Colin Stapczynski
Studied at Arizona State University
Works at Chess.com
Hello! I currently have a few open spots, so if you are interested in improving, send me a message or book a free consultation :)
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
About Colin
I have been a Chess instructor since 2001 and have worked with thousands of students in all age ranges (from 7 to 75+). I achieved the USCF Expert rating in 2002 as well as the FIDE Arena Grandmaster title in 2022. Most of my experience is training players in the 1000-1800 skill range—I specialize in creating opening repertoires, positional understanding, endgame technique, and overall thought processes. My training sessions are tailor-made to fit my students' specific goals and address their areas of growth. As a young adult, I worked with GM Gregory Kaidanov and GM Alexander Wojtkiewicz. I have also had the pleasure of working with GM Alexander Yermolinsky and IM Cyrus Lakdawala. Here are some of my chess accomplishments: -1997 Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship, 1st place K-12 section -1998 US Nationals, 6th place JV Section -1998-2000 Multiple State Championships (KY) -1999 All America Cup, 2nd place Blitz tournament -2011 US Amateur West, 1st place Blitz tournament -2019 Chess.com Coach of the Month -2022 Global Chess Championships Qualifer, 1st place Student references are available upon request—don't hesitate to ask! English is my native language, and I offer flexible hourly rates for students of all ages. Feel free to contact me with any questions. Chess.com Coach of the Month article: https://www.chess.com/article/view/coach-of-the-month-colin-stapczynski Top Player Profile: https://www.chess.com/players/colin-stapczynski Slate Interview: https://slate.com/technology/2023/01/chess-dot-com-mittens-bot.html Thanks for looking!
Why do I coach?
I coach chess because it is my passion. I love seeing my students achieve their goals, both on and off the board!
Work Experience
Director of Written Content
Chess.com
January 2021 - December 2023
Oversaw the written content on Chess.com which included articles, event announcements, event guides, feature announcements, tournament reports, SEO content, bots, and more! I also coordinated the Blog of the Month and Coach of the Month programs while working with the best writing teams on the planet. This role also required a lot of content strategy, editing, writing, and training with staff writers and external authors to ensure the highest level of quality for written content on the world's #1 chess site: Chess.com. Editing, Content Editing and +4 skills
Senior Staff Writer
Chess.com
March 2020 - January 2021
Wrote and edited articles, bot statements, tournament reports, and more! Several articles I wrote at this time have millions of reads (and counting) and many of the bots that I created during this time are still very popular. Copywriting, Content Strategy and +3 skills
Staff Writer
Chess.com
May 2019 - March 2020
Wrote or edited all of the original Chess Terms for Chess.com—many of these terms have millions of reads and have overtaken the corresponding Wikipedia piece as the top SERP ranking. Wrote or edited many of the top chess player bios. This large project further helped establish the website’s domain authority and SEO dominance. SEO Copywriting, Copywriting and +1 skill
Writer
Pro Chess League
October 2017 - July 2018
Wrote tournament reports for the 2017-2018 Pro Chess League season. Assisted the Commissioner, IM Greg Shahade, with results, tiebreaks, and other various tasks. Copywriting, Editing and +1 skill
Content creator
The Chess Couch
September 2017 - May 2019
Co-host for the popular Twitch Chess Stream! I also handled all content creation (written, video, and more). https://www.twitch.tv/thechesscouch Web Content Writing, Content Strategy and +1 skill
Chess coach
Chess.com
April 2016 - Present
I have been a Chess instructor since 2001 and have worked with thousands of students in all age ranges (from 7 to 75+). I achieved the USCF Expert rating in 2002 as well as the FIDE Arena Grandmaster title in 2022. Most of my experience is training players in the 1000-1800 skill range—I specialize in creating opening repertoires, positional understanding, endgame technique, and overall thought processes. My training sessions are tailor-made to fit my students' specific goals and address their areas of growth. As a young adult, I worked with GM Gregory Kaidanov and GM Alexander Wojtkiewicz. I have also had the pleasure of working with GM Alexander Yermolinsky and IM Cyrus Lakdawala. Here are some of my chess accomplishments: -1997 Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship, 1st place K-12 section -1998 US Nationals, 6th place JV Section -1998-2000 Multiple State Championships (KY) -1999 All America Cup, 2nd place Blitz tournament -2011 US Amateur West, 1st place Blitz tournament -2019 Chess.com Coach of the Month -2022 Global Chess Championships Qualifer, 1st place Student references are available upon request—don't hesitate to ask! English is my native language, and I offer flexible hourly rates for students of all ages. Feel free to contact me with any questions. Chess.com Coach of the Month article: https://www.chess.com/article/view/coach-of-the-month-colin-stapczynski Top Player Profile: https://www.chess.com/players/colin-stapczynski Slate Interview: https://slate.com/technology/2023/01/chess-dot-com-mittens-bot.html Thanks for looking!
Education
Arizona State University
Bachelor's Degree, Psychology, Pyschology
Activities and societies: Phi Gamma Delta, Chess Club