Tampa Chess Clubs, Rated Tournaments, Chess Lessons
Note to Parents:
​Coaches Krista, Arthur, Corey, and Jeff have been background checked by Hillsborough Country Schools. Coaches Krista and Arthur have additional background checks from Berkeley Prep, Westlake Christian School, Idlewild Baptist Church, St Marks Episcopal Church, and Citrus Park Ministries.  As parents our top priority is the safety for our students.​

Krista was an active member of our local elementary school where our boys attended.  In 2011, Coach Willard Taylor started a chess club, and Krista quickly became the club chess mom.  Coach Taylor recognized her talent for children and hired her for his local tournaments.  In 2012, Krista teamed up with Corey Acor, (a National Master Level Coach) to work in his schools.  In January 2015, Coach Krista started her own chess club at Westlake Christian School, with love and passion it quickly grew and split into two clubs.  Coach Arthur became the head coach for Westlake's Advance Chess Club.

Today, Krista leads 6 chess clubs and is a certified tournament director at local, regional, and state level tournaments. Krista and her husband Arthur manage Alton Academy 4 Chess and are passionate about chess!  Arthur now leads 3 chess programs in 3 different schools. Together they have firsthand experience of the positive impact chess has made on their two sons and on their many chess club students.

Meet Our Chess Coaches​

All of our coaches have been COVID vaccinated as 0f May 2021

Coach Krista Alton
​

  • 1982 President of her High School Chess & Battle Club
  • 23 years Teaching Children with a BS in Psychology and AA in Teaching
  • Parent of a Special Needs Autistic Son
  • 1 of 13 Board Directors for the Florida Chess Association since 2018
  • Florida State Representative for the US Chess Women's Committee 
  • 2019 flew to Nashville Tennessee to work the Girls Club Room at the K-6 Elementary Nationals
  • 9 years Coaching in School Chess Clubs 
  • 9 years Working in USCF Chess Tournaments, Working Local, State, and National Level Tournaments
  • 6 years Receiving Private Lessons from National Chess Master Corey Acor
  • 8 years Working as a Floor Tournament Director (Scholastic & Rated)
  • 7 years Organizing/Running the Largest Rated USCF Chess Tournaments in the Tampa/St Petersburg Area
  • 7 years Head Coach Running Chess Clubs
  • Currently Running 6 Classes / Clubs in 3 Schools
  • Currently Working as a Floor Tournament Director for Continental Chess Association Since 2016
  • Organize & Teach in "Thursday Knights" Chess Class
  • Since 2016, Organized & Chief TD for The Largest "All Girls" Rated Chess Tournaments in Central Florida 
  • Recognized for Helping Woman & Girls Succeed in Chess
  • 2018 worked 3 days at the K-12 Grade Nationals in Orlando Florida working for the US Chess Woman's Committee 
  • 6 years Providing Private Lessons
  • 2020 Providing Online Private Lessons Through Zoom
  • 2020 Providing 3 Levels of Online Classes for Students All Over the US Through Zoom

Coach Arthur Alton
​

  • 25+ years Teaching Children
  • Hillsborough County Contractor / Vendor + Level 2 screening - expires 08/31/2022
  • 4 years Receiving Private Lessons from National Chess Master Cory Acor
  • 5 years Lead Chess Coach
  • 5 years as a Tournament Director
  • 4 years as Lead Club Instructor / Leading Lessons
  • 4 years Providing Private Lessons
  • 4 years Chess Camp Instructor
  • Instructor for "Thursday Knights" Chess Class
  • Hillsborough Academy of Math & Science Lead Coach
  • Roland Park Magnet School Lead Chess Coach
  • Roland Park Magnet School Technology Coach
  • Westlake Christian School Advance Club Coach
  • Westchase Elementary School Chess Coach
  • 7 years Coaching Soccer, NAYS Certified (National Association Youth Sports) 
  • Spikeball Tournament player & Ambassador since 2018
  • Spikeball Ambassador Award Winner 04/2021
  • City of Tampa Spikeball Tournament M.C. 02/2020
  • Drama director / volunteer: Haiti missions trips (2014-16) www.schoolsforhaiti.com .
  • Volunteer at North West Community Church - Covenant Youth Group, helper / assistant (since 2017)

  • Software Engineer/Developer/ Software Consultant - Career 30+ yrs
  • Technology Instructor for 2 schools teaching: Web Site Design,  Intro- Computer Programming with game development  Using Java Script & Phaser, and Coding for Kids
  • Robotics Instructor since 2017
  • Technology Camp Instructor/Director
  • 2016 Award Winner: Tampa Bay Code-A-Thon Hillsborough County Web Automation

Coach Joshua Alton
​

  • Lead Coach: WestLake Christian School advanced club
  • Started SEU (Southeastern University) Chess Club
  • Rated Tournament Player: With Over 350 Rated Games Played​, Winning Money Since 2016
  • 6 years Receiving Private Lessons from National Chess Master Corey Acor
  • 1 year Receiving Private Lessons from National Chess Master Todd Bryant
  • 6 years Assistant Chess Coach
  • 6 years Providing Private Lessons
  • 6 years Working Chess Tournaments
  • 4 years Working as Floor TD's
  • 5 years Lead Technical Club Instructor / Leading Lessons
  • Instructor for "Thursday Knights" Chess Classes 
  • Working Coach for multiple Chess Company in Tampa
  • Assistant Coach for 13 Summer Chess Camps from 3 Different Chess Companies since 2015
  • SEU Student (since 2020) 3.8+ GPA
  • Zoom Chess Class Instructor
  • Volunteer at Grace Family Church, Youth Leader

 Coach James Alton


  • 2021 Florida State Blitz Scholastic Champion ​
  • Started SEU (Southeastern University) Chess Club
  • ​Rated Tournament Player: With Over 250 Rated Games Played, Winning Money Since 2016
  • ​6 years Receiving Private Lessons from National Chess Master Corey Acor
  • Zoom Chess Class Lead Instructor
  • 1 year Receiving Private Lessons from National Chess Master Todd Bryant
  • 4 years Assistant Chess Coach
  • 4 years Providing Private Lessons
  • 5 years Working Chess Tournaments
  • 4 years Working as Floor TD's
  • Instructor for "Thursday Knights" Chess Class
  • 2 years Lead Technical Club Instructor / Leading Lessons
  • Assistant Coach for 10 Chess Camps
  • Zoom Advanced Chess Class Instructor
  • Volunteer at Grace Family Church, Lead Tech (Children ministry)
  • 2021 Marksmanship Award Winner from Sickles ROTC
  • 4 years Sickles JrROTC Sr. Flight Commander
  • Sickles H.S. Honors Graduated with 5 A.P. College board classes: Physics 1 & 2, Calculus 1, Calculus BC, & Computer Science with Java
  • SouthEastern University Honors student
  • ​Tournament Spikeball Player, and Tournament Assistant

Joshua and James winning money at the Southern Open in Orlando September 2017 ....... Joshua and James wining over $500 in Mixed Doubles at the Southern Open July 2019

Coaches Arthur, Krista, Joshua, & James have all had their Covid-19 Vaccination

National Master Corey Acor
​

  • 3 Time USA Chess Champion
  • FIDE World Chess Master
  • Current State Speed Champion
  • Awarded Life Master from USCF
  • Rating Over 2400
  • Highest Rated Player/Coach in Tampa Bay Area
  • 6 Time Florida State Chess Champion
  • High School Nationals Scholastic Champion
  • 15 years Playing in Rated Chess Tournaments
  • 7 years Coaching in School Chess Clubs
  • 5 years as a Tournament Director
  • 4 years Coaching a City-Wide Chess Club
  • 8 years Providing Private Lessons
  • 8 years Berkeley Chess Club/Camp Instructor

     To Contact Coach Corey go to Contact page...

Coach Jeff Hitchlock

  • Teaching and Playing Chess 40+ years
  • Lead Coach - Roland Park Chess Clubs, plus 1st Place Team winners 02/2022
  • Lead Coach - Elisa Nelson Chess Club 2021-22
  • 12 years in Cleveland Ohio Teaching Public & Private Schools as a Lead Chess Coach
  • Taught Chess Summer Camps 2006 - present
  • Head Coach for Hillsborough Community College Summer Program
  • 7 years as Tournament Director
  • 7 years Teaching Private Lessons
  • Chess Instructor for Alton Academy 4 Chess and Another Bay Area National Chess Company
  • Working as a Floor Tournament Director at 2019 K-12 Grade Nationals in Orlando
  • WestLake Christian Advanced Chess Club Instructor (2021)
  • Hillsborough County approved public school contractor with level 2 background screening




Lives in Pinellas county and is available for private Lessons

Coach JT Martin

Tournament Chess Player
* 200+ Community service hours serving our youth
* Roland Park Elementary Chess Club - Assistant Coach
* Elisa Nelson Elementary Mondays - Assistant Chess Coach
* Elisa Nelson Elementary Thursdays - Assistant Chess Coach 
* West Lake Christian School - Assistant Chess Coach
* Assistant Tournament Director 09/2021
Helping your student to succeed through the many benefits of Chess.

Chess Helps Every Student Succeed !!