At Premier Chess Academy (PCA), our vision is to transform kids into the world of chess & support them along the transition. Each and every kid at PCA deserves a special appreciation but we have shortlisted (selection criteria below) the students. Friendly advise, “for student’s those who didn’t make it through – you will make it one day and for those who are the stars of the month – continue the practice as your bar goes up”.
Here we go to recognize the stars of the month (May 2023) at Premier Chess Academy, North America(Canada & USA)!
1. Vivaan Thakkar
” Vivaan is a 10-year-old boy, based out of Florida, USA. He started playing chess at an early age and has been with Premier Academy since 2022. He loves to play chess. With the coaching, his game has improved a lot and now gives fair challenges to his friends and his dad. Vivaan is also a part of a math league and has participated in various state and district championships. Additionally, Vivaan is a Taekwondo Black belt and has represented himself in various state and national championships. Our special thanks to his coach Adarsh Sir and PCA for your great efforts they put in for my Vivaan. “
Coach feedback on Vivaan :
” Vivaan is a highly energetic and active boy. He is very passionate about chess. He is always attentive and excited to learn new things. Active nature, passion towards chess and hunger to learn new things make him an astonishing player. He is one of those kids who always want to answer quickly. On top of that, most of his answers are correct. He is very keen to learn new things and apply them in the games. Best thing I like about him is that he participates in the practice sessions regularly and always tries to perform well. I feel very happy by seeing Yuvaan’s improvement and I hope he excels, even more. “
Few games of Vivaan :
https://lichess.org/Vax7o8ev/black
https://lichess.org/P5K2ElfR/black
2. Sai Skanda Bharadwaj
” Sai Skanda is 6 years old and has been an enthusiastic kid and has become an active learner of chess. All thanks to devansh sir for teaching him all the concepts. We have seen tremendous improvement in his thinking capacity after he started playing chess. “
Coach feedback on Sai Skanda:
” Sai is just 6-year-old and since I started taking his classes i can see the great interest he shows in learning and understanding chess. His understanding of the game is so good and Sai understands topics just in 1 go, he is in beginner level but he can easily solve the tough level puzzles also. Overall, I can say that sai loves the game of chess and he is very bright and sharp minded kid . “
Few games of Sai Skanda:
https://lichess.org/V66wUeDu#35
https://lichess.org/vJ7Y2VUx/black
https://lichess.org/uzCwN3Ur/black#70
3. Daiwik Hanji
” Daiwik, who recently turned 11 is a 5th grader from Orchard Hill Elementary, South Windsor, CT. Daiwik enjoys reading books a lot and has a big collection of books. He is an ardent fan of the DogMan series. His other interests include TaekWonDo, badminton, Legos, Roblox and playing violin(he tries to make his own compositions sometimes). Daiwik has quite an amazing memory and when he listens carefully and observes, he grasps it very quickly and remembers it. His love for chess grew recently and he joined the PCA in January. He enjoys joining chess classes and eagerly looks forward for the classes every week. In the past 5 months he has learnt many techniques in chess and will continue to learn more. Coach Harshraj has been very supportive and has been a very good coach who makes chess concepts easily understandable for the kids. Thank you PCA team and the coach for making learning chess fun and easy. “
Coach feedback on Daiwik :
” Daiwik is a calm and focused player. He is great at solving puzzles. He is a responsive learner who is able to understand and implement what is being taught with ease. He comprehends concepts well and is able to connect them through while playing the game. He learns from his mistakes which is a good quality in a chess player. I wish him very good luck in his Chess Career..!! “
Few games of Daiwik :
https://lichess.org/hoyfoZuD#0
https://lichess.org/CSmKJtq0#0
https://lichess.org/SLef5MmT#0
4. Neil Malvankar
” Neil is 5 years old, studying in KG in Lucas, TX. He got interested in chess during the summer of 2022 when he saw his siblings play chess with cousins. He started taking interest and learned chess basics from his siblings, Siddhi and Aakash. We started to look for online chess class for more structured learning and found out that his cousin sister Richa is a PCA student. Neil insisted on joining PCA and started with Coach Aishwarya in September and soon moved under coach Kunal. He likes his coach and thinks that coach Kunal is the coolest chess coach. We thank PCA for providing guidance and motivation to Neil. Apart from chess, Neil plays basketball and soccer and aspires to become a pilot when he grows up.”
Coach feedback on Neil :
” Neil has shown remarkable improvement in his tactical abilities this month. He has consistently displayed a keen eye for tactics and has been able to spot and execute tactical combinations with precision. Neil’s ability to convert small advantages into victories during the endgame phase has been commendable. Neil’s progress in chess has been outstanding. His improved tactical acumen, strategic understanding, endgame mastery, emotional resilience, and unwavering commitment to learning make him a highly promising player. I am confident that with his continued dedication and passion for the game, Neil will achieve even greater heights in the future.”
Few games of Neil :
5. Kyrah Shukla
” Kyrah is a 10 years old 4th grader from Charlotte, NC. She joined PCA with no prior experience in chess and is now promoted to the advanced level already. All thanks to her mentor Ms. Prakrati Manodhya for her constant support and mentorship. Kyrah now seems to be a budding expert who loves to read, play chess and enjoy science. Playing soccer, piano, doing swimming, art and crafts is something that also excites her. “
Coach feedback on Kyrah :
” Kyrah is a very talented girl. She is a quick learner and very good at chess puzzles and always surprises me with some innovative moves. Kyrah observes the topic quickly and always tries to implement those learning in chess matches, with this consistency she definitely has a bright future in chess. Best wishes for her. Keep it up Kyrah! “
Few games of Kyrah :
6. Ishva
” Ishva is 11 years old. He is in 6th grade lives in San Jose, California. He started chess as a hobby but then started enjoying it so much that he wants to play online or even with friends, family. He has a strong passion for mathematics. He enjoys swimming and reading books. He is a very attentive and focused kid who is very keen to learn new things. He is a self-learner. He is doing great in academics as well. He joined PCA 8months back and his progress is very good. A big thanks to his coach Rakesh for his efforts and making each class interesting. Thank you PCA team for teaching chess to kids. “
Coach feedback on Ishva :
” Ishva is a young, talented, hardworking and very enthusiastic kid who continuously keeps on improving himself. He too has a very excellent learning ability, which enables him to grasp new concepts and ideas very quickly. He always gets actively involved in the class activities with full focus. He too shows great enthusiasm toward chess and mostly loves learning in classes . Ishva’s parents are also very positive toward chess and very much supports him to learn and practice chess. Within a short period of time he had shown great improvement and I am very much happy toward his improvement. I too wish him more success in chess and in real life.”
Few games of Ishva :
https://lichess.org/lQvLI76p/black
https://lichess.org/JScZzN6o#65
https://lichess.org/n5zYI2og#64
7. Sahil
” Sahil is 9 years old & currently studying in 4th grade. He started to play Chess a year ago & very happy to see him talking about chess moves & patterns discussed in his class. He loves to play chess & always play practice games with his elder brother & his friends. Sahil also shows more interest in playing Soccer & Piano. Thanks to his Coach Raunak sir for conducting the chess class in an interactive way & cultivating interest in the kids mind…! “
Coach feedback on Sahil :
” Sahil is a talented and cool boy who loves playing chess. His attitude of accepting failure and also trying to learn from them is praise-worthy. He is a sincere and disciplined kid who does not miss any classes. He is a very fast learner and extremely passionate about playing chess. His performance in classes and speed of solving the puzzles are absolutely remarkable. He has a very friendly attitude towards his friends. He always keeps a smile on his face which energies him to learn more and more. As a coach, I feel quite privileged to have Sahil as my student. My best wishes are with Sahil.”
Few games of Sahil :
https://lichess.org/uU2yE1Zb/black
https://lichess.org/uU2yE1Zb/black
8. Vidya Nellore
” Vidya is a very passionate child, whether it’s about piano, chess, art. She started playing chess with her dad in the summer when she was in 5th grade. Ever since then, she has enjoyed delving into the world of chess, learning new strategies and methods every day. She’s persistent, kind, active, and doesn’t give up.”
Coach feedback on Vidya :
” Vidya is an enthusiastic and chess-loving student who actively engages in her chess game. Since joining my classes a few months ago, she has consistently demonstrated remarkable dedication and a genuine passion for learning the game. Vidya actively participates in her chess classes and diligently completes her assignments within the specified deadlines. Her eagerness to acquire new and diverse chess strategies is evident in her regular attendance and active participation in the classes. Vidya possesses the qualities of a determined individual who has the potential to excel in the field of chess. She enjoys engaging in challenging practice sessions and fearlessly competes against formidable opponents. I am confident that with her continued hard work and commitment, she will bring pride to everyone involved. ”
Few games of Vidya :
https://lichess.org/PWInqZM2/black
https://lichess.org/r8ro1JiO/black
9. Aditi
” Aditi is a 7 year old 1st grader at E W Ward Elementary school, California. She is enthusiastic and always willing to learn new things. She is kind, caring and loves to make new friends. She likes to spend time reading books, karate classes, Piano, Singing and playing Minecraft with her best friend. Her favorite cartoon character is Rainbow Dash from “My Little Pony” show. She started her chess classes as a newbie from Jan 2023, and could see tremendous improvement in her game strategies and analysis. Special call out to Sir Sathwik Upadhyaya for his great efforts, patience and being so supportive at every stage of her learning. It really feels great to see your child’s growth and improvement in such a wonderful and complex game. Kudos to the PCA Team!! “
Coach feedback on Aditi :
” Aditi caught my attention from Day 1 due to her kind way of talking and understanding each and every topic very fast. She is one of my favorite students and always makes the class balanced with fun and informative. She is a keen learner and her growth can be seen in all aspects of chess like Puzzles, Gameplay and Analysis. She shares any events happening in day to day life and makes everyone in the class as friends. I wish all the best for her future in chess and also her other interests.”
Few games of Aditi :
https://lichess.org/qbfIHgmN/black
https://lichess.org/Zb2NjRFA/black
10. Arjun Srinivas
” Arjun is 8 years old and currently in 2nd grade. He loves to play chess with his Dad and grandfather.Arjun likes spending time with his friends and family. Apart from Chess he loves to play Tennis, Cricket and enjoys being outdoors. We would like to thank his coach Mr.Shiva Kale for constant encouragement and guidance.”
Coach feedback on Arjun :
” Arjun is a very talented boy with great ability to learn & implement concepts in his game. He is always attentive in class & curious about learning new concept.I am very sure that he will improve a lot in chess.I wish him all the best for Future.! “
Few games of Arjun :
https://lichess.org/DXF0DGE1#64
https://lichess.org/licoKE4C/white#65
11. Pranesh Ragahva Ganesh
” Pranesh Raghava Ganesh is 9 years old living with his family in Portland, Oregon. As a 3rd grader he has lot of responsibility as a hall monitor, line monitor in the School to leading the Lego team in FLL. His area of interests are infinite. One day he will be with pencil and marker drawing his favorite Transformers and King Kong, other day he will be working on a wooden art in the garage, on occasions he will be making origami. He is an avid reader and loves reading comics, an energetic goal keeper for his soccer team and a fan of Chennai Super Kings (CSK). His ambition is to get into Harvard. He started playing chess since Nov 21 and loves to play tournament. His goal is to win his Coach Ritish Pathania one day. Ritish has identified both his strongest and weakest area while playing chess and has helped him to overcome his mistakes.”
Coach feedback on Pranesh :
” As Pranesh’s chess coach, I have had the pleasure of working with him and witnessing his development firsthand. I must say that Pranesh has shown exceptional dedication and enthusiasm for the game. He consistently comes to our lessons prepared and eager to learn. His commitment to honing his skills and willingness to put in the necessary effort is admirable. Pranesh has made significant strides in his understanding of chess concepts and strategies. He has shown a remarkable ability to grasp and apply fundamental principles, as well as tactical and positional ideas. I have seen him grow in his ability to think critically and analyze different move sequences. Thank you for entrusting me with Pranesh’s chess education. It has been a pleasure working with him, and I look forward to witnessing his continued growth as a chess player.”
Few games of Pranesh :
https://lichess.org/6T9tcuzX/black
https://lichess.org/EsoNq3au/black
https://lichess.org/8eLTvAB0/black
12. Kathir Arun Prasath
” Kathir is 7 years old and he is just finishing 1st grade. He is a calm, composed and persevering learner. He has more interest on math. Apart from chess, he also likes to play basket ball and soccer. He started playing chess from last summer. Playing chess taught him how to deal with losing a game. Nowadays we are really proud about how he handling the tough game. In addition to the interest on chess, also he loves to teach chess to his friends. We liked to thank our coach Piyush Snehi for his patience on teaching and his constant support.”
Coach feedback on Kathir :
” Kathir is a calm and focused player. He is a patient learner. He has shown tremendous progress with his tactic recognition and grasping patterns. His calculation abilities are praise worthy. He is always willing to understand ideas and work on his own ones to better himself. I wish him very good luck in his Chess Career..!! ”
Few games of Kathir :
https://lichess.org/SGfFBnu5/black
https://lichess.org/4qWgU5qk/black
Selection Criteria – May 2023:
- Regular in class and practice sessions.
- Displaying improvement in practices to reach top 3 positions.
- Puzzle solving and tactics findings in regular class.
- Generate quest in chess and regular in assignments.
- Over all – Passion is evident in class, practices, puzzle solving etc.
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