Ryan M Lefkowitz

From Sidelines to Score‑sheets
I grew up surrounded by chess—Marshall Chess Club, park hustlers, the works—but never pushed a pawn against a real foe over the 64 squares until adulthood. In 2021, during the pandemic while at college at Cornell University, a friend finally reintroduced me to the board and the hook was instant, even if I never really committed. I kept getting into it but then falling back out of interest to pursue other things.
I got a job as a Software Engineer and moved back to New York City, and life went on.
Late 2024 changed everything. Watching the World Rapid & Blitz live in NYC flipped a switch: I built an opening repertoire, drilled tactics daily, hired a coach, and played OTB every chance I got. Three months after my first tournament at the Marshall I’d logged 50+ OTB games and earned a FIDE rating. Weaknesses? Plenty. But watching them turn into strengths is half the thrill.
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How I Study (as a Busy Adult)
• Micro‑bursts: 20‑minute tactic sprees between coding sessions
• Chessable Courses: Sharpening my openings and positional play
• Aimchess Exercises: Working on my tactics every day
• Time with my Coach: Early morning lessons with my coach weekly
• Weekly sparring: at least one long‑time‑control game with a thorough post‑mortem
• Curiosity first: if a position is beautiful, I’ll dig—engine eval be damned
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Off the Board
By day I wrangle data as a software engineer; by night I’m often hiking, speed‑cubing, or trying to learn another language. Give me puzzles—logical or 64‑square—and I’m happy.
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Selected Games
Scroll through my catalog below; the first few here are my favorite wins so far:
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Always up for a game or a chat—feel free to reach out through any of the links above.