NM Axel Muller

Hi,

My name is Axel Müller, I'm 45 years old. A friend taught me how to play chess in kindergarten and I have been passionate about chess ever since.

When I moved to California in 2007 I had a little break from competitive chess. My first rating when I resumed was just above 1900. After a brief period I made it to expert. After some time at expert level I decided I should try to get a National Master title.

I'm a scientist and I have a PhD in chemistry (protein crystallography to be precise). My scientific training allowed me to assess my strength and weaknesses fairly ruthlessly and this was essential for my chess improvement and getting my NM title.

I have been teaching and mentoring grad students and scientists at Caltech and at my alma mater in the UK. Currently, I also teach chemistry at a community college.

If you feel you are stuck as a C,B, or A player I can definitely help you to reach the next level.

I live in Arcadia, CA if you live close by I'm available for in-person teaching. I'm also happy to provide online classes.

I believe that improvement requires introspection. For this it's crucial to analyze the games we play. I can help you do this. Based on what we learn from your games I will provide you with tailored lessons that will get you to the next level.

I have been playing competitive chess for 35 years. My biggest achievement was gaining the USCF National Master Title.

I have been teaching science and training students in biology and chemistry labs for a long time. I also have been teaching chess online for a number of years.

I have a PhD in chemistry from the University of York, UK. I lived in several countries: Germany, France, Portugal, UK, USA.

After my regular club disappeared over night in January I co-founded the San Gabriel Valley Chess Club. sgvchess.club
and became the vice-president, treasurer, and tournament director. Since March all our activities moved online.
Consider joining our club:
lichess.org/team/san-gabriel-valley-chess-club

We host Swiss tournaments with a double round each Friday and we also host blitz tournaments.

I like to make my students think.

There are a lot of great books and chess videos out there. When I teach I try to put a focus on my students games and I personalize the lesson as much as possible according to my students needs. My goal when teaching is to help my students figure out things rather than just propagating knowledge.