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  CHESS PLAYING/AUTHOR CREDENTIALS:

• Rated Chess Master: National Master, US Chess Federation (member since 1966); SE PA Scholastic Coordinator, PA Chess Federation; FIDE Candidate Master (2285)

• Member: International Computer Game Association 1977-2009. Appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, Channels 3 & 6, NY Times, Phila Inquirer, etc. as ICCA's media liaison at the Kasparov - Deep Blue "IBM Chess Challenge", PA Convention Center, Feb 96 & NY, May 97. 

• Tournament Titles: US Team Champion (1972); Philadelphia Closed Champion (1973); Philadelphia Open Champion (1971 & 1976); Main Line CC Co-Champion (2003); Main Line CC Champion (2007)

• Author: 11 Chess Books: Elements of Positional Chess Evaluation (1990; 4th ed. 2010); The Improving Annotator (1995; 2nd edition: Jan 2011); Everyone's Second Chess Book (Oct 2000); The Traxler Counterattack (Sep 2000); The Computer Analyzes the Fried Liver/Lolli (2001); A Parent's Guide to Chess (2002); Looking for Trouble (2003), Back to Basics: Tactics (2007), The Improving Chess Thinker (2009); A Guide to Chess Improvement: The Best of Novice Nook (2010), The World's Most Instructive Amateur Game Book (Dec 2012).

• Columnist: "Chess Journalist of the Year", 2010; Winner, Cramer Award for 2005 (& 2010, '12!) "Best Column, any Media" in North America for Novice Nook at Chess Cafe's Instructive Articles. First person to win three Chess Journalists of America First Place Awards in one year (2001-02):

1st: Best Editorial (2002): Encouraging Tournament Participation
1st: Best Instruction (2002): The Six Common Chess States (Novice Nook)
1st: Best Humorous Contribution (2002): The Cheating Chess Tournament
The Thinking Cap at Jeremy Silman's website. 

Honorable Mention: Best Column (2002): Novice Nook

1st: Best Web Instruction (2004): Learning From Dr. de Groot (Novice Nook)

Honorable Mention: Best Web Instruction (2005): A Guide to P-R3 (Novice Nook)

1st: Best Web Column, Any Media (2005): Novice Nook ***Cramer Award!***

1st: Best Web Instruction (2006): The Theory of Chess Improvement (Novice Nook)

Honorable Mention: Best Web Instruction (2006): Initial and Final Candidates (Novice Nook)

1st: Best Web Column, Any Media (tie; 2006): When Is a King Safe? (Novice Nook)

Honorable Mention (2008): four more Novice Nook's for "Best Instruction"

1st: Best Instruction and Best Analysis (2009): plus honorable mention "Best Column"

1st: Best Instruction (2010)

1st: Best Instruction (2012)

1st: Best Web Column, Any Media (2012): Novice Nook

• Host, Radio "Ask the Renaissance Man" Show on Chess.FM on ICC (2002-'09) - 91+(!) radio shows are archived by the ICC (membership required)

• **NEW** Host, chess.com TV: Q&A with Coach Heisman - every other Friday started Aug 3, 2012 at 5-6:30 PM ET.

• Instructional Videos on the ICC - Free to members of ICC and free preview to all.

• Charitable Donor: Co-Founder, Holly Heisman Memorial Fund and founder, Dan Heisman Chess Scholarship Fund at the Philadelphia Foundation. Helps coordinate the Holly Heisman Memorial Tournament Fundraiser Each Year. Twice appeared on Howard Stern show with charity donors.

• Hundreds of Successful Students (see below for highlights; take link for list of Champions of all ages); includes radio host Howard Stern and Sheik Mohammed of Abu Dhabi
• Full Time Instructor since 1996; Phillytutor on the Internet Chess Club - many adult and junior students
• Founder and Principal Instructor, Heisman's Chess Trophies Instructional Club (1997-2001; 2005)
• Chess Courses: Cheltenham Adult Evening School; Main Line Night School; Gimbels; NAWC; Friends School Haverford
• Chess Activities Coordinator: Huntingdon Valley Chess Society Juniors (1991 to 1997)
• Chess Instructor: Kaiserman Jewish Community Center (JCC; 1997- 2002)
• Chess Coach, Germantown Academy (1997 to 2001)
• Certified Senior Tournament Director by US Chess Federation
• Summer Chess Camp Instruction: Julian Krinsky Summer Camp (1997-1999); Camp America (1997)

Non-Chess Credentials: Master's in Engineering Science Penn State '83; Hatboro-Horsham HS Hall of Fame (2007); Quality Program Manager, Intermetrics, Inc.; Registered Investment Adviser (PA). Graduated first in HS and College classes, 4.0/4.0 in graduate school. Born in Willow Grove, PA July 8, 1950.

NM Daniel Benjamin (tutored 1988-1991)
Beginning Rating: 1470 (age 11) Ending Rating: 2300 (Age 14)
Master before age 14. Rival to Josh Waitzkin (of Searching for Bobby Fischer fame)
Multiple PA High School State Champion; US Cadet Championship Participant.
Was rated 2^nd for his age in US; PhD from Harvard; Professor at Cornell

Traldi Brothers (1994 to 1997)

NM Matthew: Beginning Rating ~1100 (age 10) 1997 Rating ~2100 (Age 12)!
Came in 2nd in the US among 5th Graders at 1995 US K-12 Championships
US Cadet co-Champion 2000; 1998 Laura Aspis Award (Top US Player Under Age 13) Yale graduate

NM Arthur: Beginning Rating ~1100 (age 13) 1997 Rating ~1950 (Age 15)
Holds the title of "Co-US 9th Grade Champion" at 1995 US K-12 Championships
Co-US Junior Champion 2000

Expert Michael Glick (1998 - 2001)
                    1999-2000 Philadelphia HS Champion
                    2001 PA State HS Champion

                    2004 Main Line CC Co-Champion

                    2005 PA State Co-10 Minute Champion

                    2005 PA Co-Collegiate Champion

Expert Rory Wasiolek (2001-2003) - 2001 rating 800+; 2003 rating: 1900+

National Master Kurt Schneider (1998-2001) - the lyricist and composer of "College Musical"!

                    4th in US Cadet (U16) Championship 2004

                    2004 Philadelphia Junior Invitational Co-Champion

Scott Kerns
                    Adult - Was rated 1650 and won the 2002 New Mexico State Championship over several masters and experts!!

Frank Ungrady (MrBoeJangles on ICC)
                    Adult - went from 1450 to 2000+ ICC Standard rating in 1 year with 6 months of weekly lessons

Craig Klein

                    Adult- went from 880 to 1700 in 18 months, 2001-2003

 

FM/SM Dan Yeager

                    2005 US Amateur East Champion

                    2008 US High School Champion

                    2008 Denker Champion of Champions

 

SM Will Fisher

                    2011 PA State HS Champion

                    2012 Pan-Am Boys U18 Champion!


by USCF Category title: Senior Master: Dan Yeager, Will Fisher

                                      National Master: Dan Benjamin, Matt Traldi, Arthur Traldi, Kurt Schneider, Chris Heung

                                      Expert: Rory Wasiolek, Mike Glick, Josh Bowman, Alan Deckelbaum, Alex Graeffe, Dan Inghram, Ernest Cronin

Dozens of Adult Students in person and on ICC

Recommendations available on request.

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