Wizard of the Month Spotlight - October 2026 - Liam Crichton

Our employee of the month is Liam Crichton from Massachusetts!

Liam is a fantastic instructor who leaves everyone walking away from his classes—even fellow teachers—thinking, “Wow, I learned something new!” The way he builds a classroom community filled with respect, kindness, and support is truly incredible, and we’ve had many new schools in his area interested in working with Chess Wizards due to his fun and awesome classes!

Liam, thank you for being such an outstanding employee and teacher!

To show our appreciation for your dedication and hard work – please check your email this week for a special gift from us.

 

Cheсk out our interview with Liam below:

 

1. Who are you, where do you come from, where are you going? 

My name is Liam Crichton, I am from Massachusetts.

 

2. How long have you been teaching with Chess Wizards? 

I have been teaching with Chess Wizards for about 3 years. 

 

3. What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since you started teaching? 

I think the most valuable lesson I have learned is that energy and effort matter most. If you show up and bring a positive spirit, students and staff will accept you, and people will want to work with you. Everything else can be learned and will improve over time as long as you show up and do your best. 

 

4. What is the most exciting experience you have had while playing or teaching chess?

Meeting Danya Naroditsky at a blitz tournament was a cool experience. I never got to play him, and he scored a perfect 12/12, but it was still cool to meet a Giant in the chess world.

 

5.  How do you motivate your students to succeed? 

Wizard Points, trophies, medals, and a high five

 

6.  If you could retire tomorrow and never have to worry about money again, what would you do with your time?

Travel the world. My top 3 places I would want to go to are Spain to eat paella and watch a big football match. I would go to the beaches of Croatia in the Summer. And I would love to go to Japan for the food and culture. 

 

7.  What’s your go-to technique for dealing with ‘handful students’? 

The key to dealing with difficult students is to figure out what motivates them. It isn’t always chess, but I think there is always a way to engage or challenge a difficult student. 

8. What’s your #1 teaching tip?

My #1 teaching tip is to incorporate things you are interested in into your classes, whether that is on the chessboard or not. If you bring the energy and excitement required, then students will follow along.  If you just follow another wizard, you will never do it as well as they do if you don’t add your own flair. One example on the board is that I love attacking chess, even if it is dubious. So, I always try to teach that style and instill that into my students' game. One example off the board is that I love doing riddles and jokes. Even though it isn’t necessarily chess-related (although there are great chess jokes and riddles), students love following along and often have their own to share. Take inspiration, don’t copy. Be yourself. Do what you love. Bring the energy and enthusiasm. That is my #1 piece of advice for a new wizard. 

 

9. What is something interesting that you’re involved in, outside of Chess Wizards?

 My biggest interest outside of chess is soccer. I love both watching and playing. I try to play at least once or twice a week, usually in a rec league near Boston. I have a good group of friends whom I’ve been playing with for a while. It scratches a lot of itches for me. Playing soccer keeps me active, competitive, and something to look forward to at the end of the day or week. 

                                                                                                                             

10.  If you saw a kangaroo and a chimpanzee playing chess what would you do? Who do you think would win? 

If a kangaroo and a chimpanzee were playing chess, I would bet the farm on the chimpanzee. Chimps are known for their intelligence, and I think that would lead them to victory. On top of that, chimpanzees have better dexterity, which would significantly help them, especially if it were a blitz game. I feel like the only situation this would occur in is either a cartoon or a dream. In that context, I would teach the chimpanzee some openings to help it train for the upcoming Animal Kingdom World Chess Championship. 

 

11.  Star Wars, Star Trek, or they’re both lame? 

D. None of the above. This is really just not my area of expertise; however, I have a lot of respect for both series. I can’t really say either is lame; I just am not well-versed in the subject. 

 

12. What do you like most about working with Chess Wizards? 

I like a lot of things about my job. I like my boss (shoutout to Wizard Sam), and a lot of the people I get to work with. But the thing I like most about working with Chess Wizards is sharing my passion for chess and making it fun for students. It is a really cool opportunity, and I am grateful that I get to do this.