Support Team

Our support team works all day and night to help you make the most of your Chess.com experience! To contact them, please visit Support  - thanks!

Jules (kohai)
United Kingdom
Site Experience Manager

Matt (patzer24)
Florida 
Billing & Member Services

I do so much for Chess.com that I can't explain it all in one sentence! Member support, support management, QA, manage live chess and forum moderators... I basically keep my finger on the pulse of Chess.com!

Outside of Chess.com I'm addicted to 'The Big Bang Theory' and Ghost Recon.

I am the man who takes care of your every billing and membership need. I also do a lot of behind the scenes tasks in the up keep of the chess end of things on the website.

Chess is my life, that is why I am here, duh! When I am not on here doing what I do you will probably find me at a real life chess tournament.

Amelia
Oregon
Member Support

Jaclyn
California
Member Support

I'm a support pawn for Chess.com; send me your tired, abused, and disconnected issues, yearning to be free.

I love sharing a good joke with friends.

I work on the small things to keep everyone happy so that you guys can focus on your skills :)

Outside of work, I like spending time with my two dachshunds (Schnitzel and Luna) and keeping up with new technology trends.

Gauthier
France 
Member Support

I'm part of Chess.com's support team, here to offer my assistance when you need it so that you can fully enjoy your stay with us :D 

Outside of Chess.com I love to fly fish as well as wander through nearby forests.

Operations

Our team loves chess and is dedicated to creating the best possible place to enjoy chess on the internet.

IM Danny Rensch
Arizona
Professional Relations and Content

I do what I love, and I love what I do... and Chess.com's only certainty is that I will checkmate YOU! I split duties managing all content (mostly videos and Chess.com TV). I also help spread the word about ChessKid.com.

I am a husband to one, father of three and still aspiring for my GM title!!

Michael
Canada
Projects & Social Media

Brenan
Utah
Operations & Growth

In return for helping to design cool new features, I get to play with them first - and then tease everyone about it on Facebook & Twitter.

I actually do still enjoy chess quite a bit, but I also love to stay a few steps ahead of my inner lazy slob by running at least 20 miles a week.

I manage our ad inventory, demand generation, marketing optimization, and general business operations.

I'm a professional snow/skateboarder; not in the sense that I actually get paid to do it or that I am any good, but I do handle myself professionally. Fortunately, I love internet business and marketing too!

David Petty
New York
ChessKid.com Manager

I am the ChessKid.com Site Manager. All things ChessKid.com, that's me! I take the lead on Product Development, Content Management, Marketing and Events.

Think of Danny Rensch, but a mini cloned version one eight his size.

Developers & Engineers

Our incredible engineers build all of the amazing stuff you see on the site. All of them are top of their field and have created the most technically advanced chess site out there!

Piotr
Poland
Live Chess Architect

Jon
Oregon
Director of Engineering

I've been here from the very beginning mainly focused on Live Chess (my passion) and coordinating all related projects and working with amazing people.

I like photography and playing board games and I love to spend time with my family.

I'm a hip young techie who could hip-hop, bebop, code till ya drop, and yo, yo, make a wicked script of q-co-do.

Besides that, I help with team management, code improvements/features, making everyone laugh, and secretly keep a scrapbook of funny conversations our team gets into.

Matias
Argentina
JavaScript & Live Developer

Ben
California
Director of Engineering

I work with all things Live Chess and blame Internet Explorer for all my bugs!

I'm also a pianist and composer, former classical and now a rock/pop artist.

I'm one of the website developers, coding on Chess.com since just a few months after it was born. I fix things and build foundation-level stuff, and if I do it right then you won't notice much except a general increase in awesome.

Outside of work, I write screenplays and am finishing my first novel — it must be a long-term passion, because I've been "finishing" it for years now. :)

Nik
Ukraine
Live Chess Java Developer

Marcos
Argentina
PHP Developer

I'm a Java Developer focused on LiveChess server, LiveChess Client API and other stuff like Chess Bots (computer players), monitoring applications, etc.

I'm also a fan of Star Wars :) May the Force be with You!

Im in charge of creating awesome features and fixing bugs on the website.

When I'm not coding, I like to swim, play tennis or drive to beatiful places near my city (beach or mountains). I enjoy good food and tv shows.

Faisal
Pakistan
iOS Developer

Igor
California
Systems Administrator

I work on iPhone/iPad app and serving Chess.com users is the best feeling I've ever had throughout my career.

I think that the universe is a discrete continuity system where every distance is infinite and zero at the same time. Yeap, that's right. I'm crazy! :D

I take care of the servers/network/backups and other systems infrastructure stuff.

When not working I either spend time with my family or do an occasional outdoors recreational activity.

Vladimir
Ukraine
Android/Java Developer

Favio
Mexico
Web Dev

I'm a Java and Android Developer and I enjoy working at the best company in the world! :-)

I live in Ukraine but speak Russian. I spend my free time with my daughter and wife.

lol, I probably do something good here. That would explain why I haven't been fired yet. :)

When not coding on chess, I'm playing the guitar, gaming (Xbox: Favrik, PSN: fav-lemonade, or PC), walking on the park, or partying; not necessarily in that order.

Alex
Russia
Android Developer

Luis
Peru
iSymfony2 PHP Developer

I work on making the Android app use the latest technologies and designs. I hope you enjoy Chess.com while traveling!

I'm learning to be a father of 2 kids. I like mountain biking with the family, and during the cold siberian winter I drink hot tea and eat awesome home-made cakes and cookies (of course after playing with bears on the street).

I am married to my beautiful wife and have a wonderful little daugther.

I am a symfony2 developer and enjoy my work and encouraging my team mates.

Alex K
Ukraine
PHP Developer

Ivan
Serbia
PHP Developer

I'm a core developer. I've joined Chess.com recently and my job is to bring modern coding standards to the project and add new features to speed up the site and make it more convenient for users and developers.

I love to play sports. I was once an avid soccer player and powerlifter, but now spend most of time practicing Sambo, a popular form of mixed martial arts. I also enjoy travel and photography.

As a newcomer, currently I'm getting to know the site and all its features, and fixing bugs :)

I like to play all kinds of sports, mostly basketball, tennis, handball etc, and also like to travel a lot and party :)

Zarko
Serbia
PHP Developer

Shon
Canada
PHP Developer

I'm the guy who brings modern RESTful API to awesome Chess.com platform so our mobile applications get even better! Very passionate programmer, good friend, like to play sports, travel, hang out with my friends and everything that is considered good in life :)

I also play guitar and since music is one of the most important things in my life, I like to play it often :D

Professionally: Polyglot hacker, knowledge hunter, documentation vacuum.

Personally: Young Canadian, kitty daddy, and husband.

Pedro
Buenos Aires, Argentina
iOS Developer

Mike D
Texas, USA
Developer

I'm an iOS developer who likes to lay out user interfaces until they look pixel perfect! I also like learning about new technologies, and making sure that coding standards and best practices are being followed. I also like developing and designing games!

In my free time I love to watch and play soccer, and to goof around with my nephews!

Comfortable developing in any language.

Never met a dog I didn't take in.

Vladimir
Serbia
PHP Developer

Developing web applications by using PHP is my main occupation in last five years. I am passionate about Web technologies and creating new features on the Internet and make it a better place to live in. I am helping Chess.com to provide better API integration within our system.

I am Web Developer, coming from Belgrade, Serbia. When I am not programming, I like to spend some time with my two awesome kids, enjoying in long mountain walks, sports, fishing, hanging out with my friends. Also I like to travel and meet other cultures and new peoples.

Content Contributors

So many people have contributed to the incredible teaching materials available on this site, but we'd especially like to recognize the significant contributions of:

Contributors

Here are some of our other key team members!

Dallin
Utah
Web and Interaction Designer

Ryan
United Kingdom
News Editor

I do my best to help make Chess.com simple, easy, and fun to use.

My passions in life include spending time with my wife and kids, running, cycling, snowboarding, hiking, camping, sushi, experiential learning, and creating cool stuff.

I post interesting chess news articles every day to keep Chess.com members entertained and informed!

My biggest achievement is marrying a wonderful woman who puts up with my chess addiction with infinite patience!

FM Kostya Kavutskiy
California
Special Content Contributor

Adrian
Romania
WebGL / Flash Developer

As a part of the content team, it's up to me to help with any random task having to do with videos, articles, chess mentor, chess.com TV, the Youtube channel.

Outside of Chess.com, I am working to become a professional chess player, author, journalist, and coach.

I'm building a cool 3D chess board using WebGL.

I'm a man who likes cats, wolf howls and tries to improve himself!

Michael P.
Indiana 
Video Editor

As a video editing guru, I put together the videos and make ChessTV better.

I also direct short films and enjoy writing for a variety of publications. I'm often found in the gym when not playing chess or spending time with my awesome wife. 

Owners

Chess.com is owned and managed by two long-time friends and chess players. They met as college freshman where Jay - the university chess club president - taught Erik to play chess!

Erik
California
Co-founder and CEO

Jay
California
Co-founder and Advisor

I steer the ship!

I love chess (duh!), crossfit, and spending time with my beautiful wife and four amazing kids!

Here from the beginning! I guide the company in the right direction on the tech front.

I love to golf and play video games!

Michael Szalontay
Moscow
Advisor

I am an advisor to Chess.com. I believe that the modern Internet is perfect for intellectual gaming and chess is the most popular human mind game. An avid chess fan and player myself, I am very enthusiastic about the success of Chess.com and enjoy my role in helping the team.

I am Hungarian/Russian and I work in venture capital where I get to meet and help many talented entrepreneurs.