Meet Our Instructors
Every member of our team is committed to helping our students flourish, as chess players and in life.
Rebekah White
Specialty: Intro/Beginner
Rebekah has worked with children since 2010, teaching at Master Khechen's Martial Arts Academy as an assistant instructor for seven years. She currently works at the Summit Center, promoting life skills and positive social interaction for children with developmental disabilities, on-site and in the home. Rebekah looks to combine her passion for chess with her experience working with children of all ages and walks of life.
John Hanni
Specialty: Beginner/Intermediate
John has spent most of his life teaching. He began running classes at his martial arts studio while still in high school. During college he began teaching chess at schools across Western New York, and eventually went on to found Buffalo Chess Association with his co-owner, Mark Johnson. He has roughly ten years of teaching experience, and is the lead designer for the program’s lessons.
Michael Zachowicz
Specialty: Beginner/Intermediate
Michael has been a fan of chess for over three decades and has worked as a teacher of various subjects both in Western New York and Northern California school districts. He is currently instructing Geometry at the Chesterton Academy. He brings experience from the Berkeley Chess School and his passion for working with children to the Buffalo Chess Association hoping to foster appreciation for the many benefits that playing chess can bring.
Sam Santora
Specialty: Intermediate/Advanced
Sam has been playing chess since he was a child, and would visit the University at Buffalo chess club to challenge college students as a grade-schooler. He began teaching chess at local schools at the age of sixteen, while competing in High-School leagues. His current USCF rating is roughly 1800, and he has exceptional knowledge of opening theory.
Mark Johnson
Specialty: Advanced
Mark has been practicing chess since he was a child. His peak online rating was 2500, and he has competed in and placed in multiple major tournaments. He began teaching chess volunteering at a local high school, and found a passion for instructing there. He and John Hanni co-founded Buffalo Chess Association to provide high quality lessons to students in the area. He has over ten years of teaching experience and provides the curriculum’s structure.
Kutay Karatas
Specialty: Advanced
Kutay has been playing chess since he was six, and has been competing for nearly as long. His peak USCF rating was 2250, and his peak bullet rating online was 2750. He has experience helping players of all levels, from teaching new students to helping Grandmasters prep for tournament games. Kutay is sharing his extensive knowledge with students, and helping them learn just how much can be done with chess.
GM Ankit Rajpara
Specialty: Advanced+
GM Ankit is India's 36th chess Grandmaster and a chess prodigy from Gujarat. He started playing chess at the age of 8 and achieved great successes at National Junior chess tournaments. He has been teaching chess for several years now and currently has approximately 50 students. He is working with us to help enhance our curriculum and to teach our GM Classes.