“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 advice, “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 (September 2025) at Premier Chess Academy, North America (Canada & USA)!
1. Allan
“Allan is 11 years old and enjoys playing competitive chess, he especially is known for using his sharp tactical skills. But chess isn’t the only thing Allan excels at. He’s also a brilliant kid in school, particularly loving math, where his analytical mind shines. When he’s not checkmating opponents on the chessboard, Allan can be found on the cricket field, where he enjoys playing outdoor sports with his friends.Allan’s passion for chess, math, and sports makes him a well-rounded and talented young individual. He also loves to play jokes and make people around him laugh.”
Coach feedback on Allan:
“Allan is a very enthusiastic and sharp-minded student who loves to experiment with tactical ideas on the chessboard. He consistently brings great energy to every class and shows a keen interest in both learning new concepts and applying them creatively in his games. He’s quick to grasp new topics and demonstrates solid analytical skills not only in chess but also in his academic pursuits. It’s a joy to see Allan’s progress and positive attitude both on and off the board. Best wishes for his continued growth and success…!”
Few games of Allan:
https://lichess.org/lmLSr2IT#57
https://lichess.org/l9V6YIxJ#56
https://lichess.org/kdgTw1yf/black#50
2. Emmanuel Sajith
“Emmanuel Sajith, aged 9, started his journey with Premier chess academy this year under the guidance of coach Karthik K sir. He achieved remarkable achievement with his coach’s efforts. Emmanuel enjoys joining the class. It also increased his confidence in playing chess outside too. We thank Karthik sir for spending additional time for the classes he missed. Thank you Premier chess academy and Karthik sir for helping his journey on chess.”
Coach feedback on Emmanuel:
“Emmanuel is really performing better and better every day, I have seen him rectifying himself whenever we find any mistakes with his games, he keeps learning new things and memorizing them. He tries to practice in his available time. It clearly shows his love and passion towards the game. He is very focused in regular sessions & always tries to implement the concept in his own games. I wish him very good luck for his Chess Career…!!”
Few games of Emmanuel:
https://lichess.org/ggcDa34P/black
https://lichess.org/5fZIa8bG/black
https://lichess.org/tournament/GhGG8d7V
3. Vihaan Reddy Ramasahayam
“Vihaan is 11 years old in 5th grade from Boston, MA. He is a quick learner who is particularly interested in Math and chess. He started playing chess when he was 6 and recently got introduced to PCA. Since then, he is showing so much interest in learning new concepts and strategies. Appreciate all the support and guidance from his coach Prabhat. Apart from academics he loves playing soccer, basketball, video games and drawing.”
Coach feedback on Vihaan:
“Vihaan has a sharp mind and a great memory, which allows him to quickly understand and apply complex chess strategies and tactics. He is also very disciplined and focused during his training sessions, which has helped him improve his game significantly. One of Vihaan’s greatest strengths is his ability to think ahead and anticipate his opponent’s moves. He is always analyzing the board and considering different possibilities, which makes him a formidable opponent for players of all levels. Overall, I am confident that Vihaan has a bright future ahead of him in the world of chess.”
Few games of Vihaan:
https://lichess.org/Z3kVTSu2/black
4. Pramiti Jain
“We are very proud of our daughter, Pramiti Jain who has been selected as the “Star of the Month” in chess! Pramiti is 10 years old and currently studying in 5th grade. Although she started chess classes just three months ago, she has already shown great passion and dedication for the game. Her enthusiasm to learn and improve has been truly inspiring. She also attends karate classes, where she has developed discipline and focus — qualities that have positively influenced her chess journey as well.Special thanks to Coach Shahid for his excellent guidance and constant encouragement, which have played a big role in building her confidence and love for the game and we are truly grateful. We look forward to seeing her continue learning, growing, and reaching new heights!”
Coach feedback on Pramiti:
“Pramiti is an appreciable and confident kid. She has improved so much since she joined and is keen to attend the practice session and theory classes regularly. She comprehends the chess concepts easily.
Speaking of her calculation ability and tactical solving skills at this age is remarkable. She adores solving puzzles and doing assignments. I am glad to choose her as a star kid of the month. Wishing her the very best of luck in her future headway.”
Few games of Pramiti:
https://lichess.org/PrABLhQK/black
https://lichess.org/h0jzrBtE/black
https://lichess.org/Q9vGpGRv/black
5. Dhruva R
“Dhruva is an enthusiastic, naughty, diligent 8-year-old kid who is doing his 3rd grade! He loves to play chess, cricket, bay blades with his friends at the park, ride bikes, read books, etc. He is the kid who is capable and considers and interacts equally with younger ones and elder ones too with a great positive attitude ! He has played in lots of uscf , nwrs tournaments and because of playing chess he is able to accept any challenge given to him and attempt it with courage ! He is accepting failures in the game and taking them with a positive spirit!”
Coach feedback on Dhruva:
“Dhruva is a very enthusiastic kid and always keen to learn new things. He loves to play matches and always tries to do something new on the chess board. He is good at puzzles as well and grasp topics quickly. He always tries to use tactics that are taught in the class. I am very happy with his progress. Best wishes for him. Keep it up Dhruva!!”
Few games of Dhruva:
https://lichess.org/VCjg4G5K#0
https://lichess.org/d54E2GBE/black#0
https://lichess.org/2O5op5yr/black#0
6. Vivaan Dhairya Patel
“Vivaan is 7 years old, studies in 2nd grade. He loves playing, taking care of his younger brother. He is very friendly, enjoys making new friends and is very social. He is a curious learner, accepts new challenges and trys to solve them with unique ideas. He loves reading books and solving puzzles. He also participates in swim lessons and other sports along with chess. He enjoys traveling with his family and his goal is to travel the world one day.”
Coach feedback on Vivaan:
“Vivaan is a talented young kid, He takes active participation in class, He has shown remarkable progress since day one in his playing skills, He works quite a lot on his game and continuously tries to improve. I wish him the best for his future chess journey.”
Few games of Vivaan:
https://lichess.org/A7LCEhwl/black
https://lichess.org/Ha4yTlTI/black#41
7. Nilan Sanjive
“Nilan is a calm and curious kid who learns new things and is interested in chess too. Besides Chess, Nilan loves playing soccer with his dad and his younger brother. His hobbies are traveling and watching videos. Nilan also loves playing with cars.”
Coach feedback on Nilan:
“Nilan is a smart, energetic, and focused kid. He stays enthusiastic throughout the classes and actively participates in analysis and puzzle-solving. He is very consistent, he enjoys playing matches. Wishing him all the best—keep up the great work!”
Few games of Nilan:
https://lichess.org/VX6pVG1C#39
https://lichess.org/5k0WClnV/black#62
https://lichess.org/K2eDtpIl#51
8. MADHAVAN IYER
“Madhavan Iyer is an energetic and extremely creative 8-year-old who has expressed deep fascination with numbers, math and patterns since the age of 3. His interest in advanced math well beyond his grade level led us to choose chess as an extracurricular activity less than a year ago. Thanks to his coach Mr. Om Mishra’s calm, yet firm approach to teaching chess, game strategy and his constant encouragement – Madhavan is now a sincere student of chess, who is beginning to embrace competitive chess. Madhavan also pursues tennis, swim and piano in addition to chess and math, and we are proud of his resilience and the effort he puts into practice each week.”
Coach feedback on MADHAVAN:
“Madhavan started his journey being an absolute beginner with me and I still remember he used to get so much worried about his win and loss but gradually after counselling and his keen dedication to best made him the best in the batch now. I am happy to see his progress.”
Few games of MADHAVAN:
https://lichess.org/VMiFLSRB/black#23
https://lichess.org/Mcx0966c/black#87
https://lichess.org/WBLdAQAl/black
9. Yashaswini Samoju
“Yashaswini is an Eighth grader from Albany NY. She is Energetic, Creative and Artistic. Her chess journey kicked off late while battling with her younger sister in casual matches that sparked a deeper passion. In Nine months of coaching with Premiere Chess Academy, she improved significantly under the guidance of coach Ankush. Besides Chess, Yashaswini plays Tennis in the school team. She goes to Taekwondo, Indian Classical dance classes.”
Coach feedback on Yashaswini:
“Yashaswini is a smart and intelligent kid. She is a quick learner as well. She is very regular to the sessions. She has good puzzle solving and tactical skills. She is good at playing games. Her progress has been very good. She is doing awesome, and I hope will do great in future.”
Few games of Yashaswini:
https://lichess.org/2NIyLWcE/black
https://lichess.org/c4Loo4sz/black
10.Joshnav LVS
“Joshnav is a good learner and shows great interest in understanding conceptual topics in chess. Apart from chess, he enjoys arts and crafts. He excels not only in his school academics but also in various other activities such as art, chess, and swimming. We are very happy to see Joshnav’s steady improvement in chess, with his growth graph rising day by day. Keep looking forward to new challenges and continue climbing step by step toward success.”
Coach feedback on Joshnav:
“Joshnav has displayed remarkable dedication and discipline in chess. His strong grasp of concepts and eagerness to learn make him a promising player. With each session, his progress and confidence continue to grow steadily. His focus and determination reflect the qualities of a true champion. Wishing him great success and many achievements in his chess journey! ”
Few games of Joshnav:
https://lichess.org/lYQdhzcB/black#0
11.Vivaan parikh
“As Vivaan’s parents, we feel incredibly proud of the passion and dedication he shows toward chess. At nine years of age, he spends close to three hours every day playing and learning new tactics, always eager to get better. He takes every game to heart, sometimes feeling upset if he doesn’t win but that only fuels his drive to improve. The joy on his face when he wins and moves up in the ranks is priceless. More than anything, we admire how deeply he loves the game and how committed he is to grow as a player. We love him to grow to his passion and stay disciplined.”
Coach feedback on Vivaan:
“Vivaan has shown remarkable growth recently, both in performance and in mindset. His ability to approach each position with focus and intention has improved significantly. One of the most notable changes has been his growing strategic awareness—he’s no longer just playing moves but thinking in terms of long-term plans and piece coordination. His calculation skills have also become sharper, and he is beginning to recognize the importance of accuracy over speed. The discipline and consistency he maintained throughout the month of Aug were especially commendable. Whether it’s a casual practice game or a tournament match, his effort has been focused and steady. With this kind of work ethic and curiosity, Vivaan is on a path to becoming a very strong player. The foundation is being built well—now it’s about staying consistent and continuing to challenge himself. Keep it up, Vivaan—very well done this month”
Few games of Vivaan:
https://lichess.org/gr5oiTll#0
https://lichess.org/Rj4V6K6Q#0
https://lichess.org/NI77NCsT/black#0
12. Pravartika Prakas
“Pravartika is a 5-year-old girl who started her chess journey by watching her father play chess was more than just a pastime in our household—it was the spark that lit Pravartika’s curiosity. She sat beside her father, mesmerized by the movement of the chess pieces and eager to learn how each “coin” moved on the board. With tiny hands, she practiced the basic moves, slowly absorbing the game’s unique rhythm. Recognizing her interest, we encouraged her to join Premier Chess Academy. This decision was transformative—not just in terms of chess skills, but in her growth as a person. We were fortunate that she was paired with coach Ms.Prakrati Manodhya whose approach was a perfect blend of skillful instruction and patient classroom management. She balanced teaching the intricacies of chess with creating an environment where young players could thrive, regardless of their level or temperament.Seeing my daughter’s development, both on and off the board, has deeply enriched our family. Chess has given us a shared language, and her teacher’s nurturing guidance continues to be central to her journey as a budding chess enthusiast.”
Coach feedback on Pravartika:
“Pravartika is a very good student, she is attentive and has a very creative approach to the problem. I have been teaching her since she was 4-year-old and now she has become extremely good at it. She is always enthusiastic about learning new concepts and applying it in real games. I wish her all the very best for her future.”
Few games of Pravartika:
https://lichess.org/9Mz8CI9t/black
https://lichess.org/PYcFurSy/black
13. Abhiram Karanam
“Abhiram, our 9-year-old son, a 4th grader, has truly found his passion in chess. He’s a very disciplined and hard-working child. His disciplined and hard-working nature, evident in his love for cricket, translates perfectly to the chessboard, where he has found one of his favorite pastimes. He thoroughly enjoys attending the classes at Premier Chess Academy and is always excited to share what he’s learned. Coach Shuvankar is very friendly, and Abhiram always looks forward to attending his sessions. The structured lessons and the focus on strategic thinking have perfectly complemented his natural drive, and we have seen a remarkable improvement in his game. We are so grateful for the welcoming environment and expert guidance that have helped our son grow both as a chess player and as an individual.”
Coach feedback on Abhiram:
“Abhiram has been associated with me for a considerable period of time, during which he has consistently demonstrated excellent discipline, focus, and eagerness to learn. His tactical understanding of chess is highly impressive, and he regularly applies his skills effectively in both classroom exercises and competitive tournaments, where he has delivered remarkable performances. His dedication, consistency, and positive attitude make him a role model for fellow learners. I deeply value his long-term association with me and am confident that he will achieve great success in his chess journey. I sincerely wish Abhiram a bright and successful future ahead.”
Few games of Abhiram:
https://lichess.org/shBkWv2D/black
https://lichess.org/Zk17zIth/black
Selection Criteria –September 2025:
- 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.
- Overall – Passion is evident in class, practices, puzzle solving etc.
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