal could create an attack out of nothing and just crush his opponent.

Do you think everyone can play chess? Definitely, everyone can play chess. You can find chess a little bit difficult at first sight. However, when you get into chess, you would love the beautiful world of chess with its clear logic.

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? My most memorable chess moment was winning the Russian Junior Chess Championship under 21 in 2017. It is my greatest achievement in chess so far.

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? I would like to play with Mikhail Tal because he is my favorite chess player.
U16 Youth European Championship 2016 - 3rd place
Russian U20 Chess Championship 2017 - 1st place
Russian Cup 2018 - 3rd place
Аyrаt Sаlаkhutdinov
Candidate Master
Rating: Blz=2182, Rpd=2157
Where are you from? Kаzаn, Russiа

At what age did you start playing chess? 7

Who do you teach? Аdults аnd children from 5 y.o.

Why did you start teaching chess?
I enjoy playing chess аnd I'd love to shаre my experience.

What in your opinion is important when learning chess?
To be attentive

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
Some sports

What inspires you? Tаlented people

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? Kаspаrov

Do you think everyone can play chess? Yes

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? А gаme with GM Hаrlov

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? Аlex Kosteniuk
Won mаny Russiаn аnd republic tournаments (White Rook, Nezhmetdinov memoriаl).
3rd and 5th plаces in memoriаl Sergievskii, Cheboksаry 2018 (now Rаpid Grаn Prix Russiа)
Azat Mukanov
Rating: 1482
Where are you from? Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan

At what age and how did you start playing chess? My father taught me to play chess when I was 7. Chess has always been an important part of my life.

Who do you teach?
Children and adults, beginners and advanced

Why did you start teaching chess? The main reason why I started teaching chess is that I always wanted chess to stay in my life so I have a chance to teach and study it myself.

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
Learning languages. Besides English, I'm also interested in other languages as well. I've been studying German for a year and in the near future, I intend to start learning French. By learning languages, I can learn more about the culture of these countries and their traditions.

What inspires you?
The people who I look up to are not only chess players. I find my inspiration in many classical writers and philosophers as well. To look at hardworking people and how they dealt with difficulties without giving up their ambitions is something that I get a lot of motivation from.

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? Wesley So (I like his style, his playstyle resembles the greatest world champions' play, such as Anatoly Karpov, Tigran Petrosian. He never gambles and treat each position in the way it should be played)

Do you think everyone can play chess and why? As the third chess world champion said once: "It is easy to learn to play chess, but it's difficult to play chess well". It means that everybody can learn the game and play decently. However, chess requires a lot of energy and hard work. As you grow up as a player, you are going to face stronger resistance from your opponents and it is going to be harder to score a full point in the tournaments. I believe this is the point where people decide if they are going to push harder to become a better player or they should give up. Being able to play chess and appreciate its beauty is the joy in itself, so I would not miss the chance to learn the game.

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? One of my recent achievements in chess was third place in the city championship in 2018. My father was the winner and I managed to claim third place, it was an honor for me to stand next to my father who taught me to play it when I was a kid.

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? Capablanca, Alekhine
Paulo Alexandre Marinheiro Fanha
FIDE Candidate Master
Rating: 1744 (Max: 2057)
Where are you from? I am Portuguese, although I was born in Mozambique

At what age and how did you start playing chess?
4, watching my uncle playing during the colonial war

Who do you teach? Mostly, children, adults and beginners

Why did you start teaching chess?
I created a chess club in a school from a poor suburb of Lisbon

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy? In my writing

What inspires you? Knowledge, pleasure and happiness

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? As player, Magnus; as a character, José Raul Capablanca

Do you think everyone can play chess and why? Yes, I had the experience of teaching children with different mental conditions (clinically verified) and even those were able to learn and to get pleasure from the game.

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? European Amateur Vice-champion (2015)

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? Paul Morphy
Anastasia Martynova
Rating: 2051
Where are you from? I live in Krasnoyarsk (Siberia, Russia)

At what age and how did you start playing chess? I started to play chess when I was 8. My father was an avid chess player, he tried to show me the moves of the pieces but I got interested in chess only in primary school. By modern standards it's late for professional chess, but I quickly mastered the basics and started to play in tournaments.

Who do you teach?
I got my first coaching experience preparing children for tournaments. Later I started to work with beginners, my youngest student was 4 years old. Working with such a small child requires the involvement of parents in the educational process, so I started working with parents. After 5 years of work as a coach, I am ready to work with students of any age and level.

Why did you start teaching chess? When I started playing chess, I could not imagine that I would ever become a coach. During my regular trips to tournaments I helped younger players to prepare openings for their games. When my younger sister was 5, I began to teach her to move chess pieces, then I realized that I could work with little children, but it was just a hobby for me. At the age of 18 I had to limit trips to tournaments, as it interferes with my main studies. But I didn't want to give up chess and started working as a coach, it helped me to realize my potential. Working as a coach I help students fall in love with chess and become professional chess players.

What in your opinion is important when learning chess? In my opinion the most important thing is to be motivated. Chess career is full of ups and downs. Many times I wanted to end my chess career but my dream to become WFM gave me motivation to continue.

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
I would invest my energy to master Chinese language and work as an interpreter in Asia. Foreign languages are my passion.

What inspires you?
As a chess coach, I am more inspired by the success of my students. I am pleased to see how they are moving from the basics of chess to professional tournaments

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? My favourite chess player is the second world champion Emanuel Lasker. He was the first chess player who started to talk about chess psychology. In my view psychological knowledge helped him to be world champion for 27 years! Nobody has broken this record yet.

Do you think everyone can play chess? I think everyone can play chess. You can start at any age. For example, some chess players started playing at the age of 5 and by the age of 12 they became grandmasters. If you are already of advanced age, you also can learn to play chess and take part in tournaments. Nowadays FIDE holds chess world senior championships, so you have a chance to become a champion.

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? The most memorable moment of my chess career was a tournament where I received the title of female master. It is the best achievement in my chess career so far.

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? I would like to play against Wilhelm Steinitz (the first world chess champion). In the days when he lived, chess opening theory was not developed so well. I wonder if I could beat him if I had modern theory knowledge.
WFM Woman FIDE Master
I have been playing chess professionally for 12 years, in 2017 I became FIDE female master. During my chess career I took part in the championships of Siberia and Russia and achieved the following results:

G19 Krasnoyarsk Region Championship 2017standart, 1st place
G19 Krasnoyarsk Region Championship 2017 rapid, 1st place
G19 Krasnoyarsk Region Championship 2017 blitz, 1st place
Women Elena Akhmylovskaya Memorial 2017 standard, 3rd place
G19 Youth Siberian Chess Championship 2016 standart, 1st place
G19 Youth Siberian Chess Championship 2016 rapid, 1st place
G19 Youth Siberian Chess Championship 2016 blitz, 3rd place
G19 Krasnoyarsk Region Championship 2016 standart, 1st place
G19 Krasnoyarsk Region Championship 2016 standart, 1st place
G19 Krasnoyarsk Region Championship 2016 rapid, 1st place
G19 Krasnoyarsk Region Championship 2016 blitz, 1st place
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Polina Pavlova
FIDE Arbiter
Rating: 1497
Where are you from? Moscow, Russia

At what age did you start playing chess? I started playing chess at the age of 4

Who do you teach? I teach kids from 5 to 15 years old.

Why did you start teaching chess?
My hobby has grown into a profession thanks to which I develop my skills and pass on my knowledge to children

What in your opinion is important when learning chess?
Chess learners should have an aim that drives them to learn chess with pleasure.

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
I would teach English

What inspires you? When I see the success of my students

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? Anatoly Karpov is a chess legend for me

Do you think everyone can play chess? I consider that everyone who has a desire to play chess will understand the rules, tactics, and strategy of chess very fast.

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? The first moment which will always stay in my memory is the meeting with the world chess champion Magnus Carlsen at the Rapid and Blitz World chess championship which took place in Moscow. The second moment which I will never forget is when I organized a simultaneous session for chess champion Anatoly Karpov.

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? I would love to play against Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk.
Youth Russian team championship
Shamil Arslanov
Rating: 2410
Where are you from? Russia

At what age and how did you start playing chess? 7 y.o

Who do you teach?
I teach children and adults, amateurs and professionals

Why did you start teaching chess? Because I love to share my knowledge about chess

What in your opinion is important when learning chess? More practice and work with your own mistakes

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
I love to play table tennis, or maybe I would invest my time in jurisprudence

What inspires you? To be the best version of myself

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? Paul Morphy

Do you think everyone can play chess? I think everyone can play chess, but not everyone can play chess well

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? When I was 8 y. o. I played a tournament, in the last round I lost all my pieces except 2 bishops and 3 pawns, my opponent had all his chess pieces, but I checkmated him and took the 1st place, and after this tournament I started to work with chess 5-6 hours every day.

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? Paul Morphy or Adolf Andersen
International Master
Ahmad Tamim Mehrad
Candidate Master
Rating: 2015
Where are you from? Afghanistan

At what age did you start playing chess? 12

Who do you teach? Kids and adults since 2014

Why did you start teaching chess?
I like chess and teaching it is also fun

What in your opinion is important when learning chess?
Motivation

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
Football

What inspires you? My interest

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? G Kasparov

Do you think everyone can play chess? Yes

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? Winning ECO University games, defeating 2 grandmasters at an online chess tournament

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? G Kasparov
Winner and medalist of the Kabul championship, Asian inter-university, silver medalist of the Delhi open championship, Eco University games champion u20, the current champion of the RUDN University.
Valery Kazakouski
Rating: 2520
Where are you from? I am from Belarus but playing under the Lithuanian flag

At what age and how did you start playing chess? I started to play chess when I was 7 years old

Who do you teach?
I can teach any person who wants to improve their skills in chess

Why did you start teaching chess? I think I can share my experience and my knowledge with every chess player

What in your opinion is important when learning chess? Patience, concentration, and sincere desire to improve are very important

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
I would put all my resources, time and energy into getting good education because that is also very important

What inspires you? I am inspired by the manifestation of real patience and the devotion to get the desired result. The way a person tries to achieve the dream of a lifetime. Also, by good deeds :)

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? I have a few favorite players, but Robert James Fisher is number 1 for me

Do you think everyone can play chess? I am more than sure that it is never too late to start playing chess because everyone has a certain talent for it

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? Perhaps there are several such moments, but the final of the European Team Championship really stands out in my memory as I was able to fulfill the Grandmaster norm. At that moment I was extremely excited because I was pursuing this for several years

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? If I had this opportunity, I would play with Robert James Fisher
Grandmaster
U14 Youth European Championship 2014 – 2nd place (rapid).
U14 Youth European Championship 2014 – 1st place (blitz).
U18 Youth European Championship 2015 – 1st place (blitz).
U16 Youth European Championship 2017 – 2nd place (rapid).
U18 Youth World Championship 2017 – 1st place (blitz).
Aeroflot B 2017 – 3rd place.
Winner of several open tournaments: Vlinius Open-2014, Aloyzas Kveinys Memorial 2021.

Tigran Narinian
Candidate Master
Rating: 1804
Where are you from? Russia

At what age did you start playing chess? When I was 3 years old

Who do you teach? Everyone who wants to learn

Why did you start teaching chess?
Because I feel that I've learned so much about chess for the past several years that I can share my experience and knowledge with someone else

What in your opinion is important when learning chess?
Not to give up studying, to be patient and persistent

If not chess, where would you invest your time and energy?
In learning languages

What inspires you? The beauty of the chess game which is expressed in its tactics and strategy

Who is your all-time favorite chess player? Carlsen

Do you think everyone can play chess? Yes

What is the most memorable moment of your chess career? Entering my first international tournament, Moscow Open in 2013

If you had an opportunity to play a game against any chess player (dead or alive), who would you choose? Carlsen