Chess4Life LLC was founded by National Master Elliott Neff. Through his 18 years of coaching chess, Elliott recognized the great lessons for life that the study of chess provides - lessons that must be learned if one is to become successful in life, such as the value of perseverance through adversity and the priceless experience of achievement after putting in consistent effort. By encouraging students in a positive manner, chess teaches sportsmanship, good decision making, patience, planning, and learning from mistakes. Chess has also been shown to improve critical thinking skills, math competency, English skills, concentration, and spacial reasoning. Elliott's love for children and for chess can be summed up by his mission - Teaching Life Skills Through Chess.