
COLE HANSON
Junior Coach and Tournament Director
Cole Hanson was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. When he moved to Charlotte in 2020, a close friend invited him to some casual online chess games and pretty soon, he was playing every day. Cole found the unique mental challenge and competitive aspect of the game to be highly engaging. He credits his development to the incredible work of YouTube creators like Ben Finegold, Daniel Naroditsky, and many more.
Having played for several years, Cole decided to explore opportunities to play in person—and he couldn’t have been more lucky. Not fifteen minutes away was one of the nation’s best chess centers! Cole played his first competitive game in a Tuesday Night Action tournament the very next week.
Today, Cole is a coach and has taught hundreds of amazing K-8 students in the local elementary schools. He works as a tournament director at the center and loves to see the passion and determination of Charlotte’s rising players.