10 Years with Coach Siddharth!

Coach Siddharth started teaching chess with us ten years ago!  Over that period, he's taught more than 1,000 students in Frederick and Montgomery County.  Schools regularly make a point of asking if Siddharth can come back, session after session and year after year.

He's been teaching the chess club at Wilson Wims since (at least!) 2017, and Siddharth has taught at Mary of Nazareth, Centerville, and Urbana every session since they reopened post-pandemic.  As one school administrator told us, "Coach Siddharth is part of our school family."

His calm demeanor in the classroom is effective, and it is clear that students and parents respect him personally as well as his knowledge of the game.

What have parents said about Siddharth over the years?

My kids have developed a strong interest in chess, and it's amazing to see how eager they are to play every day, even when they're exhausted. Despite their age, they always make time for at least 15 minutes of play. It's great to watch them learn new concepts, such as how the pieces move, and I'm excited to continue their progress in the upcoming season. (club at Wilson Wims)

My son learned a lot more than I thought he was going to.  Very impressed with his skills.  He knew nothing about chess prior to the class. Thank you!!! (club at Wilson Wims)

Our son truly enjoyed the club and we will enroll in the next session to continue to fun learning. (club at Mary of Nazareth)

Loved: Weekly recaps, ladder rankings, teaching approach, love for Chess that was developed, Bughouse, In person tournament. Did not love: Nothing! (club at Centerville)

My child loved each session and came home to practice and show me what he learned.  As a parent, it was fun reading the emails after the sessions, sharing what was taught and who got check mates.  thank you! (club at Green Valley)

My child just loved playing and learning with his friends. (club at Mary of Nazareth)

My daughter really enjoyed the classes and was very proud showing her skills at home. She was excited playing with her dad and teaching me, her mom, how to play. The only thing she didn’t like was that she couldn’t choose who to play against. She didn’t want to play with strangers. But I was actually happy that she “had to” do it. It allowed her to practice being outside of her comfort zone and to get along with people you have never met before so she actually learned more than just chess skills. Overall, a great experience! (club at Urbana)

He loves learning techniques and getting to play against others. I love how much you communicate with the weekly highlights and information on the skills you worked on that week. All of our experiences over the years with Silver Knights Chess has been spectacular. (club at Urbana)