grand master & professional chess coach
“Chess has always been the driving force in my life. It has guided my career, shaped my experiences, and opened doors to people, places, and opportunities I could never have imagined. Beyond the trophies and titles, it has taught me discipline, creativity, and resilience, and continues to inspire my work as a player, coach, and author every day.”
Castellanos Renier
About Me
My name is Renier Castellanos, and I was born in Matanzas, Cuba. I began playing chess at the age of seven, when my grandfather introduced me to the game. Soon after, I joined my local chess club, where I quickly fell in love with chess and started taking it more seriously by attending tournaments and classes.
I quickly achieved the necessary norms and earned the International Master title in 2004. During those years, I continued competing, winning several prestigious open tournaments in Spain, while making two Grandmaster norms and surpassing a peak rating of 2529 in 2012. However, for various reasons and the unpredictable turns of life, I only managed to finally complete the requirements and achieve the Grandmaster title in 2024, at the age of 42.
my achivements
I improved quickly, winning several local tournaments, but my proudest achievement during those years was earning the silver medal at the Cuban National U-16 Championship, finishing just behind Lázaro Bruzón, who at the time was one of Cuba’s brightest stars and later became one of the world’s top 30 players.
I began competing in local tournaments in Chile, winning the Chilean U-20 Championship twice, and at the age of 18, I achieved my first official rating of 2270. Since representing Cuba from abroad was not possible, I was welcomed by the Chilean Chess Federation and switched federations. With steady study and practice, I rose to the level of International Master. I also had the honor of representing Chile at the Chess Olympiads, playing on third board in Calvià 2004 and first board in Torino 2006, marking key milestones in my career as an Olympiad player.
my courses
You can find my books HERE >>
Playing the Nimzo-Indian:
A Dynamic Repertoire
Beating the Queen’s Gambit
Indian Style!
Mastering Chess Exchanges
Strumming
patterns
private Lessons
You cand book a private/group lesson with me or you can join my group
join my group
Train with me!
Chess is a journey, and training makes it more enjoyable and rewarding. A player who works to improve will enjoy tournaments, seeing each game as a chance to put into practice what they have learned. Those who do not dedicate time to training often struggle in competition: victories may only bring a momentary satisfaction, and losses can be frustrating. True enjoyment comes from playing at your best and knowing the work behind your results
Next Plans
Looking forward to see you there:
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