Hi, my name is Max Mottola. I am a 17 year old national master and chess coach. I currently attend the Dalton School in New York City. I learned to play chess when I was 8 years old after enrolling in a local program, and quickly became enamored with the artistry and nuance displayed on the 64 squares. At 11 years old, I competed in my first tournament, scoring 2/4 in the reserve section, achieving an initial United States Chess Federation rating of 906. Despite this mediocre start, my competitive career took off shortly thereafter as I started playing at the Marshall Chess Club in Greenwich Village.

In 2022, I achieved candidate master, the second highest title awarded by the United States Chess Federation. A year later, I attained a peak rating of 2151, placing me as the #34 ranked 15 year old in the country. From 2022-2024, I was a 3 time national high school championship winning team member as a part of the Dalton team. Individually, I finished 4th place in the 2023 National High School Blitz Championship, among other top finishes in national and state events. In September 2024, I earned the national master title, one of the highest honors awarded by the United States Chess Federation, and set my new peak rating at 2209. Chess has taken me across the country as I have played tournaments in Philadelphia, Orlando, Nashville, and Washington D.C., to name a few. Throughout my journey, I have also defeated some of the top players in the country, including grandmasters and international masters.

As for my coaching career, I am affiliated with a number of charitable organizations, including Chess Through Challenges and NYC Chess Connections, helping to teach kids from Kenya to underserved New York City students. I am also a chess peer mentor at Dalton and teach a kindergartener after school each week. In August 2024, I worked as an instructor at Dalton's chess camp, where I taught a talented group of young students.

Coaching

For coaching inquiries, please reach out to me at maxabbiemottola@gmail.com.