Rob Hallowell

"I've recently have had my daughter, who just turned 7, take lessons with Valeri. I should have done it a year earlier. I was concerned whether my daughter really wanted to learn or not. As a parent, I just want her to have fun and enjoy the game and I don't expect her to become a great player nor do I expect she will want to keep playing. I watched Valeri work with her as he wants the parent listening because he believes it better facilitates the lesson. He is really good with kids; hence, my realization I should have let her start a year or so ago. He knows how to make the game fun for kids. He is teaching them in a manner that is very suitable for children; he realizes that children learn by playing. He coaches the moves and gives the same theoretical ideas but keeps the language simple, clear, and consistent. If you would like a very strong teacher who is ideal for children that also happens to be very strong at chess, then Valeri is an excellent choice." -- Rob Hallowell, Pennsylvania, US