FM Chris Wallis has offered private coaching since 2010, and has also coached at many schools; in particular, helping Deepdene Primary to achieve victory at the Australian Schools Teams Championship in Perth in 2010. He has coached at every Australian Junior Championships since 2013, helping many Victorian players win age-group titles against tough opposition. These successes include student Nicole Chin's U18 Girls victory in 2013, and Ray Yang's U18 Open victory in 2017. Chris is a patient coach who allows his students to try out ideas and explain their thoughts before he provides feedback. Particular strengths include: - Encouraging students to think closely about theoretical moves, rather than taking them for granted, and to deeply understand the middlegame structures and plans linked with their openings. - Making endgame theory fun to learn; and as the endgame columnist for 50 Moves magazine, he comes across a great deal of original material for classes. Chris enjoys coaching students of any initial playing ability. Chris is an experienced and active player, having played about 1500 classical tournament games since the year 2002. He is able to draw on this experience when discussing the practical challenges encountered by students. His most memorable achievements include: - =1st at the Victorian Championship on three occasions, most recently in 2017. - =1st at the Begonia Open in 2014 - Represented Australia at the World Cities Championship in Al Ain, UAE, in 2012, playing first board against Ukraine, Latvia and Greece. - Most memorable game so far was a win against 2653-rated GM Gawain Jones, in Queenstown 2012, where he played the endgame King + Bishop + Knight vs King which he has taught to many students!