Freedom's Gambit
Origin Story
Nico and Jack met ten years ago as first graders at PS41 in the West Village. There, they fell in love with chess, carrying their team to multiple city, state, and national championships, and began a friendship that has stayed with them long after they left elementary school. Chess has afforded them countless life-changing experiences from annual outings in Saratoga, Orlando, and Nashville to their travels together to Poços de Caldas, Brazil to compete in the World Cadets Chess Championship. But it is the bond they have formed over their love of the game that has proven most transformative. Chess brings players into a shared world with its own language, both the literal language of pieces moving across the board and the more nuanced exchanges that come from playful banter over speed chess or slow analysis of a position. Aware of how empowering these experiences have been for them both, Nico and Jack founded Freedom’s Gambit with the hope of sharing the world of chess with other kids. Nico and Jack now want to explore chess… but this time from the other side of the board! Instead of just being those young, enthusiastic kids, we want to inspire others with our passion for chess. In the process, Freedom's Gambit also hopes to demonstrate how chess can create friendships that last as long as the one between us.
Meet the Team
Co-founder
Nico Chasin (nico@freedomsgambit.org)
As soon as a four-year-old Nico set his eyes on a chess board in New York City’s Union Square Park, he began to dedicate a significant measure of his life to chess. Nico has won multiple city, state, and national championships as well as a gold medal at the Pan American Youth Championships U12, a bronze medal at the World Cadets Chess Championship U12, and first place at the US Cadet championship (an invitational tournament for the top 8 players U16). He has been a member of the US Chess Federation’s All-America Team, one of the highest honors for junior chess players, every year since 2016. Nico’s mission since an early age has been to share his love for the game that transformed his life. Chess has afforded Nico an opportunity to play tournaments in over ten countries and to develop a community of friends across the US and the world. Though he relishes competitive chess, he believes that the creativity, analytical rigor, and sheer fun inherent in the game can benefit everyone. He has found that chess allows him to problem-solve and take responsibility for his mistakes and missteps. These lessons translate not just into over-the-board play but also into scholastic pursuits and in life more broadly. In his free time, Nico enjoys following sports, coding, and playing with his labradoodle, Vinnie. Nico also is an avid activist for human rights and climate justice.
Co-founder
Jack Levine (jack@freedomsgambit.org)
As Co-Founder of Freedom’s Gambit, Jack Levine sees chess not just as a game—but as a powerful platform for making a difference. A USCF National Master, two-time National Scholastic Champion, and New York State Scholastic Junior High Co-Champion, Jack’s commitment to chess has led him to co-found Freedom’s Gambit, teaching the game to children of incarcerated parents.
Beyond the titles, Jack serves as a staff writer for Chess Connections Magazine and has taught for five summers at PS 41 Chess Camp, (where his chess journey began), and two summers at ICN’s Marshall Academy. He also works with private students, sharing his expertise and passion for the game. As an active member of the Hunter College High School Chess Team, he continues to contribute within his school community.
Outside of chess, Jack is a varsity soccer player and has been studying classical piano for eight years.
Advisory Board
Advisor
Sunil Weeramantry
Sunil Weeramantry, founding director of the National Scholastic Chess Foundation (NSCF), is a distinguished leader in chess education with over 45 years of experience. Named Chess Educator of the Year by the University of Texas at Dallas in 2005, he has pioneered the integration of chess into school curricula. In 2019, Sunil celebrated 40 years of leading the chess program at Hunter College Campus Schools.
Sunil has significantly expanded chess programs for at-risk youth and within the juvenile justice system. Under his leadership, NSCF's community chess initiatives in South Florida, supported by local law enforcement partnerships, have trained police officers to use chess for community engagement and support of at-risk youth. These programs provide critical thinking skills and confidence to children in high-needs areas and juvenile detention centers.
As the first Chairman of the US Chess Federation’s Committee on Chess in Education, Sunil organized influential workshops and symposia, earning multiple awards for his service. He is also a co-author of Best Lessons of a Chess Coach and Great Moves: Learning Chess Through History and has developed a teacher training workshop that has empowered over 700 educators. Sunil’s leadership continues to inspire and transform communities through the game of chess.
Advisor
Dr. Lance Grigg
Dr. Lance Grigg is a professor at the University of Lethbridge (retired) . He continues to teach and research in the areas of critical thinking and philosophy. Dr. Grigg is the founder of the University of Lethbridge’s Chess for Life (C4L) program and research project.
C4L works with Alberta Justice, the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, Edmonton Youth Correctional Centre and a number of schools in the area.