Our Team
Chess A2Z is led by experienced players, organizers, and educators who are committed to building inclusive, high-quality chess opportunities. Our team brings together competitive experience, educational focus, and a shared belief in long-term student development.
Austin Tang
Founder & Program Lead | Chess A2Z
Austin Tang is a USCF National Master with a peak USCF rating of 2223 and the Founder and Program Lead of Chess A2Z. He brings a structured, student-centered approach to coaching, emphasizing strong fundamentals, practical decision-making, and confidence at the board. With over four years of teaching and coaching experience, Austin is a two-time Oregon Junior Closed Champion (2024, 2025) and a five-time OSCF State Champion. Drawing from both his playing and mentoring experience, Austin is passionate about creating a supportive learning environment where students improve steadily, develop discipline and resilience, and build a lifelong love for chess.
Zoey Tang
Founder & Advisor | Chess A2Z
Zoey Tang is a Woman Grandmaster and the Founder and Advisor of Chess A2Z. She brings a thoughtful, student-centered approach to coaching, with a strong emphasis on calculation, positional understanding, and confidence in real-game decision making. With over six years of teaching and mentoring experience, Zoey has worked with students across a wide range of ages and levels, helping them build strong fundamentals and a deeper understanding of the game. As a competitive player, she is the Champion of the 2025 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and a 2025 Samford Fellow. Zoey has achieved a peak USCF rating of 2433 and a peak FIDE rating of 2381.
Ming Lu
Coach
Ming Lu is an International Master, a certified FIDE Instructor, and an experienced chess coach with over 12 years of tournament experience and 6 years of teaching and coaching experience. He holds a peak FIDE rating of 2407 and a peak USCF rating of 2426. Ming began playing chess in kindergarten and quickly rose through the ranks, earning the National Master title at age 11 and the International Master title at age 15. As a junior, he was consistently ranked among the top 20 players nationally in his age group, and several of his students have since achieved similar top-20 national rankings.
Yu-Cheng Liang
Coach
Yu-Cheng Liang is a USCF National Master and a FIDE Candidate Master with a peak FIDE rating of 2252. He began chess in the 1st grade and has competed in numerous national level events. He has been coaching for the past 6 years and enjoys the work he can do for his community. Outside of chess, Yu-Cheng is passionate about politics, history, and neurology.
Austin Liu
Coach
Austin Liu is a USCF National Master and a junior at Skyline High School, where he serves as president of the chess club. He has been playing chess for eight years and is the top-ranked player in his age group in Washington, with a peak USCF rating of 2215. Austin combines competitive success with a strong commitment to chess education, having volunteered hundreds of hours teaching group and private lessons and running a chess blog with over 18,000 views. His notable results include winning the 2024 Washington Junior Closed Championship, an undefeated 8–0 score in the 2024 King County Chess League, and a 4.5/5 performance at the 2025 Washington High School State Team Championship.
Ryan Min
Coach
Ryan Min is a USCF National Master and a junior at Interlake High School with a peak USCF rating of 2206. He began playing chess in kindergarten and has since competed in numerous top-level national and international events. Ryan is a consistent top performer, including a clear 2nd place finish in the 11th Grade section at the 2025 U.S. Chess National Grade Level Championship and two WA Junior Closed Championship titles (2022, 2023). He has also held the Washington State grade-level champion title across multiple years.
Saahil Gupta
Coach
Saahil Gupta is a USCF Expert and a sophomore at Jesuit High School with a peak USCF rating of 2014. He began playing chess in first grade and has competed regularly in scholastic and national-level events. Saahil’s recent results include Runner-Up in the 2025 Oregon Junior Closed Championship Section, Champion of the 2024 Oregon Junior Closed Challengers Section, 10th Place at the 2025 U.S. K–12 National Championship, and Champion of the 2025 Washington Class Championship (Class A).
Karthik Bimod
Coach
Karthik Bimod is a high school student at Westview High School and a USCF Expert who achieved a 2000+ rating in 2025. He competes regularly in both USCF- and FIDE-rated tournaments and has been actively volunteering as a chess coach since 2024. Karthik enjoys helping other students improve, sharing his tournament experience, and giving back to the chess community. Outside of chess, he enjoys studying math, coding, hiking, and playing basketball.
Neha Narendran
Coach
Neha Narendran is a sophomore at Westview High School who began playing chess in 2020 and competes regularly in USCF-rated tournaments, representing Oregon in state and national girls events. Her notable achievements include 1st Place in the 2022 Oregon Girls Championship (U1000 Section), 2nd Place in the 2025 Oregon Girls Championship, and being part of the Westview High School team that won the 2025 Oregon High School Team Championship. Outside of chess, Neha enjoys reading, drawing, and painting, and she enjoys working with younger students, bringing patience and a supportive teaching style to her role at Chess A2Z.
Anson Pfeiffer
Assistant Coach
Anson Pfeiffer is a sophomore in high school who enjoys competing in chess tournaments and sharing his passion for the game with others. His notable achievements include winning the Middle School Silver Section twice at the Seaside Chess Championships and being part of the team that won the Oregon Middle School State Team Championship. Outside of chess, Anson is a competitive tennis player and enjoys cooking, and he brings enthusiasm and a positive, encouraging energy to his students at Chess A2Z.
Jesse Yan
Assistant Coach
Jesse Yan is a senior at Westview High School who began playing chess in high school and has competed actively since his sophomore year. He brings enthusiasm and an encouraging approach to coaching, and especially enjoys helping newer players build confidence and enjoy the game. Jesse’s chess achievements include serving as Varsity Board 4 State Champion at the 2025 OHSCTA Team State Chess Tournament and winning 1st Place in Class D at the 2024 Oregon Class Championships. Outside of chess, Jesse enjoys skiing, skateboarding, and music.