THE NASHVILLE CHESS CENTER INSTRUCTORS

 

Email Aaron for all NCC information: director@nashvillechess.org

Aaron Caveny

Aaron was born and raised in Nashville and has lived there most of his life. He graduated from Hume-Fogg High School in 2013 and Western Governor's University in 2016. He has a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and minor in Economics. Aaron spent the first 9 years of his career in various management roles with The Sherwin-Williams Co. Aaron began teaching followed by accepting the role as Assistant Director in 2023.
Aaron began playing chess in 2014 while he was in college. He was the 2016 Tennessee Amateur State Champion as well as tying for 1st in the u/1800 section at the World Open in 2018.

Aaron enjoys spending his free time with his wife Madison and his daughter Colbie, watching the Titans and the Gators, and competing in chess!

Lessons available to adult learners and some scholastic players. Email for pricing.

Email:assistantdirector@nashvillechess.org

 

(NM) Joseph Wan

Joseph Wan was born in Iowa City, Iowa, and began playing chess competitively in the Bay Area at the age of 6. In 2009, Joseph moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where, under the tutelage of IMs John Watson and Keaton Kiewra, won two national titles and broke two records, including becoming the youngest ever Nebraska State Champion. After moving back to Iowa City, he achieved the National Master (NM) title in 2016, and became the youngest ever Iowa State Champion in 2018.

 

            Joseph is now a student at Vanderbilt University, where he studies psychology, MHS (medicine, health, and society), and Japanese. Despite being in college, his love for chess has only grown. Joseph added the 2022 Tennessee Blitz Championship and the 2023 Nashville City Championship to his belt of achievements, and hopes to pass on great knowledge to all of his students. Joseph has been coaching chess since his middle school days, and this year (2023), he will be returning for his 8th consecutive year at Iowa’s annual Prairie Chess Camp for K-12 students. He is also currently the chess coach at Nashville’s Meigs Middle Magnet and Head Middle Magnet School.

 

            Apart from chess, Joseph is also a former Iowa state champion in piano and badminton, and has participated in multiple Iowa All-State Orchestra Festivals on violin.

 

Notable Chess Achievements:

• ●2011 K-3 National Champion
• ●2014 K-6 National Champion
• ●2014 Nebraska State Champion
• ●2018 Iowa State Champion
• ●2023 Nashville City Champion

 

Email: joseph.wan881@gmail.com

Hourly Rate: $55

JOSH CAMPBELL

Hi I’m Josh. Born in Australia I moved to Nashville when I was young and was raised here ever since. I learned chess at 5 and played my first tournament at 8. Since then I was a very consistent player in the Nashville scholastic chess scene and won the City Championship 5 yrs straight in Jr high and high school. I was also Team Captain for the chess team Campbell Homeschool that won multiple State Championships and had many top 5 finishes at Nationals.

Outside of chess I enjoy reading, piano, researching the financial markets, and going on adventure’s.

You can contact me about private lessons at

joshuaardencampbell@gmail.com

KAYLA WEISHAAR

Kayla grew up in East Tennessee before moving to Nashville about 15 years ago.  Kayla and her two younger siblings (Luke Weishaar and Rachel Weishaar) were homeschooled through high school and played chess competitively in tournaments for about 5 years.  Kayla reached a peak USCF chess rating of 1650.  She also helped run a homeschool chess club in Crossville, TN for several years.  Currently, she just plays chess for fun and enjoys teaching kids who are new to the game

Kayla’s other hobbies include playing ping pong and hiking.  Kayla has an associate degree in business and currently works for Southeast Financial specializing in recreational lending for boats and RVs.

You can contact her about private lessons at kayla@sefinancial.com

 

(NM) Rory Wasiolek

Rory was born in Houston Texas and moved to Nashville after graduate school.  He began playing competitive chess in middle school and played for the Duke chess team, going to the final four collegiate tournament twice.  He earned his national master (NM) title while studying statistical genetics at UCLA.  Rory began teaching chess in his junior year of high school, and has recently resumed doing so.

Private lessons available for students of all levels

email: redw16@gmail.com

THE NASHVILLE CHESS CENTER GROUND STAFF

Call Ricardo Angeles for any of your landscaping and gardening needs. He has done a great job for the NCC the past few years! 

Ricardo: (615) 586-2350 or (615) 586-2256

RETIRED INSTRUCTORS

(FM) Todd Andrews

  
Todd was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee and has played competitive chess since being 11 years old. At the age of 16, Todd attained the rank of National Master and was a member of the United States Olympic Youth team sent to Europe to represent America. It was during this time, Todd began his first teaching job as an after-school chess instructor for the University School of Nashville. At the age of 18, Todd attained the international title of F.I.D.E. (pronounced Fee-Day) Master and was invited to participate in the United States Junior Championship. He was ranked number one in the country for 17-18 year olds during that time. Todd has often been the Tennessee State Champion, which he has achieved ten times. Todd also has various other state titles and has been Nashville City Champion ten times. He was also Georgia State Champion when residing there in 2004. Todd is also a US Chess Senior Level Tournament Director and a National Level FIDE Arbiter.

Todd has taught chess in New York, Georgia and Tennessee. 

Besides chess, you will find Todd camping, canoeing, hiking, going to rock-n-roll concerts and rooting on the Nashville Predators! Todd is also the proud father of Eloise (11) and Ophelia (2) Andrews. 

 

Tiffany Elliott

Tiffany Elliott grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and learned chess growing up with her brother, Todd Andrews.  He taught her how to play at a very young age, and the two made up their own variations of the game as well.  Tiffany enjoyed attending tournaments all across the United States with her family, but never competed.  Tiffany entered into the child care field while working her way through college.  In 2007, she joined her brother, Todd, in instructing their first Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Chess Camp at NCC.  These camps have grown into a big success!  

In 2009, Tiffany earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Education, Summa Cum Laude.  In May of 2010, she earned the Tennessee Early Childhood Program Administrator Credential from Tennessee State University.  Tiffany uses her training and experience in child development to teach and encourage children as young as three years old to play and enjoy chess using developmentally appropriate methods and strategies.  She coaches chess programs at multiple Nashville area schools and works as a tournament director.  Tiffany has volunteered on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Chess Association since 2013 and became the NCC's first-ever Assistant Director in 2017. 

She also enjoys music, crafts, gardening and organizing community environmental projects, and being mom to her sons, Kyler and Kasen and wife to her husband, Eric.

 

 

Peter Lahde      

My interest in chess began while still a teenager in Germany. In 1950 I moved from Chicago to Nashville, Tennessee. I played in my first Tennessee Open in 1956. Shortly after that I became interested in organized chess. With this I started the Tennessee Chess News in 1959 and was its editor for the next 18 years. After I let other players take it over I continued my involvement as TCA as President and Vice-President for the next 20 years or so. But I also directed many tournaments including the Tennessee Open and organized and directed the Music City chess tournaments.

But I was also active as a player. I made good scores in several Tennessee Open and the Mid-South events that were held and still are run in Memphis. I also made contributions to the Nashville team in matches with Memphis and Knoxville playing as high as board one. But I consider having won the Nashville Championship on three occasions my greatest accomplishment.  One of my best scores was in the Sportsfest held in Nashville in 1990 were I scored three wins and two draws. 

  
In the early nineties I started teaching chess in schools. This I have continued to the present. I have enjoyed this as much as the students I was instructing not just in the basics but also in advanced tactics and strategy. Several of the schools scored well in the state individual and team competitions.

In 1989, the officers of the Tennessee Chess Association recognized my achievement as an organizer to recommend me to the US Chess Federation. This honor I received from USCF was the "Outstanding Career Achievement" award in the form of a beautiful chess set. 

In 1990 the Tennessee Hall of Fame was established. Along with six others I was inducted as a charter member along with the following: Tom Finucane, Robert Scrivener, Hunter Weaks, Jerry Sullivan, Robert Coveyou and Martin Southern.

In 1996 I wrote the book entitled A History of Tennessee Chess. The book was also dedicated to the first Tennessee Champion, Robert Coveyou, who won it in 1947 and seven more times after that. He passed away in the year the book was published. In addition this also marked the 50th time the Tennessee Open was held.

My interest in writing about chess history actually started already in 1992 with a book on the games by Alekhine. In 2009 my eighth book was published about the American Grandmaster Isaac Kashdan.

A quote about Peter and his career:

Peter Lahde is known throughout the chess world as a fair-minded, honest, dignified gentleman.  In a quiet and methodical manner, he has brought the gift of chess to young and old alike for more years than most of today's players can remember.  He has been a role model for generations of young players, as well as a model of sportsmanship and courtesy for all who come in contact with him.