NM Josh Sinanan

NM Josh Sinanan
Age: 38
USCF 2200
Professional Chess Coach and Organizer
Country: USA

I discovered chess in high school and became WA State High School Champion in 2003, a National Master in 2007, and a Life Master in 2015.

I chose to forgo a traditional career path in favor of following my passion. I began teaching chess in 2007 and joined the Seattle Sluggers Team, Seattle’s professional chess team. I became involved with chess organizing and joined the board of the Washington Chess Federation in 2008. I currently teach after-school chess classes in about 10 different Seattle-area schools and works closely with IM Georgi Orlov at two chess academies in the Seattle area.

I have been the President of the Washington Chess Federation since 2010 and am on the board of several other chess nonprofits including Chess Mates Foundation, Northwest Chess Foundation, and Chess Enrichment Association.

Working as an educator and chess promoter is something I immensely enjoy and continue to learn from every day. As a matter of fact, I admit that my students often end up teaching me more than I teach them! I have found that chess is one of the few activities that teaches executive decision-making and empowers one to think clearly through difficult situations. I believe that every time we play, learn, or teach chess, we become better human beings!

My teaching philosophy has always been to customize the material to suit the learning style and needs of the individual student. I strive to create a fun and stimulating learning process, which I have found is the key to understanding new ideas. To sharpen technique, I recommend learning by example from the games of strong players, playing out practice positions, and reading books or watching videos featuring the chess theme or topic of interest.