OUR COACHES

Lateefah

Messam-Sparks
FIDE Instructor

Lateefah Messam-Sparks is a chess consultant based in London and who works across the UK.

She has been involved in the chess world for over seventeen years, playing both nationally and internationally, representing the England Junior Chess Team.

As a junior, Lateefah won the Top Girl Prize three times at the largest chess tournament in the world.

She currently runs a school chess programme, gives talks about the link between chess and life and has published a children’s picture book to capture the interest of new and upcoming players to the beauty and magic of the chess world in a fun, imaginative way.


Check out Lateefah's book!

Maria

Manelidou
WFM

Maria Manelidou is a Woman FIDE Master (WFM) with a peak rating of 2112. As a player, she has enjoyed numerous tournament successes, including winning multiple Greek Junior titles and the World School Team Championships in 2007. In the UK she primarily plays team chess, representing Wood Green Monarchs in the 4NCL and Drunken Knights in the London League.

In recent years her focus has shifted to teaching, which she does both privately and in schools across London. She founded Chess Rising Stars to enable her to share her passion for the game on a larger scale, with chess enthusiasts in London and further afield. Through Chess Rising Stars, in addition to school and private lessons, she runs holiday chess camps for children in London and online lessons for those based elsewhere.

Ayelén

Martínez
WIM

Ayelén Martínez is a Woman International Master (WIM), a title she gained in 2013 and has been the Argentinian Champion no fewer than 7 times! Her passion for chess began when she was just 5 years old and through her childhood she steadily progressed, becoming Argentina U20 Champion in 2013. In September 2018, she represented Argentina in the Chess Olympiad for the 4th time.

Ayelén is also a FIDE Instructor, working as a Chess Coach in particular for blind people, U16 girls and players under 2000 Elo. For chess linguists, Ayelén also offers hybrid Chess-Spanish lessons!

Tamaz

Gelashvili
GM

Tamaz Gelashvili is a chess grandmaster from Georgia. He was awarded the Grandmaster title in 1999 and became the Champion of Georgia in 2000. His peak FIDE rating was 2623, achieved in October 2007, putting him amongst the world's top 100 at the time.

Tamaz has been a key member of the Georgian national squad for many years representing Georgia at five Olympiads.

He has had numerous tournament successes over the years including joint 1st place in the 2001 Neuchâtel Open with Yannick Pelletier, Mark Hebden and Vladimir Tukmakov, winner of the Acropolis International tournament in Athens in 2006 and joint 1st Nigel Short, Vadim Milov, Aleksej Aleksandrov, Baadur Jobava, Alexander Lastin, Gadir Guseinov and Farid Abbasov in the 2008 President's Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In 2011, he won the 5th Annual Philadelphia Open outright and he has been twice winner of the Annual World Open in 2013 and 2016 in Las Vegas.

Tamaz is currently living in the USA, is a highly experienced chess coach and runs a chess school in New York City.