Team Vellotti
Daniel Vellotti
Ava Vellotti
Carl Vellotti
Luke Vellotti
Program Director
& Franchise Development
Coordinator
Founder & President
Vellotti's International
Chess School®
Candidate Master
& Director of Curriculum
International Chess Master
& Senior Instructor
Expertise Meets Innovation.
As a nationally renowned trainer and published author with 22 years of experience, Coach Daniel Vellotti has redefined chess education.
As CEO of Vellotti’s Chess School, he introduced the "Success in Chess" Training System®, a comprehensive workbook series that takes students from their very first moves to advanced mastery.
The Storytelling Advantage.
Coach Vellotti’s proprietary method uses storytelling to make every student feel confident and capable.
This unique approach is the heartbeat of our classes and camps, allowing children to master complex tactics and strategy through a curriculum that is as entertaining as it is educational.
Ava Vellotti finds her greatest joy in building personal connections with every family that joins the School.
A native New Yorker and Georgetown University alumna, she is dedicated to finding the perfect "fit" for every student. Ava is deeply passionate about the benefits of chess, firmly believing it equips children with the tools for success in both academics and life.
Known for her accessible and welcoming approach, she takes pride in individually recognizing every student and supporting our parents.
Whether you have questions about our classes, tournaments, or camps - or if you are interested in our nationwide franchise opportunities for pre-school and elementary programs - Ava is here to help.
Please feel free to reach out to her directly.
Carl Vellotti is a National Chess Champion and a two-time Idaho High School State Champion. An alumnus of both UCLA and UC Berkeley, where he studied Bioengineering, Carl remains one of the highest-ranked players in the state.
Carl is also distinguished academic and community leader. His list of honors includes being named a National Merit Finalist, serving as President of the National Honor Society, Captain of the Swim Team and President of the UCLA Chess Club.
Professional Life: Carl brings his strategic mindset to his professional life as a Senior Product Manager, where he thrives on solving problems and helping others succeed. As a leader in the tech community, he designs popular instructional courses for advanced platforms like Claude Code, Cursor, and Antigravity, sharing his expertise with a global audience of learners.
Coaching: Praised as an exceptional role model, Carl leverages his multifaceted background to design cutting-edge curricula for students of all ages.
Luke Vellotti is a verified International Master (IM) and active competitor in high-level events.
Accomplishments: He has achieved significant results in online tournaments, including placing 2nd in a Titled Tuesday event as recently as July 2024, finishing just behind Hikaru Nakamura. As a Content Creator, he has contributed as a writer of books and articles for Chess.com.
Early Success: Born in 1998, he was a child prodigy from Boise, Idaho, becoming the state's first International Master and a multiple-time National Chess Champion.
Academic Excellence: He was a "wunderkind" who attended UCLA at age 14, graduating with dual degrees in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science.
Professional Life: Outside of chess, he joined Google as a software engineer in 2017.
Coaching: He remains involved in the chess community through Vellotti's Chess School, where he has served as a senior instructor.
Vellotti's Official Chess Workbooks
Changing the Game: How far will Chess take you?
When the world says no...
...we say, "No Problem".
With a 22-year legacy of excellence, Vellotti’s Chess School continues to inspire and delight children ages 4–11 through our premier online chess programs and summer camps.
