Staff and Key Partners
Staff
Kevin Bachler
CEO, LLC Manager
Credentials
FIDE Master
Life Master
FIDE Trainer
US Chess Professional Chess Coach
During Kevin's most active period of scholastic coaching from 1994-2004, his teams won eight state championships and finished 2nd three times. They also won three national championships. His students won several individual state championships at all grade levels, and his teams finish in the top five at nationals five times, and the top ten another four times.
Deborah Socha
COO
Credentials
Deborah has over 35 years of experience managing complex businesses. She began working with chess clubs and camps when she and her husband Kevin Bachler started a chess club for their son at his elementary school - and ended up with nearly 150 club members.
Deborah went on to be the co-director of WisChess, at one time the largest camp in the county (225 campers), and Ole Chess, a very successful camp at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.
Deborah continues to deal with the management, logistics and counselors at the chess camps and tournament run by Caveman Chess
Randall Wallin
Randall Wallin graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He had originally desired to pursue a degree in computer science but was told by his father that “computers were just a fad” and that an engineering degree was far more practical. He went on to graduate from North Central College with a Master of Science in management information systems and then capped off his educational career with a graduate certificate in data science from Elmhurst University.
Randall played chess in high school, college, and early on in his adult life. But then, for 25 years, chess took a back seat to family and career. But chess has been back in his life for several years now. And he loves it!
Senna Kawji
Senna Kawji learned how to play chess at the age of 18. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She hopes to improve by playing in more CCC tournaments and help others learn chess in an engaging and fun way. Besides chess, she enjoys drawing art and baking sweets for everyone to enjoy.
Edwin Walker
Edwin Walker (Vice President) is a retired computer programmer. He is a dedicated chess coach and lifelong chess player. He runs and plays often in Chicago Chess Center tournaments and other major tournaments.
Cipriano Menendez
Cipriano Menendez graduated from Mariano Gálvez University with a degree in Customs and Economics. He had originally planned to pursue a degree in Law to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, who was an attorney. However, after being awarded a scholarship to study Economics, his brother and mentor advised him to accept it.
Cipriano learned to play chess in 1970, during the famous Fischer vs. Spassky era. After learning how to play, he began playing throughout high school and college. As a high school player, he competed alongside International Master Carlos Armando Juárez, who went on to become a 25-time National Champion of Guatemala. In October 2002, he won the Latino Championship at the Rudy Lozano Library.
Over the years, he has competed in many tournaments across Chicago and, in December 2017, became a certified Local Chess Coach (Level 1). He has a deep love for chess and for teaching the game.
Ethan Tobias
Athanasios Loutrianakis
Brando Pawling
Brando graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a minor in physics. He is currently working on a paper to finish his master degree in mathematics while working as the Assistant Center Director of the Mathnasium of Norridge-Harwood Heights.
Brando was taught chess by his mother's husband chess at the age of 8, but he began getting more serious about the game when he was 13 years old, which is when he got his first chess books to read on his own time. He began competing in free rapid tournaments every Saturday until he moved to Chicago once he turned 18, where he has lived since. He continues to learn chess on his own time by solving chess puzzles almost everyday to help him improve at the game. He's a Local Tournament Director who has worked at 2 National events.
