Lawer Times
Founder and Owner of Future Masters Chess Academy (FMCA)
Awards
1981 Youth High School Champion (Player)
1982 National High School Team Champion – Boston Latin (Player)
1994 Declared Chess Master (Player)
2012 Boylston Chess Club Champion (Player)
2013-15 Most MVP points on Nor’easters Team in US Chess League (Player)
2017 Massachusetts State Chess Champion (Player)
2019 Elementary Scholastic MA State Championship (Coach)
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Winter Teams State Champions (Coach K-3 & K-6 under 500, under 900 sections and under 1800 sections)
2022 High School Champions – Lexington High School (Coach)
Steven Winer
Future Masters Level Coach
Learning chess at age 5, Steven began playing tournaments at age 9 and quickly achieved a high rating and won fifth grade nationals in 1991. Steven also became overall (non-scholastic) state champion of Vermont for several years starting at the age of 12. In the national arena he was 1999 Denker Champion and also finished 2nd in the National High School championship. Steven became an expert at age 12, a master at age 16, and a 2400 at age 18. He became a FIDE Master during that time as well. More recently he was New England Open champion in 2015 and has achieved a rating above 2450. As an instructor, Steven has taught 5 young players who went on to become masters as well as another 10 who have become experts. Ten of his students have become Spiegel Cup champions. Steven has worked with a wide range of ages and ability levels. Currently he is Vice President of the Massachusetts Chess Association.
Danila Poliannikov
Future Masters Level Coach
Danila was first introduced to chess at the age of 5 by his father. Since then, he has been an avid competitor and a 3-time representative of Massachusetts in the Barber Tournament of Champions and been scholastic state champion multiple times. In 2021, Danila attained the
Fide Master title, and he is working towards becoming an International Master. Danila brings his passion for chess into his teaching and analysis as he seeks to share his love for the game with his students.
Ross Eldridge
Emerging & Next Level Coach
Ross has been playing chess for over 40 years. He has worked with many talented players in the Boston area over these years. As well as teaching privately, Ross teaches in the Newton, Belmont, Wellesley, and Weston school systems.
He is USCF expert level and has helped a number of his students reach that same level. Ross is also an English major who loves helping our students at FMCA.
Jeff Penta
Emerging and Next Level Coach
Learning chess at a relatively late age of 24, Jeff played in tournaments off and on for about 11 years and has taught kids as young as five as well as adults in both private and group settings. Jeff is a big believer in FMCA’s approach to chess and the idea of simplicity in learning. Chess is a complex game and learning to simplify positions by breaking it down to the bare elements is key to playing sound chess and developing proper strategy. You learn that here!
Michael Jameson
Fundamentals Level Coach
Michael started playing chess later than most. Discovering the game at 27 around the beginning of the pandemic, he played online frequently with a newfound love for the 64 squares. By late 2021, he had started playing in tournaments and began teaching kids. By 2023, he had reached intermediate level and is still working to take his students’ chess to the next level. He specializes in beginner students with a great understanding of how someone comes to know and understand chess at that fundamental level. When not playing chess, he enjoys playing other strategy games.
James Della Selva
Fundamentals Level Coach
James is the longest standing (over 40 years) chess coach in New England and two-time Rhode Island champion taught at schools in Weston and Wellesley and other notable towns. He has helped hundreds and hundreds of kids learn chess and go on to become great chess players.
John Sadoff
Fundamental and Emerging Coach
John learned to play chess from his dad at the age of 7. He is a four-time state high school chess champion and has been teaching chess for over a decade. He has created several after school and in school chess programs in Washington D.C., Ohio, and Boson. He has taught chess in hospitals, libraries, and schools throughout the Massachusetts area. He has taught chess to both children and adults with a wide range of abilities. He as a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University. Presently John works as a
curriculum developer and instructor for Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) chess program. For several years, he was the Vice President of the Massachusetts Chess Association.
Rithika Kilari
Fundamental Coach
Rithika Kilari learned chess at the age of 6 from her father. She began competing at 11 years old. She has taught hundreds of kids over the past five years including top chess player in the country for his age Santosh Ayyappan, along with his sister who is also a top player in the state. Rithika is currently a high school senior looking to attend college for Psychology. Aside from chess, she enjoys listening to music and crocheting.
Anand Chintapalli
Fundamental and Emerging Level Coach
Learning chess in elementary school, Anand began playing tournaments at age 12. In 2021, Anand started teaching students at the Westborough Library and the Indian Society of Worcester (ISW), in addition to in-person and zoom classes. He has also taught kids as young as 5-years old as a volunteer youth coach at Future Masters Chess Academy (FMCA). He is currently a university student in New York. When not playing chess, he enjoys reading books.
Kishore Mosaliganti
Fundamental Coach
Kishore Mosaliganti was introduced to chess when he was 10 years old. Inspired by Vishy Anands games, he became a district champion and participated in the AP state championship in India when he was 12 yo. He then took a break from chess to finish his Master’s and PhD education and start a family. Kishore is an expert level player. When not playing chess, Kishore works as a Research Scientist in Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School.