WFM Catherine Kaslan

Hi, my name is Catherine Kaslan. I'm from Paramaribo, Suriname, and I'm 23 years old.
I'm a third-year medical student with a passion for learning and personal growth. In my free time, I love reading, playing chess, and teaching young players to improve their game. I have 14 years of tournament experience and enjoy coaching others!
Aside from chess, I'm also interested in personal development and expanding my skills in different areas.

My target audience is anyone who is willing to improve at chess, with a FIDE rating of 0 to 1400.
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Hoi, mijn naam is Catherine Kaslan. Ik kom uit Paramaribo, Suriname, en ik ben 23 jaar oud. Ik ben een derdejaars geneeskundestudent met een passie voor leren en persoonlijke groei. In mijn vrije tijd houd ik van lezen, schaken en het trainen van jonge spelers om hun spel te verbeteren. Ik heb 14 jaar toernooi-ervaring en geniet ervan om anderen te coachen in strategisch denken. Naast schaken ben ik ook geïnteresseerd in persoonlijke ontwikkeling en het uitbreiden van mijn vaardigheden op verschillende gebieden.

Mijn doelgroep is iedereen die bereid is om beter te worden in schaken, met een FIDE-rating van 0 tot 1400.

I started my chess career at the age of 9 at the Schaakcombinatie Welgelegen chess club in Paramaribo. It’s crazy to think that I’m now a trainer at the same club! Over the years, I've gained valuable knowledge from many International Masters (IMs) and Grandmasters (GMs).

I've played in many local tournaments, as well as events in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and South America. When I was 14, I had the incredible opportunity to compete in the World Youth Championship in Uruguay.

I earned my Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title in Colombia in 2014, and in 2017, I achieved the Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title.

I have also represented Suriname in the Chess Olympiad five times, competing against strong international players and gaining valuable experience.

Most importantly, I’ve won the Women’s Championship of Suriname five times in a row!

I've been training young kids for almost five years at the Schaakcombinatie Welgelegen Chess Club in Paramaribo.

Many of my students have earned numerous prizes in national tournaments, and chess has played a key role in helping them develop discipline, critical thinking, and focus. I find teaching others about chess very rewarding. This is one of the reasons I chose to study medicine and pursue a career as a doctor...to continue helping others grow and improve, both mentally and physically! :)

In my free time, I organize and deliver preventive health workshops for the youth in Suriname.

I'll tailor each lesson to fit your individual needs and provide guidance whenever you encounter challenges. My aim is to keep our sessions enjoyable by maintaining a relaxed and approachable atmosphere.

Each of my lessons is thoroughly planned ahead of time, and I also provide additional materials for independent practice. In our early sessions, I'll analyse your games to identify both your strengths and areas for improvement. We’ll work together on those aspects, whether they arise in the opening, middlegame, or endgame.

Our trainings will be via Google Meet/Discord/Zoom and lichess.org.