The people behind CheckMates
Dedicated students building a stronger future through chess education.
Co-Founder
Pratham co-founded CheckMates. He learned chess as a child from his grandfather in India, at a time when he struggled to speak either English or Marathi, and the board became the way the two of them understood each other. He credits those games with the way he learned to think. He built CheckMates to give other students the same head start he got.
Co-Founder · President
Ayaan and Pratham grew up as neighbors. They became friends in a swimming pool, and that friendship turned into playdates spent over a chessboard. Years later it turned into this. The name was never only a chess pun: they were mates first. Outside of CheckMates, Ayaan swims competitively, plays chess, and works on independent research.
Vice President
Raj is a high school junior who leads curriculum design for CheckMates, creating lesson structures that help chapters deliver a more consistent and engaging learning experience. His work helps shape the instructional foundation used across the organization while still allowing chapters flexibility in how they teach. Raj is also developing a chess-based app designed to strengthen logic and spatial reasoning in younger students, with the goal of supporting chapter instruction in the future. He discovered chess during the pandemic and quickly grew from a player into a teacher passionate about helping others develop confidence and critical thinking through the game. Outside of chess, Raj enjoys playing basketball with friends in his neighborhood.
Vice President
Yuvraj Chennareddy is a five-time state chess champion, three-time national chess champion, and a World Cadet Chess Champion. Consistently ranked among the top in his age group, he has remained a standout talent even after more than five years away from competitive play. At CheckMates, he works to inspire and develop the next generation of chess players. He leads outreach efforts, serves as treasurer, and manages funds allocated to chapters. Beyond chess, Yuvraj is also an accomplished math competitor with multiple USAJMO qualifications, and he is involved in DECA while also playing tennis for his school.
Founding Member
Pranav is a high school junior who handles tournament organization and chapter logistics. An avid chess player since 5th grade, he loves analyzing games and helping beginners improve. When not playing chess, Pranav enjoys computer science projects and participating in math competitions.
Founding Member
Divyesh is a high school junior who developed and maintains the CheckMates website. He learned to code in middle school and combined that with his love for chess to build our online platform. When not working on the website, Divyesh enjoys playing in local chess tournaments and helping new players learn the game.