ALEX VELASQUEZ

Alex Velasquez is a class “A” chess player who enjoys surprising higher rated opponents with his impressive positional knowledge of the game.

His passion for chess began as a high school student in his hometown of Miami, Florida where he joined the Miami International Chess Academy.

He cites local champions International Master Blas Lugo and FIDE Master Marcel Martinez as heavy influences on his game.  Once primarily a Blitz player who thrived on tactical brilliancies, Alex’s game has matured with an increasingly well rounded positional understanding of the different phases of the game and how they are integrated.

He now lives in Charlotte where he is known as both a coach and player who brings a matchless passion to the game and to his students.  Because of his own learning trajectory as a player, Alex has truly internalized the philosophy as a coach that his job is to teach students the conceptual principles that will allow them to correctly evaluate positions and plan strategically, rather than focus on the memorization that comes with practice and repetition. 

Alex brings a rare combination of good humor and serious thought to every lesson that students of the game cannot help but appreciate.​