Meet Mr. Cohen

My name is Michael Cohen. I started playing chess competitively at age 10, and chess has shaped who I am ever since. As a scholastic player in Florida in the 1990s, I had the honor of being named Florida Elementary Chess Champion twice. I hold a USCF rating of approximately 1850.

Mr. Cohen — chess educator, Florida Champion, and builder of CohenChessClub.com.

After college, I spent 17 years as a middle school teacher running chess clubs in the classroom. Watching students experience the same satisfaction I felt as a kid — the "a-ha" moment when a tactic clicks, or the quiet pride of a hard-fought win — became my greatest professional reward.

I joined Outschool in 2020 and brought those same clubs online. Since then, more than 2,500 students from across the country have competed in my weekly chess tournaments. I hold a degree in History from the University of Central Florida and a Florida Teaching Certificate in Social Studies.

View my full teacher profile on Outschool →

What Is CohenChessClub.com?

In early 2022, I launched CohenChessClub.com — a custom chess platform built exclusively for my Outschool students. I built it because I wanted a safer, more tailored experience than any off-the-shelf platform could offer.

• No registration required for students. I create every account and deliver login credentials through Outschool's secure messaging system. No email addresses or personal information are ever collected from students.
• Custom tournament software. The site runs arena-style tournaments where students play as many games as they want during the session. After each game they can get right back in or pause and ask for feedback — ensuring every student gets competitive, meaningful play.
• Puzzle generation from real games. After each tournament, my chess analysis engine identifies the best tactical moments from that session's games and adds them to the site's puzzle database. Students can practice tactics from their own games — or from their classmates'.
• Honorary Grandmaster title. Every week's tournament winner earns the "GM" title next to their name for the following week. It's a small touch that students love.
• Capybara mascots, shops, and more. The site includes a trophy system, a customizable capybara mascot, a monster shop, and other features built around student feedback. Chess first — but never just chess.

Welcome to Peartopia — the fun world inside CohenChessClub.com where students earn coins, visit the Monster Shop, and customize their capybara companions.

Why I Run This Club

Chess gave me patience, sportsmanship, and confidence as a kid. It taught me that losing isn't failure — it's data. Every lost game is a lesson, and every lesson makes you stronger.

My fondest childhood memories revolve around chess tournaments. I started this club because I want today's students to have those same experiences: the nervous excitement before a game, the deep focus during it, and the satisfaction — win or lose — of knowing you played your best.

If you're a parent considering whether this is the right activity for your child, read about what students can expect. If you're ready to sign up, enroll on Outschool.

Credentials at a Glance