James Canty author page

James Canty biography

James Canty (also credited as James Canty III) is an American chess player, coach and commentator who writes for young readers. A FIDE Master and long-standing contributor to Chess.com broadcasts and tutorials, he is known for explaining strategy and tactics in clear, practical steps for beginners and improvers.

His children’s non-fiction guide Become a Chess Champion: Learn the Basics from a Pro introduces the rules, notation and core ideas of opening play, tactics and endgames for primary and lower secondary pupils. Published in the UK by Neon Squid in 2024, the book is illustrated by Brian Lambert and is structured as a progressive course with mini-games and puzzles to build confidence.

Alongside authorship, Canty presents live-streamed analysis and coaching sessions, commentates on online and over-the-board events, and runs training programmes for scholastic players. His educational work emphasises pattern recognition, calculation habits and good study routines.

Selected work: Become a Chess Champion: Learn the Basics from a Pro (Neon Squid, 2024), illus. Brian Lambert.