NM Lakshmi Banerjee

My name is Lakshmi. I started learning chess at 7 years old and started playing tournaments a short while after. I have been a competitive tournament player for over a decade. During this time, I earned the National Master title. Since then I have remained active in chess as a club player, fan and coach.

I have played chess competitively for over a decade. Some of my most memorable achievements are:

Tied for 3rd at the 2017 Campeonato Panamericano U20

Tied for 4th at the 2015 K-9 National Championship

First place at the 76th South Carolina State Championship

Earning the National Master title (2016)

As a junior I was one of the top 50 rated players in the US in my age group

Prior to each lesson I generally ask my students to send me games that they have played that week. I will then analyze these games prior to the lesson with an eye specifically geared to finding patterns of strengths and weaknesses in my student's play and attempt to understand the root cause of these issues whether they lie in holes in strategic understanding, practical decision making or psychological errors. From there I will develop a personalized lesson plan often centered on games played by great players of the past where they faced similar problems in practical play so that students can learn how to handle these situations by example.

If a student hasn't had the time to play games before our lesson I will instead develop a similar lesson plan centered on helping the student learn how to handle types of positions that I have noticed they struggle with. I am also happy to adjust the lesson to answer any questions a student has before or during the lesson.