NM Max Farberov

27 year old National Master and Chess Coach from New Jersey, USA

Current ratings:
-2250 USCF
-2125 FIDE

Some of my best tournament results include:
-2021 Eastern Chess Congress U2100 section (1st)
-2023 Westfield Chess Club Champion 🏆
-2023 North American Open U2300 section (T-1st)
-2025 Washington International U2300 section (1st)

I've also played abroad, winning the 2nd best U2100 FIDE prize at the 2025 Open Internacional Vila de Sitges in Barcelona 🇪🇸 (2284 FIDE performance)

Have been teaching group and private classes for over 10 years. Students have included both scholastic kids and adult improvers.

Currently head the chess program at Do Re Mi School of Music and the Arts in Livingston, NJ and also teach at various schools/programs throughout the Northern NJ area.

Recently published an opening course on Chessable titled "1...d6 Danger" feauring the Black repertoire that helped me get to where I am today. The course is intended for 1400+ players interested in learning how to use 1...d6 to combat 1.d4 and 1.e4 alike.
www.chessable.com/1d6-danger/course/234662/

In the past have also featured as a guest commentator for the Youtube and Twitch channel "ChessDojo."

My style as a player is predominantly dynamic and tactical, although it has become more universal in recent years. As a kid who was good at tactics and not much else, I was able to learn much about positional and strategic chess mainly through the study of my own games. Although I welcome players of all openings, my main areas of expertise include:
-1. e4 for White- solid but ambitious variations, a mix of main lines and aggressive sidelines.
-Open Sicilian for both colors
-d6 systems against all White openings including Philidor, Pirc, and Modern against 1. e4 and King's Indian, Old Indian, Benoni, Dutch and English Rat Defense against 1. d4

My teaching methods revolve around thorough game review. I expect my students to play consistently, preferably some longer time control games either online or over the board. Especially in the early phase, it will be important for me to get a feel of the students' strengths and weaknesses, and what areas of improvement need focus. From there we'll continue to analyze games but will also work on the areas that need the most attention, whether it's middlegame strategy, understanding of pawn structures, how to correctly attack/defend, endgame technique, etc.

If you're interested in homework puzzles or recommendations for other improvement materials I will be happy to provide that.