Elliott Neff

Founder & CEO, Chess4Life · USCF National Master · Author

Elliott Neff is a USCF National Master in Chess and the Founder/CEO of Chess4Life, a social benefit enterprise dedicated to helping kids develop life skills through the game of chess. He earned his master title through dedicated self-study during his teenage years and has since coached over 10,000 students, from beginners to national champions.

10,000+

Students Coached

Level V

USCF Coaching Cert.

2×

Inc. 5000 Honoree

2005

Chess4Life Founded

Biography

Elliott Neff is a USCF (United States Chess Federation) National Master and the Founder/CEO of Chess4Life, an organization aimed at helping students develop life skills through chess. He earned his master title through dedicated self-study during his teenage years—eventually becoming the Washington State High School Chess Champion and ranking among the top players in the country for his age.

The life skills Elliott developed through chess—focus, planning, sportsmanship, and thoughtful decision-making—inspired his life mission: using chess to help kids develop skills that prepare them for success in life. With this vision, he founded Chess4Life in 2005 as a social benefit enterprise. Today, Chess4Life positively impacts thousands of children across North America and beyond.

Elliott holds the Professional Chess Coaching Certification Level V, the highest awarded certification by the USCF—an honor given to fewer than a handful of individuals in the country. He has personally trained over 10,000 students, from absolute beginners through national champions.

He is the author of A Pawn's Journey: Transforming Lives One Move at a Time (October 2018), a novel inspired by true stories of students whose lives were shaped by chess. Partial proceeds from the book support a non-profit in Uganda that provides chess lessons and meals to children living in the slums—the same community depicted in Disney's Queen of Katwe. Elliott traveled to Uganda in 2016 to help coach Phiona Mutesi and the Ugandan Olympiad team.

While Chess4Life's focus initially centered on improving grade-school outcomes, Elliott's commitment extends to low-income preschoolers. Chess4Life partnered with WSA Head Start & ECEAP and received a grant from The Boeing Company to harness chess as a tool to improve early math, cognitive thinking, and social-emotional skills in young learners.

Chess4Life has been recognized on the Puget Sound Business Journal's 100 Fastest Growing Companies list and twice on the Inc. 5000 list for fastest-growing privately held companies. Elliott himself was recognized on the Puget Sound Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 business leaders.

Elliott's ultimate goal is to reach 1 million children weekly, empowering kids to enrich the world through the life skills chess teaches. He is a husband, father of six, entrepreneur, and author.

Credentials & Expertise

✓USCF National Master — achieved through dedicated self-study as a teenager; Washington State High School Chess Champion
✓USCF Professional Chess Coaching Certification Level V — the highest possible U.S.-based chess coaching certification, awarded to fewer than a handful of individuals
✓Author of A Pawn's Journey: Transforming Lives One Move at a Time (October 2018)
✓Coached 10,000+ students from beginners through national champions across 20+ years
✓Held a draw against World Champion Viswanathan Anand in a simultaneous exhibition (2012)
✓Defeated former U.S. Champion Boris Kreiman during the US Open Championships

Recognition & Achievements

★Chess4Life named to the Puget Sound Business Journal 100 Fastest Growing Companies
★Chess4Life named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies — twice
★Named to the Puget Sound Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 business leaders
★Work endorsed by Grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian, Mary Miller (co-creator of The Dream Manager program), and Robert Katende (Founder/Director of SOM Chess Academy, Uganda; coach to Phiona Mutesi of Queen of Katwe)
★Raised funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs King County by playing 100+ opponents simultaneously, drawing 4 and losing none

Speaking & Presentations

Elliott brings the life strategies of chess to keynotes, workshops, and special appearances for audiences ranging from preschool educators to Fortune 500 companies. His presentations frequently include playing multiple opponents at once—sometimes while blindfolded—making for a memorable and engaging experience.

Presentation formats

Keynote addresses
Workshops & interactive sessions
Special appearances
Simultaneous chess exhibitions (up to 100+ opponents)
Blindfolded chess demonstrations

Organizations Elliott has presented to

› Florida Department of Education

› Amazon

› Microsoft

› Nintendo

› Boeing

› Facebook (Meta)

› WSA Head Start & ECEAP

› Broward County Public Schools

› Boys & Girls Club King County

› Rotary

› Heritage Christian Conference (4,000+ attendees)

› Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO)

› SoDakSACA

Author — A Pawn's Journey

A Pawn's Journey: Transforming Lives One Move at a Time (October 2018) is Elliott's debut novel, inspired by true stories of students whose life journeys were shaped by the game of chess. The book weaves together the life strategies chess teaches—focus, resilience, planning, and sportsmanship—with real student experiences from Chess4Life programs.

Partial proceeds from the book support a non-profit in Uganda that provides chess lessons and meals to children in the slums, as depicted in Disney's live-action film Queen of Katwe.

Learn more at elliottneff.com

Contact & Booking

To inquire about speaking engagements, appearances, or Chess4Life programs, reach out directly:

Email: [email protected]
Office: 425-283-0549
Direct: 360-507-4167
Website: www.elliottneff.com