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FM Valeri Lilov

Valeri Lilov Coach Profile Image

Experienced Chess Coach and Lecturer
FIDE Rating: 2411
Varna, BG
www.TigerLilov.com
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Target Students:
All Skill Levels

Service Description Price  
One-Hour Private Online Lesson (with Video Recording) First lesson comes with a free highly personalized chess training program based on student's chess background, weaknesses and strengths, style of play, chess psychology, and learning preferences. $56.50 Buy Now!
One-Hour Private Online Lesson (without Recording) Free personalized chess training program included with first lesson. No lesson recording. $51.50 Buy Now!
In-Depth Game Annotation This is a twenty-minute instructive video lecture on your game of choice. It will provide you with a supperior game analysis examining your game move by move and as a whole. $21.00 Buy Now!
Personalized Training Package It includes a special recorded lecture, thematic homework assignment, additional training materials, and 24/7 online support. $41.00 Buy Now!
One-Hour Personalized Recorded Lecture If your schedule is not flexible and you can’t arrange private online lessons easily, these personalized recorded lectures are for you! $51.50 Buy Now!
Personalized Self-Study Training Program The program provides personalized advice and recommendations for improving students’ self-study habits and optimizing their chess training at home. $71.50 Buy Now!
One-Hour Training Game with Instant Analysis This is an online training game, accompanied by live analysis. It's a great way to improve your chess while having fun! $47.50 Buy Now!
One-Hour Training Game (without Analysis) This is a competitive online training game with plenty of time to think on every move. Test your knowledge and skills against a 2400+ rated player! $35.50 Buy Now!

About Me:

I am an 20-year-old FIDE Master and my FIDE rating is 2412. I have two IM norms and work both for you and for myself! In addition to giving high quality private lessons, I work as professional lecturer for five famous sites, including Chess.com, ICC, ChessBase, ChessLecture.com, and ChessCube.com. I have extensive knowledge of openings, typical middlegame positions, endgame planning, competitive chess psychology, and others. Furthermore, I use a new flexible method of teaching that allows each of my students to receive the most important skills they need for the moment to excel in tournaments and casual games, while correctly improving their chess. I believe chess is a good way for anyone to strengthen their character, learn how to make important decisions for a limited time, or just have some fun. I welcome you to my Tiger Lilov’s Chess School! Check the link above for more information. Thanks!

Comments:

by blueparrot12345 - 5 days ago
md United States
Member Since: Sep 2011
Member Points: 66

FM Valeri Lilov is a very good coach, in my opinion. His private lessons offer very fast improvement. We have had only 7 lessons so far, and yet my chess ability has soared over the past ~2 months.

Each lesson is formatted--- 1.He starts every lesson with how is ur training going, and makes some useful suggestions  2.Go over the thematic HW assignments. These excercises introduce thinking processes in different positions. Very helpful.   3.Main part of the lesson. We go with either what he has prepared or some of the games u have played. The suggestions come as Fm lilov finds out your weaknesses in your play and thought process. He really wants ur participation, and will ask u to calculate or apply his principles directly. 4.At the end of the lesson, I get a clear way to improve and practice on the skills learned. There are many pros, including that he really cares about your progress, and always puts the lesson material one step ahead of ur level. This may make the lesson very difficult at first, and grasping it may be frusturating, but his explainations are very precise, so that the advanced material is grasped eventually. Few cons, except that Valeri has slightly overestimated my level. He claims i play like 2100, even though my rating is over 1900USCF, but under 2000. He offers a training simul as well, usually every other sunday to students, so they can test their skills and applications. My recent performance in a "B" field tournament showed my improved skills, as I scored a whopping 90%, performance over 2000. As a last note, I find it amazing how Mr.Lilov sees the chess pieces during our lessons, subtle things that I would have never seen before. Lilov is highly recommended as a coach.

by Corius - 3 months ago
Salisbury United Kingdom
Member Since: Aug 2011
Member Points: 1

Having just had my first lesson with Valeri Lilov, I can thoroughly recommend his services!

I am very much a beginner, yet Valeri was able to pitch the lesson at exactly the right level and explain areas on which I needed to focus clearly and succinctly.

I was particularly impressed with his preparation before the game where I was sent some exercises to work on, which Valeri then reviewed prior to the lesson. This got the lesson off to a flying start with no time being wasted.

Topics for future study were developed through the lesson, and I ended with a well planned route forward in my studies. This included a set of openings to study which was an area in which I had previously felt overwhelmed.

In summary, a most enjoyable lesson, and I am already looking forward to my next.

by HristoProtos - 4 months ago
Germany
Member Since: Dec 2010
Member Points: 63

I could only repeat again (and again) what mephistoWaltzz and the other students said below. Valeri is very competent, very devoted and a very good teacher. He has quite a professional approach and I could only highly recommend him to anybody that wants to improve her/his chess!

by Javikel - 4 months ago
Valdemoro (Madrid) Spain
Member Since: Apr 2010
Member Points: 12

Good afternoon:

I'm Spanish and I'm very interesting in a self-study plan and a schedule, I see there is a lot of information but I don't know how to start, how many time dedicate to tactics, etc. For example I need a coach how tells me study this week 3 hours this chess opening (chapters ... of the book ...), study this tactics for 4 hours (use ... material), play ... games this week (blitz, classic, ...), analyze this game or position and tell me what you see, etc ...

As you can see is a self-study plan for a beguinner, if you look in chess.com, you can see that my level is too low.

Sorry for my english.

Wich of your SERVICES do you recomend me? Thanks in advance,

by N1GE - 4 months ago
WARWICKSHIRE Great Britain
Member Since: Feb 2011
Member Points: 4

Hi.This is a reccommendation for FM Valeri Lilov as a coach.His lessons are very much straight forward and instructive and at the same time inspiring wanting the student to learn more.They are also interesting,and the video and annotations are a bonus.Thanks .

by DSPMachine - 7 months ago
Florida United States
Member Since: Jul 2009
Member Points: 952

I just finished my 6th lesson with Valeri, and I've been very pleased. He puts a great deal of energy into his teaching. That's critical, especially because work and family come first for me, meaning I have to wake up early or stay up late for lessons. So his enthusiasm helps alot.

Valeri recommends great resources to address weaknesses in my play, and the video lessons, which directly address my needs, are recorded so that I can review them later. His English is excellent, which is also very important. And he takes a sincere interest in his students -- he's always encouraging me to play and send him my games. (And since he's on Chess.com, he can access all my games here -- also very convenient.)

by hkar - 7 months ago
depok city Indonesia
Member Since: Jun 2011
Member Points: 7
[COMMENT DELETED]
by Lily7 - 8 months ago
India
Member Since: Feb 2011
Member Points: 16

Finally i located a coach, from whom i guess i will learn alot to improve my games. but i dont know how to approach him. I really want to learn from u Lilov. please teach me.

by JustWait - 8 months ago
Los Angeles United States
Member Since: Feb 2011
Member Points: 56

For anyone who's considering a Chess coach to improve their game, whether it be to impress your Chess playing friends, top at your local tournaments, or even earn a master title, look no further than Valeri Lilov!

Not only will he genuinely care about your games, give you complete, comprehensive, easy-to-understand analysis along with priceless tips, advice, methods of training, etc. which you can practically use for the rest of your Chess career, but he'll also be there for you as a good friend with a good attitude which always leads to a much more comfortable study atmosphere with none of that awkward tension which you might find with any other ordinary Chess coach.

Valeri is completely dedicated to your improvement! If you want him to go over some of your games or if you just have any questions which you'd like to ask outside of the lessons, so long as you're a student, he'll gladly attend to your inquiries in a timely manner.

After reading the rest of the comments below, I don't have anything else to add. All I can say is that they're all absolutely correct! I have had 6 hours of lessons with Valeri so far and have already greatly improved about 100-200 points; so believe me when I say, the price is definitely right and Valeri is definitely worth the investment.

 

-Mark Self (Student of Valeri Lilov)

by jhbchess - 8 months ago
Houston United States
Member Since: Jul 2010
Member Points: 540

Hi everyone,

Valeri's game analysis is a very motivating and worthwhile investment! I have felt stuck or in a rut for several months of online play here and on ICC and playchess as well as over the board, so I selected six of my OTB games for Valeri to analyze. 

As a former college professor and someone who has gone through law school, I felt Valeri's teaching skills have advanced far, far beyond his age. He effectively tailored his analysis to my level, I learned new concepts and ideas in each of the six, 20 minute video analysis he provided me, and I felt really, really good afterward. He diagrams issues on the screen as he speaks, the pace was quick but not too fast, and the videos are mine to re-watch later.

I have bought many books, that I haven't read; I own software and DVDs and databases that I do not use to their potential; but the analysis of my own games by a master have been--in my opinion and experience--a very worthwhile experience that has been quite rewarding.

Good job, Valeri. I hope others benefit from you and the very favorable reviews you have received.

 

Best regards,

jhbchess

by sockmonkey - 10 months ago
Berlin International
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 7

I've had two lessons with FM Lilov and I am really very pleased. He has a very dynamic style, and is clearly devoted both to the game and to providing a personal and intensive coaching experience. He asks hard questions and points out failures (and successes) in my thought process in a fashion that ensures that I will remember them the next time I'm at the board. The video recording that I receive from the lesson is invaluable, as well, since I don't have to scramble to take notes the whole time -- I can review as necessary and go over anything I missed.

FM Lilov is also online much of the day. He requested that I send him games as I play them via Skype or ping him with questions, just so that he can see what I'm up to, think about topics to cover in the next lesson, and just generally keep tabs on me. This is an incredibly generous offer, and I really appreciate it.

So, I can only echo mephistoWaltzz here: I feel very fortunate to have found FM Lilov and to have the opportunity to benefit from his enthusiasm, patience, experience and knowledge. I will be continuing for the foreseeable future. It's only been about 4 days since lesson #1, so I'll have to wait and see how the coaching affects my playing (I'll post an update in a couple of months), but I am very excited and optimistic about our continued work together. Two thumbs up, 10/10, 5 stars and whatever else with which you would award excellence.

by Plutopup - 10 months ago
Sydney Australia
Member Since: Dec 2009
Member Points: 45
[COMMENT DELETED]
by albertgn - 10 months ago
Canada
Member Since: Aug 2010
Member Points: 1

 

 

I want to express my gratitude to FM Lilov for training me and showing me the way to improve my skills in this beautiful game called chess.

Indeed, I was looking for some help, because I love this game and couldn't practice for many year for different reasons. Now that I managed to find some time I found FM Lilov on this site. I checked on his website and read about his approach. I was intrigued and I contacted him. Everything went very well, he asked me to send him some games that I've played before. After he analysed them, he proposed a plan and we started immediately. 

At the beginning I was expecting some kind of classic learning agenda with items to cover during our one hour sessions. However, instead of that I got a very personalized training that was totally adapted to my skills and my needs. FM Lilov managed to deliver an extraordinary training that boosted my performance in a very visible way. My ranking jumped with few points after every session and I could move from 1044 to 1229 after 10 sessions. I was also able to see up to 7 or 8 moves ahead without physically moving the peices, something that I never could do before.

Also the exercises that he gives are fantastic. They are NOT like those we find in some newspapers, instead they are designed in a such a way that makes you think and explore different approaches. They are designed to teach you how to think strategically. I will never forget when I submitted a solution to an exercise that I have found very easy, to realized after that, that I was wrong and there was an other much clever solution. FM Lilov told me at that time : "the obvious solution is not always the best solution". This is so true in life too.

FM Lilov is very well organized and is able to build and manage his schedule in a very efficient way, so one can get the maximum of the session.

I also appreciated the honesty and the quality of the service. There was once a glitch in the recording system, and he could not deliver me the recorded lesson that we had. Instead he sent me a one hour lecture which gave me even more information. I do appreciate working with FM Lilov and do like his joyful personality.

I am looking forward to schedule my next training sessions with him, and I also would like to take this opportunity to say that I will recommend his services without any hesitation.

I wish him a lot of luck and success in his personal and professional life.

Thank you FM Lilov.

by WorldChessPlayer - 10 months ago
United States
Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 6

To all chess players who want to improve your game, I highly reccomend Valeri Lilov's lessons!

I have found:

1. His explanations are clear and concise.

2. Valeri understands how to improve a player in all phases: Opening, Middlegames, Ending.

3.He focuses on pratical situations that are critical: which means you will be able to use it in your game and make immediate progress!

4.His Training and Lessons are customized, as to speed-up your chess improvement!

5. He produces results: Just look at any of his reviews, you will see rating gains- steady and dramatic! He also enables the student to gain a  clear understanding of the game within a short amount of time!

All in all, he is the best chess coach for improving players!

by gnuandspeedo - 10 months ago
Lewisville, North Carolina United States
Member Since: Mar 2011
Member Points: 62

In the last six weeks I have had five online private lessons with Valeri. Valeri showed me several critical mistakes I was making and since then my game has definitely improved on the internet chess sites. I now know how to calculate moves much better and we are starting to study openings in more detail. Valeri has a great way of demonstrating how to focus and what questions to consider when planning an attack and defending against threats. Both his written and oral communication skills are excellent and he is very enthusiastic about improving my chess. I highly recommend Valeri as your next chess coach.

Ed

by WadsworthMS - 10 months ago
Liverpool United Kingdom
Member Since: Mar 2011
Member Points: 1

I have had chess lessons from Valeri for the last 9 months. My chess has developed  significantly in that time. My rating on playchess.com has gone from 1550 to 1700 approx. I have been previously tutored by a top Welsh FM, an Irish Champion and GM norm correspondence player, a British Champion and a top English GM. None of these were able to communicate their ideas as effectively as Valeri. If you are considering tuition then give it a go you will not regret it. You will enjoy your chess much more and gain confidence in your ability. When you play a game with much higher quality the reward of all the extra study is worthwile. Having a tutor to help you is so much better than just picking up a book. Valeri shows a genuine interest in your development and this is the most important part of teaching. I intend to continue my develpoment. I highly recommend you work with Valeri - the best chess teacher I have been able to find.

by Ducados57 - 11 months ago
D Spain
Member Since: Oct 2010
Member Points: 1

Hello everyone. On Monday, I received my first lesson with Valeri. My God! Within an hour, I learned more than a year! The video session dealt with my problems in  openings and planning. I was stunned to see that no books or videos explaining the ideas that really brings Valeri. He analyzed one of my games and helped me see my weaknesses in the opening and the middle game. I will not reveal here  the ideas because now they are mine!  To learn more and really improve your chess, I highly recommend working with Valeri. Simply because he is the best.

by chetjn - 11 months ago
Corvallis, Oregon United States
Member Since: Mar 2009
Member Points: 1

Recently I decided to find a chess coach for my 10 year old son who is rated about 1100-1200.  Based on all the recomendations I read, I decided that Valeri would be a good choice to coach my son.  So far the lessons have been great.  My son really enjoys Valeri's teaching style and Valeri's passion for the game has inspired my son to work hard to improve.

The lessons themselves are fun and instructive.  For my son, lessons consist of interactive game and training position analyses.  After the lesson, Valeri provides homework problems designed to reinforce the lesson concepts.  Before starting lessons, my son focused strictly on tactics.  With Valeri's guidance he is starting to learn the concept of planning in chess. 

I highly recommend Valeri to any aspiring chess player.  You couldn't hope to find a better coach.

Thanks Valeri!

by Rob_H - 11 months ago
Pennsylvania United States
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 103

Well, I have trained with Valeri.. I could repeat all I've seen but sometimes pictures are worth more than words..

I'm not the best player nor do I intend to be.. But I'm closing in on my personal best, which is what it is all about.

In these pics you will see the following... I hope you will be able to guess when I started training and the results.. I think the graphs say it more than I could

The fisrst image is of my tactics, which became much more consistent.

The second is my online games, which well.. Its where I try to practice what was taught.

 

by dilki - 11 months ago
Sri Lanka
Member Since: Feb 2011
Member Points: 1

Valeri is a gifted young personality for the field of chess.With the vast knowledge of this noble game and his experience as a chess player ,he gives the very best to his students.Although he is still 19 years old he has now become a very popular chess coach having all the characteristics of a good coach.

It's amazing how he points out our mistakes and gives us the best solutions in overcoming those.I have improved a lot due to the perfect guidance of Valeri and his words of inspiration.He is a very committed coach who is always ready to give his helping hand whenever he can.When you have any doubt and if Valeri is online he definitely helps you.

He is a coach who never let you down but instead inspires you to go for your goals.He is a very kind-hearted person with a very good understanding of his students.His training is much more benificial than the payment and simply Valeri is not a money minded person.He always wishes for the very best of his students .

For anyone who is looking for a coach who can guide you towards the dizzy heights in the field of chess I can highly recommend Valeri for you to select as your trainer.Have 1 lesson with Valeri and you'll understand what an extra-ordinary coach he is.

I wish my coach the very best of luck in his chess career as a chess player and a chess trainer who is willing to give the best for others.Thank you very much for you invaluable advice and I am certain that you will guide me for my next goals as well.

by DennyR - 11 months ago
Kreuzlingen Switzerland
Member Since: Feb 2011
Member Points: 1

First of all, Valeri is a great and personalized chess coach. Smile 

His teaching style is friendly and enthusiastic. I am a 1800 Elo rated player and have been taking lessons from valeri for last 5 months. I have taken nearly 15 privat recorded lesson from valeri and during this time I improved my understanding of chess extremly. He shows me deeply middlegame strategies, methods for developing plans and ideas, restriction of my opponents pieces, finding the right move canidates etc... He develops a personalized trainings plan for me.

In addition, he has analyzed all my previous games and gives me important advices how I can prevent mistakes in my next games. He has also analyzed my chess style and we discussed my opening repertoire. All his advices were very helpful for me. After every privat lesson he sends me challenging homework and if I have any questions I can ask him all the time. I will continue the work with Valeri and feel confident to break through the magic 2000 Elo in the near future.

I would highly recommand Valeri to any serious chess player.

Thank you Valeri. See and hear you next week.Smile

by tomilumu - 11 months ago
Frankfurt Germany
Member Since: Feb 2011
Member Points: 6

Valeri is one of the most talented and original chess coaches I have ever seen.

In conjunction with his humanly brought out style and his competence, his lessons are designed to bring out not only chess strength on a technical basis, but also a great success in psychological supervision.

A really great benefit for the chess world.

by Enucatl - 12 months ago
Padova Italy
Member Since: Mar 2010
Member Points: 4

I recommend Valeri as a chess coach, he is definitely helpful, interesting and fun. He really has the ability to tell what a beginner needs in order to get better at the game.


I look forward to having more lessons.

by erikido23 - 12 months ago
United States
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1659

I take lessons from valeri about once every couple months.  I have found that he is very good at finding something which will suit YOUR needs.  He finds opening variations which he can explain the ideas clearly(how many books you know that actually do that) and in a pretty concise way. He also is very willing to answer questions free of charge outside of the lessons.  He give homework lessons related to the material he presents.  Highly recommended coach

by FlyingFalcon - 12 months ago
United States
Member Since: Jan 2011
Member Points: 1

I have been taking lessons from Tiger for last 6 months. He always puts my preferences first like looking over a game or wanting to learn a new opening. Recently I learnt a new opening from him. I was confused looking at it in books but then loved it when he showed it to me. I have been playing it since! His lessons are very clear and have a point in every one! His homework is equally instructive. He speaks very fluent English. He is one of the best coaches you will ever meet! I always look forward to his lessons.   

by prstephens1 - 12 months ago
Ontario Canada
Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 2

I started training with Valeri Lilov a few monthes ago and he has already helped me a lot in terms of recognizing what parts of my game needed the most work and helping me improve in these areas.  He is very friendly and good at giving practical advice and suggestions that are immediately useful.  His lessons are affordable and the quality is high, so you are getting great value on every dollar when you choose Valeri.  Highly recommended.

by legvan - 12 months ago
Slovenia
Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 2

I recommend Valeri as a very personalized and well organized chess coach. He analyzes your games deeply and he finds you weaknesses - which through personalized lessons tries to improve . He is always ready to answer your questions even if you are not in lessons. Highly recommended!

by sai6 - 12 months ago
United States
Member Since: Dec 2009
Member Points: 1

I have been training with Valeri for over a year now and I feel that my game has improved so much over this past year. He makes the key aspects of chess come to life through classical master games and instructive examples. Also he is always very well prepared and knows exactly what to cover in the lessons. Valeri is a very personalized coach and analyzes your games precisely and find the loopholes in them. And its not just the lesson, afterwards he is always ready to help even if it is not the lesson time. I would highly recommand Valeri to any ambitous and serious player.

by SchlaueFuchs - 12 months ago
Germany
Member Since: Sep 2010
Member Points: 65

When I started training with Valeri (10 months ago I guess), my rating was about 1950. So I was not a beginner, but I still made a lot of mistakes.
After the first lessons I really improved a lot and in just a few tournaments I reached the magic 2000. But this was just the beginning ...
Three weeks ago I played my last tournament - my performence is quite expressive: over 2400! Of course I also trained myself, but I'm sure that the lessons with Valeri were an very important factor in my chess development.

I think that's a good example how effectiv Valeris personalized training is and I really recommended it for every ambitious chess player.

by Shanealov - 12 months ago
Sheffield United Kingdom
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 1

Valeri Lilov is a great Chess teacher and player. Since having lessons from Valeri my chess playing has improved vastly. I can now win competative games, formulate strategies and play with purpose and style. I recommend him highly. One day I will beat him though.

by taprackrip - 12 months ago
Lebanon Ohio United States
Member Since: Mar 2009
Member Points: 193

Valeri is a an excellent instructor.  He really seems to love to teach and his enthusiasm for the game is apparent.  He evaluates your games and goals and tailors the lessons to meet your needs.  I cannot imagine a better approach for anyone wanting to significantly boost their playing skills.  I personally believe that books and chess programs will only get you so far.  There is no substitute for personalized lessons. 

by xandico - 12 months ago
Johannesburg South Africa
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 10

I have been training with Valeri now for about 4 months and in that time my understanding of chess has changed. There is more clarity on the board more understanding in the harmony of the development of the pieces and where there was confusion there seems to be some clarity starting to develop within my sub-conscience I owe all this to Valeri lilov whom so far has satisfied my hunger for the knowledge chess.

His methods are unique and without a doubt are starting to come through in many of the games that I play.

I plan to stick around and would recommend Valeri Lilov to anyone who wants to improve in the understanding of the beautiful game.

by GiuseppeT - 12 months ago
Turin Italy
Member Since: Nov 2009
Member Points: 5

He was my teacher and I can say he's very helpful in learning chess.

His method with recorded lesson is wonderful!!!

Hope to have more time to spend on chess and to study with you again.

Ciao

by sirness - 12 months ago
Highlands Scotland
Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 188

It has probably all been said before but Valeri is a brilliant coach who has tailor made our training sessions specifically for my style of play. I sent some games prior to our first session and he worked on those before coming up with a training plan for me. The sessions themselves are very relaxed but time is not wasted, I always end up with new ideas and areas to focus on before the next training session.

I also have the video recordings of our sessions which I can replay and its like getting another session free as I always pick up some more bits of information I may have missed on the day.

I wish I had started the sessions a long time ago as I would be better prepared for my next event.

I will definately be having more lessons from Valeri in the future as I have so many new areas of my game to work on and tips on openings that more suit my style of play.

The main benefit I have found is that my study time is more focussed on particular ideas instead of jumping from one idea to the next with no clear plan.

by 123rampage123 - 12 months ago
Lisboa Portugal
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 55

I am an intermediate player. Even though, I had already read several books and viewed several DVD's on the game of chess, my rating did not seem to improve. My openings were solid, but frequently turned into middle game positions I did not feel good playing.

Then, I decided I needed a chess coach. I contacted many coaches (GM's, IM's and FM's) but many didn't really have any interest in coaching students, as they only replied to my emails 2 weeks after. Their websites (the ones that had one) had no information about their coaching services and most of them charged outrageous 70-150 euros per lesson.

Then I stumbled opon FM Valeri Lilov's website, as recommended by some players. I never saw such a well organised chess site, with all the information, including rates, steps to first lesson and contact area. What was best is that he has already trained many students from average to master level and only charges 35 euros per hour (which includes an mp3 recording of the lesson and all the pgn files).

After my first lesson, by only going through a detailed analysis of my games, he told me a lot of things I had never found in books. He gives principles that stick into your mind and, when you play a game, they come to you.

He gave me new opening systems and improvements and I finnaly started playing the positions I liked. My online chess rating increased 150 points only after a few lessons.

He's lessons are full of instructive positions and he gives you many 123 steps ways of thinking about a position. After the lesson he also provides instructive homework positions to sistematize the themes discussed.

Whenever I have a question, he always answers it. He is on skype most of the day and he always replied to my emails.

Today I played against a 1900 hundred player and won in only 21 moves.I just rememembered and applied the concepts we talked about. I think so much better when I play a game now.I am certainly looking forward to more lessons.Cool

by Wang_XiangQi - 12 months ago
Shanghai China
Member Since: Jan 2011
Member Points: 1

I have had the chance to do a few lessons with Valeri, as part of my preparation to become better in this game. My first lesson with Valeri was really motivating and inspiring! I want to improve a lot and he really showed me how exactly I can do so. Before it was more like a dream, playing casually online and losing every other game…

Valeri’s lessons are very well-prepared and I’ve had the feeling that he knows what he’s doing throughout the lesson. Yet, his presentation and responses to my questions came naturally and surprised me at how simple the game of chess can be from an FM perspective. (I think I am starting to think like an FM also during my games.)

About his overall preparation of my lessons, I can say that he does a great job by sending me helpful video recordings and homework, communicating with me via Skype or e-mail when I don’t understand something. I have the feeling he is always available for his students and none of my e-mails went unanswered.

Overall, I like Valeri’s training and it’s definitely worth the price! The good is good but his coaching looks like the best! I recommended him to all of my friends at the club.

Wang J.

by Clemenzi - 12 months ago
xx Netherlands
Member Since: Nov 2010
Member Points: 1
[COMMENT DELETED]
by Richard2200 - 13 months ago
Sunnyside United States
Member Since: Apr 2010
Member Points: 9

I started regular lessons with FM Valeri Lilov in October of last year.  From my prior games he was able to pin point my main weakness (inability to form a plan that doesn’t involve a direct attack on the king).  This made the very first lesson memorable.  Today we just created an individualized plan to help me obtain 2150-2200 USCF by the end of this year.  With his help, I actually believe I can do it!

by starpawn - 13 months ago
Prince George Canada
Member Since: Feb 2009
Member Points: 8
[COMMENT DELETED]
by shahida - 13 months ago
kerla India
Member Since: Nov 2010
Member Points: 50

wow speed ?

by shahida - 13 months ago
kerla India
Member Since: Nov 2010
Member Points: 50

hi sir iam 13 year old pls online coach pls sir

by noone1 - 14 months ago
Denmark
Member Since: Sep 2010
Member Points: 1

Valeri is REALLY good ! Just read what 'AndreaCoda', 'Timmyt123', 'Zapperchess' and 'Gaskins' wrote earlier.

I fully agree with them.

I only feel that I can add one thing: I have now had about 30 lessons with Valeri, and what impress me the most is, that although I'm 60+ years of age, I'm so inspired and motivated after our doubble-lessons, that I continue to study chess several  hours after having completed these lessons!!

He may 'only' be a FM (but 2400+ in rating), but he is a SuperGM in coaching !

by khan1000098 - 16 months ago
karachi Pakistan
Member Since: Sep 2010
Member Points: 17

Hi,Lilov

 

Its great pleasure to learn about you lilov and I want you help openings and middle positions, thnx 

 

Mohsin Usman/Innocent

by raghav - 16 months ago
India
Member Since: May 2010
Member Points: 214

Great Stuf,

keep the good work going.

by ThomasHack - 16 months ago
Germany Germany
Member Since: Sep 2010
Member Points: 1

Hi Everybody,

I have been working since approx. 7 months with Valeri. He is a very good trainer and he knows what you need to become better.

I have been playing chess since 30 years and can say that he has improved my chess a lot.

When you need a chess trainer, it's a good choice if one decides on him.

Give him a chance and you'll see.

Best Regards,

Thomas Hack

by lakeland - 16 months ago
liverpool England
Member Since: Jul 2009
Member Points: 37

He has been teaching me for the last 4 months. I have a lesson every 2 weeks and also purchased a study program which has been very useful.

If you really want to get better at chess then you will need a coach since there is only so much that playing games, reading books/watching videos and tactical problems can help.

Valeri is attentive, knowledgable, patient amusing and will explain absolutely everything.

My understanding of positional and strategic chess has improved enormously, and for the first time I can actually assess a position.

Sometimes reading comments like this look as though they are 'planted', i can assure you that all these comments are real and the quality of just one lesson will prove the point!

by avoegtlin - 16 months ago
Basel (Switzerland) Switzerland
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 2

Hi chess enthusiasts!

 

I have training lessons with Valeri since April this year and it’s fascinating for me to get chess coaching by internet from an 18-year-old top Bulgarian chess player living in Varna at the Black Sea because I am first of all 25 years older and secondly I live far away here in Switzerland.

 

I also have been teaching for 10 years at our technical university here in town. So I know what good teaching is. Valeri is definitively a good teacher with high impact!!

 

 

It’s just wonderful to have coaching by Skype and Chessbase and to get after the lesson a video recording to review it. It’s also in my view a very good business model!

 

Valery has a very good English, strong trainer skills and a clear chess planning method he teached me as one main idea for my improvement. His lessons are always well prepared with follow-up exercises to do for the next session. His motivating style is just wonderful. BUT now it’s my turn to show progress in my game! That’s my challenge in the coming months!

 

Thanks Valeri!

by jeroenarens - 16 months ago
Hofstade Belgium
Member Since: Sep 2010
Member Points: 1

Hi,

I am a student of Valeri since April. In that 5 months, Valeri really managed to help me in chess. He first helped me with my openings which went really good. In 1 lesson he explained me 3 possible openings which later on seemed to fit me well  :).Now he helps me to train my tactical and strategical insight. that was also a succes till now. I even managed to almost defeat a 2000 elo which seems almost impossible for me (i am 1400 Belgian rating). Thanks to him I finally understand the tactics, strategies,... in chess for which i am very thankfull to him.

So for everyone who is looking for a chess coach, you should always consider Valeri, since he trains everyone, no matter how good or bad you are, to the top.

by mmr7858 - 16 months ago
United States
Member Since: Sep 2010
Member Points: 1

I have been listening to Valeri's lectures on playchess for a while and enjoyed his analysis of the games very much. I also gone through all of his lectures in the past. So one day I decided to check his website and decided to purchase 2 hours of training to see how he would perform on one to one basis. I must say that I made an excellent choise of hiring him. Even though he did not know anything about my strenght and style of play he was able to adjust himself to my level and in short 2 hrs he thought me  lot about openning strategy and defence, and I was able to utilize them immediatly after our session online and was amazed to see how I was able to impliment those idea that he thought me. I must say that Valeri despite his young age is very mature person and he is very mild mannered and knows how to listen to you and adjust himself to your need ina very carring and honest way. Lastley, I have had 12 hours of training sessions with him to date, and my rating has jumped 300 points.If you are serious about chess training or looking to hire a coach, look no further, Valeri is your man.

Thanks Valeri for doing a great job

by fissionfowl - 16 months ago
Essex England
Member Since: Jun 2010
Member Points: 994

About Valeri I can only echo the comments above. Almost all his material is very well selected and because he takes a lot of time to explain his concepts with clarity I'm able to pretty much fully understand everything after it's been explained and so feel every lesson is a learning experience filled with at least several eureka! moments.

He is extremely dedicated to his students as well and considering most Master level coaches whom I imagine aren't as good at teaching seem to charge at least over 50$/£/euros, his prices are probably the best I've come across. 

by 4200 - 17 months ago
cairo Egypt
Member Since: Jul 2010
Member Points: 8

Hi,Lilov

I`am from Egypt I want your help please I`am a beginner 

by Shakhmaty - 17 months ago
Decatur, Illinois United States
Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 19

It absolutely broke my heart when I had to discontinue my chess lessons with FM Valeri Lilov due to being unemployed. Thanks to Valeri, I am actually winning some chess games now and becoming stronger tactically. My ELO rating is one of the worst of the worst--697--and yet, with Valeri's lessons, I am confident that when I go to my next chess tournament and win at least ONE game! Even though my playing level is very low, Valeri never made me feel stupid or anything like that. He treated me like a real friend and not just a student who was paying him.

Hopefully, I will get a job soon so I can restart my lessons with this great man! :)

by mobiegobie - 17 months ago
Newton United States
Member Since: Aug 2010
Member Points: 1

Wow! What can I say here that hasnt been said above? I read all of these before I contacted FM Lilov and my experience with him was EXACTLY like all of the positive comments listed above! Before my lessons with Valeri I was directionless as a chess player. I could beat players rated 200 elo points higher than me and I could lose( sometimes very quickly) to someone rated 200 points lower than me! Valeri calmed me down and gave me direction in my chess game and study and as of this writing, of my last 8 games, I have won 7 and 1 draw( he was 200 points higher and was lucky to get the draw! ;)) I hope I don't jinx that by saying that! ;)  My elo has gone up 197 points as a result(of course!). More importantly, I feel I have my feet back under me, I have direction, I know what I need to study(and I have help now!). All because Valeri changed how I fundamentally looked at chess which is no small feat! and set me on the 'right path' and for that I thank him!

I have no negative comments about Valeri in my experience with him. I have emailed other teachers out there and their emails back to me was like they detested talking to me but they would "come down from their mountain" to email lowly me! Their emails back to me very condescending and spoke to me as if i where ignorant. What struck me first, in a very good way,was Valeri spoke to me as a human being willing to help another human being. Yes he knows more than most of us club chess players know, but he has never treated me inferior to him in anyway. As a chess teacher he has stood shoulder to shoulder WITH me and that makes all the difference!

by Sewook98Defensemaker - 18 months ago
Seoul Korea, South
Member Since: Jul 2010
Member Points: 8

Can you please teach me ?

by hokiesfan - 19 months ago
, Virginia United States
Member Since: Oct 2009
Member Points: 1192
[COMMENT DELETED]
by hokiesfan - 19 months ago
, Virginia United States
Member Since: Oct 2009
Member Points: 1192
[COMMENT DELETED]
by FM TigerLilov - 19 months ago
Varna Bulgaria
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 128

Hello, you can visit my website - www.TigerLilov.com after which, send me a message through the Contacts section and I will write you back with instructions on how you can start your training. Good luck!

by sergy01 - 19 months ago
Alexandria Egypt
Member Since: Apr 2010
Member Points: 2

I need some chess lessons..what should I do?? I want to know if it's free or not :) thanks

by Mr_SignaL - 19 months ago
Alexandria Egypt
Member Since: Apr 2010
Member Points: 12

I need some lessons , How can i learn ?

what should i do .

by Silverknight73 - 20 months ago
Kingsport United States
Member Since: Mar 2010
Member Points: 30

I have been playing chess for 19 years. After my first year I settled into a high 1500, low 1600 range which I had never escaped no matter how much work I put into improving. I decided to try lessons from a NM a few years ago to break out of my plateau. The first 2 (and only, I subsequently dropped him after that) lessons were how to setup Chessbase (bought at my expense) for future lessons...what a rip-off.

After my return to chess from a 6 year break, I decided to see if there were anything out there that could help me to study smarter and not harder. I had found Tiger Lilov's website and was impressed by the choices he offered besides the live lessons. I subsequently purchased the Video Game Analysis of a few recent tournament games and also ordered the Personalized Self Study Plan. After about a month/month and a half, I had a chance to play in another tournament and had the result of my life time, beating a 1730, 1820 and a 2005, and took clear first. This brought my rating from 1596 to my all time high of 1739 (I had never broke 1700 before) with a performance rating of 2178. This is an official USCF, otb rating, by the way. What really pleases me is that I am a 36 year old, established adult player with limited study time (full-time job and 2 small children).

I am not mentioning this to toot my own horn at all, but to reflect how effective Tiger's lessons and training plans can be. Check out his webpage and see what suits you best and place you order. Everything mentioned previously is true. He is the best of the best with the results to back it up.

by danceny - 20 months ago
troyes France
Member Since: May 2010
Member Points: 1

I have been studying chess with Valeri Lilov for more than one year.

He is a very effective teacher, with clear explanations, always enthusiastic and happy to share with you his knowledge.

I strongly advice every chess player, who wants to improve his skills, to contact him.

by gaskins - 20 months ago
Wolfschlugen Germany
Member Since: Mar 2010
Member Points: 3

I was searching for quite some time for an online coach since i am playing chess for nearly 25 years now and i couldn't improve recently without any help. But i was unsatisfied with all i found because something was missing on everybody. One had a payment like 100 years ago, others where way too expensive and others weren't using any of the new medias.

Then i was attending a free lecture of Valeri and at the end he gave the URL of his webpage. I clicked on it and was comletely suprised: Nice services, uncomplicated payments, nicely coded. Very good!

So i contacted him and sent him my game database (maybe 50 games) and he prepared a first lecture which we had only a few days later where he presented me like 10 fully analyzed games of me and a plan which we are still following for quite some time now and which i am getting the first results.

We completely changed my opening repertoire and after only 2*2 hours with him i had my first tournament where i played all new openings only. I had a performance which was arround my Rating (arround 1950) with completely new openings. In the second tournament 4 weeks and 4 trainings later i already scored 200 Points above my rating and after every lesson i feel better prepared.

To the person "valeri" everything is said in the other comments already, but here are some points which i really like alot:

- He really loves chess and he makes you love it as much as he does within a minute talking to him.

- His english is really really good.

- He has a big talent not only in chess but also in teaching and it is so easy to follow him and he will never only tell you what to do but interact with you for better results.

- He is actually having fun at the lessons and he makes you have the same fun that he has

- He never ever makes you feel stupid even if he tells you that you didn't play to good in a particular game (and yes he is very direct there which i really like) because his critics is always positive so that you can do it better next time.

- He uses all the media tools that make training comfortable incl. skype, videorecording, chessbase, ....

To sum it up: If you search for a chess coach who lives for beeing your coach for a reasonable price using all new media tools, Valeri is the man for you.

by D-os - 20 months ago
Selangor Malaysia
Member Since: May 2010
Member Points: 1

Very good coach!

by zapperchess - 20 months ago
Bristol United Kingdom
Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 1

I'll try to make this short & sweet. I am a 1600-1700 rated adult player, who started competitive chess five years' ago, when my sons played in a local club.

How much money have you spent on chess books (or DVDs or software) in the last year? Money mouth What result has this achieved in improving your game? If you are anything like me, I kept on buying books, thinking that the next one would contain the "holy grail" I was looking for.  Often they are still sitting unread on my bookshelf. And that "holy grail" is still hiding!

In September 2009, frustrated by my lack of progress, I decided to try a few lessons with a strong (NM level) veteran player. But it felt like I was spending a lot of time, with very little return. So, next, I thought about googling "best on line chess coach" ... I spent a good hour looking at different people & finally decided to try out a lesson with Valeri.

In the first hour, literally, I learned more than I had in the three month's of two hours per week with my 'local' coach.  Valeri identified the weaknesses from my games & drew the conclusions of where I needed to work in order to improve. He gives advice which is specific to you as a player & this is invaluable.

Three words to describe a typical lesson with Valeri:

- enthusiastic - he loves chess & he shares this with you

- comprehensible - I have previously attended lectures by IM players, and they were way over the heads of we mere mortals - Valeri understands the way that club level amateur players think & their shortcomings. Other people have commented about his excellent English - this is true. 

- interactive - Valeri gets you involved; this is not about you listening & him talking, he wants your participation (otherwise go buy a DVD - preferrably one of his!)

As many of the previous people have stated, the option of video recording is a truly excellent tool. It means that you can focus for the whole of the lesson without taking notes, and then review the lesson & make notes for yourself.  

One final comment - which applies to all forms of learning - you will only improve based on your own efforts. Valeri's lessons are a way to enable you to work more effectively on your own weaknesses as a chess player. 

Sorry - it wasn't all that short after all! Laughing

PS. Immediately after my fifth lesson with Valeri I went on-line & beat a 2000 player in a slow game (something I had never previously done). I also scored a personal best (beating an 1883) player in my an over the board tournament.   

by timmyt123 - 21 months ago
Phoenix, AZ United States
Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 16

- FIDE Master Valeri Lilov has helped me develop my chess from the lower 1500's to the upper 1800's in a short amount of time.

- He pinpoints specifically your problem areas and trains you to work on them.

- He has a lot of different types of services to choose from.

- He has a versatile, professional, and enthusiastic approach in his teachings, which will keep you enjoying his sessions.  You will be able to sense the devotion in chess and to train you which makes him the best at what he does.

- ...Excellent english.  You wouldn't know his first language isn't english!

- ...easily accessible.  Questions sent to him are answered quickly.

- ...recorded sessions.  You can easily review what you may have missed.

- ...variety of payment methods.  No problems with transfer of payments.

His website is a click away www.tigerlilov.com.  Log on as a student and enjoy the many advantages the Tiger has to offer you! Smile

by JollyPlayer - 22 months ago
Southern Indiana United States
Member Since: Jul 2009
Member Points: 640

"price and how do we do this"

Go to his school page: http://www.tigerlilov.com

Prices and info are on that page.

IMO, some of the best money you will spend on chess.

by B-a8 - 22 months ago
CA United States
Member Since: Mar 2009
Member Points: 7

price and how do we do this

by Bauerndiplom - 22 months ago
Heide Germany
Member Since: Mar 2010
Member Points: 1

I am playing chess for almost 30 years now , and in that time i reached a level of about 1900 . There i got stucked , and lost a bit of interest .
Last year i became more motivated and thought you can play better , so i started studying books and DVDs , whith little but not much impressive sucess .
As i looked for additonal ways i stumbled in a lecture of Valeri at playchess , i was really impressed and thought some lessons with him could improve my chess further .
The best decision i ever made in chess .
As further commentators wrote Valeri is an excellent choach , friendly and enthusiastic.  His deeply knowledge of openings helps me to adjust my unusual opening repertoire to more successful variations under consideration of my playing style . It is always an enrichment when he shares ideas , sometimes i can add some ideas too , a productive exchange .
An excellent teacher i can only highly recommend him , im looking forward for our next lesson .

by cymeonn - 22 months ago
Salonika Greece
Member Since: Mar 2010
Member Points: 1

I met Valeri online accidently when I took part in a chess competition solving a chess puzzle. The price was normal and I thought I could give it a try.Well the outcome is just great! I have finally completed my White repertoir understanding with his help the deeper ideas behind the openings i was using. Playing moves without knowing why is not so good and often leads to disaster...

Thank you Valeri! I m ready for the Black repertoir :)

by Dodgy - 22 months ago
Sydney Australia
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 26

I have just completed my eighth lesson with Valeri.  I unfortunately thought that spending a few thousand dollars on chess DVDs and purchasing many chess books that I would develop to be a good chess player.  Regretfully, this has not been the case for me, as I have developed many misconceptions about the game and having done poorly in a recent tournament, I realised to put things right I needed a chess coach.  I selected Valeri as my coach based on the comments here at Chess.com and his games that are posted on the Internet.  If you have read a few of the other student comments, it is true that he does use a flexible unique training method that pitches his skills against yours and continuously brings you up to a higher level.  His method centres on an interactive approach based on game analysis, solving chess positions and reading selected text-books.  I don’t know if all his students do such intensive coaching but due to my issues about the game, I need it.  He certainly goes the extra mile to ensure that I do understand the concepts and doesn’t restrict his lesson time if I still don’t understand.  On a personal note, it is extraordinary that the advice being given is so professional and rich with knowledge and experience that it gives the impression of a person considerably older than what his age really is.  If you want to get up-to-date and get a better understanding of the game, as I do, then Valeri is a good choice, particularly if you want to know how to improve your existing repertoire.

by Manack - 22 months ago
Brisbane Australia
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 77

I began with getting FM Valeri Lilov to annotate some of my games from a tournament I played in.  I was extremely impressed with the quality of his annotations and the insight he was able to provide into the problems in how I play chess.  He doesn't focus on tactical mistakes which any computer analysis can provide you with but rather in terms of ideas, concepts, plans and the best way to execute them.

I was so impressed that I had him develop a study plan for me for which he reviewed a dozen of my recent games and then broke down a study system I should follow to address the major weaknesses he found in my play style.

I have since also have begun weekly lessons which are personalised and very focused upon my needs and my requests.  And more importantly always push my level of understanding.  I find it important to review the lessons at least once after they are completed and to practice the concepts presented in them.  This thankfully is easy to do as the video and audio from the lessons are recorded and provided for you.

by badatchess12 - 22 months ago
MD,Rockville United States
Member Since: Feb 2010
Member Points: 15

take a look at his website and sample lectures. The web is well organized, and the sample lectures are great.

by vetriambigram - 23 months ago
chennai India
Member Since: Feb 2010
Member Points: 1
[COMMENT DELETED]
by classmate - 2 years ago
Sao Paulo Brazil
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 2
[COMMENT DELETED]
by easley66 - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: Jan 2010
Member Points: 1

I took a couple of lessons with FM Valeri Lilov, while I still didn’t know much about him. Before the first lesson, I was impressed to get a wealth of information and support on how the sessions will be organized, what methods he will be using to teach me, and how many different services and help he’s about to offer and give me, for free, right at the beginning without the need for me to commit to taking any more lessons than one. I was very impressed by the quality of his work!! All his efforts on me, to teach me were shining with high professionalism and commitment to provide me with the best service possible. I can reasonably claim that this is one of the best coaches out there!! I highly recommend him to you! Go Tiger!

by joko-veltman - 2 years ago
Genève Switzerland
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 15

I was a little hesitant to start lessons with FM Lilov, but in the first minutes it became clear that his lessons were exactly what I was looking for.  He is clear, enthusiastic, understanding, and above all, a wonderful instructor.  Highly recommended!

by Webhead - 2 years ago
Mississippi United States
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 507

If you are looking for an excellent chess coach, I highly recommend this young man.  His knowledge is impressive, his analysis is thorough, and his advice is enlightening.  He also packs a TON of information into his lessons and obviously spends a great deal of time preparing.  Don't let his age fool you my friend, he is a far superior teacher than many adults could hope to be.  Also, the fact that he is in Bulgaria is hardly an issue.  He works with my schedule and makes excellent use of technology such as Skype and Playchess for instruction.

Really, I can't say enough good things.  I'm looking forward to more lessons with him.

by homosapien - 2 years ago
Mississauga Canada
Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 101

I dont know him as a teacher but Mr.Lilov is an AMAZING chess player, I have studied his games before and now I am playing him, he is very good indeed.

by cc00lsharan - 2 years ago
Pune India
Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 1
[COMMENT DELETED]
by nuclearturkey - 2 years ago
United Kingdom
Member Since: Aug 2009
Member Points: 1313

After about 2 months working with Valeri he thinks my rating went up approximately 200 points from about 1800 to 2000 even though I wasn't doing much extra study outside of our lessons. He explains key concepts in a very straight forward and easy-to-understand manner.

by davidt722 - 2 years ago
Floriduuuuhhhh! United States
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 40

i have had only one lesson with Valeri and i already am looking at chess in a different way! his instruction is intuitive, thorough, and very comprehensive. he is very friendly and generous as well!!.....we had to reschedule a lesson one day because he had software issues, so he sent me two of his lectures (1 hour each) for free and sent his most sincere appologies. how many coaches would do that? Valeri is my 1st and only coach for chess, and by bieng so pleased with his instruction, i wont have anyone else!! and what better mentor to have than a FIDE master? i very highly recommend him for ANYONE who want to be a better chess player, regarless of skill level or ability. on top of all that, his prices are more than reasonable! i can have a lesson with him cheaper than my girlfriend and i can go to a movie! how can you go wrong? serious about getting better? have Valeri Lilov as your coach, you will NOT regret it at all! thank you Valeri!!!                                                   Wink

by NOLAUPT - 2 years ago
New Orleans United States
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 1284
[COMMENT DELETED]
by jdilley - 2 years ago
Strathroy Canada
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 145

What can I add to the praise already on this page concerning Valeri?  Not much, except that it is all completely warranted.  Valeri teaches in a simple, easy-to-understand manner.  Even the most difficult concepts become crystal clear through Valeri's teaching.  My game became infinitely stronger after just one lesson with him, and I will certainly retain his services again and again.  How could I not?  He knows his stuff, is not overpriced, and is the most delightful person to talk to.  Valeri's demeanour and personality are his greatest assets - skill is worthless if you can't "coach".

by Dash74 - 2 years ago
United Kingdom
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 1

There are many great chess players but only very few who are equally adept at the art of teaching chess. Valeri is one of them. Valeri's teaching methods are very effective and he explains all concepts in a simple yet formalised manner, whilst retaining the rigor and comprehensiveness one would expect from a world class coach. He has a strong grounding in chess pedagogy. No matter what question you ask Valeri, he has a detailed and logically laid out answer, fully consistent with the rest of his teachings.  His enthusiasm for teaching chess is very evident in his lessons.

His lessons are further supported by specific action plans, exercises, examples and pointers to other resources that Valeri gives in order to train the concepts covered in the lessons and to assess progress.

From a practical standpoint, Valeri is flexible in his approach and accommodating with respect to lesson lengths, timings, changes and doing a lesson at short notice. He is also very accessible online at pretty much all times and responds to queries. He comes across as much wiser and mature than his age might suggest and is very professional.

I have no hesitation in recommending Valeri to anyone who is looking for a high quality chess coach.

My comments are based on around 25 lessons over the last 4 months. 

by YWP - 2 years ago
Taipei Taiwan
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 4

He is an outstanding chess coach- in my opinion about him after first lesson ....

He explain very well, also like to talk a lot ( about chess of course ) , and this is awesome  , considering that many chess coach,  just put a diagram and tell student to think and make a move. But he explained everything so clear that its impossible not to understand :) I was almost giving up on getting stronger in chess, but after taking some lessons with him, I am getting  the new vision of chess and made me eager to play better...Continuously still having him as coach ..... 

by Venkat-USA - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 1

We got a few chess lessons for my son from Valeri. My son's game has since improved, and he has also improved his ratings.

Valeri is a very strong chess player and an excellent coach. He is very passionate about teaching, and has helped my son with openings that are appropriate for his level. We highly recommend him.

by farbror - 2 years ago
Uppsala Sweden
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 2759

You can get a taste of Valeri's Teaching Skills by watching his excellent Videos posted here at chess.com

 

Great Stuff!

by Fully_Flared - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 1

Great teacher!

Went over the games clearly and without confusion like other teachers.

Has great advice and tips.

Definitely will be taking more lessons from him.

by saikohein - 2 years ago
loilem Myanmar
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 80

Clevar, Very good Teacher!

by Erle - 2 years ago
Marnardal Norway
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 1

Valeri have been giving me weekly lessons for almost four months now. He have proved himself to be a GREAT teacher with a positive energy and a very good personality. I am always looking very much foreward to his next lesson, and I have greatly improved my play since we started! He always gives much more than expected, and the material he provides to back up his lessons are excellent!

If you are looking for the best teacher online; Look no further!! Choosing Valeri is a move that deserves at least three exclamation marks !!! Cool

He even gave a thematic introduction in the chess club where I am a member. Everybody agreed that it was an outstanding performance, and are indeed looking foreward to the next time we will have this opportunity!!!

All my best regards!!! Smile

by daniel900 - 2 years ago
cape town South Africa
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 1

valeri lilov is an exelent coach, have a few lessons with him and enjoy it alot,can already see my game improve fast.His way of teaching is brillient and put alot of effort in his lessons to make sure u understand.Will recommend him to anyone, his fantastic chessplayer!

by chrisdecologne - 2 years ago
Keinestadt Germany
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 1

Valeri Lilov is a very good chess trainer.I had a few sessions with him and will continue his training.

He has not only a superb knowledge, he can also share it. So you will get a clear analysis and very helpfull ways to increase your chess abilities.

I can only recommend to take training sessions with him. It will help you.

by ATtheGreat - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 1

Tiger hones right in on your weaknesses like a fighterjet hones in on major military targets.  He noticed recurring themes in my games such as not properly preparing the attack ( having enough pieces to support and maintain constant threats and pressure to keep my opponent from effectively countering my threats) and timing. He is very detailed, thorough, and well prepared.  Excellent Teacher.

by AlexCn - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 565

For my birthday , my parents got me a lesson with Mr. lilov, I have enjoyed his lessons very much. He talks at a good pace and explains very well as he goes a long. He is well prepared with his lessons and I would recommend him to anyone!

by msalzge - 2 years ago
Olive Branch, MS United States
Member Since: Mar 2009
Member Points: 1

Tiger has been teaching my 13-year old son for the past month, and he's really enjoying the experience. Tiger makes the lessons fun and instructive for him by analyzing real tournament games, breaking down the major principles into succinct points, and providing real-world examples and enforce them. We highly recommend him.

by evan7284 - 2 years ago
London England
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 179

Very clear, precise, thorough instruction, that gets to the heart of your chess problems. He really cares about your progress too and makes sure that you understand what he teaches. A FIDE master, running his own chess instruction website at 17! Incredible.

Like night follows day your chess will improve! 

by chessoholicalien - 2 years ago
Missouri United States
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 1156

Made a fine job of analysing a bunch of my games. I learned alot. Will certainly make use of his services again. He offers an excellent price too :-)

by cday7 - 3 years ago
Atlanta United States
Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 1

Valeri Lilov probably has the best deal for chess lessons on the
net! He teaches in a very clear logical style that is easy to follow.
He answers questions and goes over ideas you have which are not
correct and does a great job at explaining why that is the case. Often
he has gone over the allotted time for the lesson just to answer some
questions I had. He is also interested in your improvement and tracks
your progress through your games, offering suggestions on how to
improve even further and goes over weaknesses with themed future
lessons. He is also outstanding at opening preparation, offering plans
and ideas you can use in the middle game to obtain great positions. He
has greatly improved my chess game, and I always look forward to his
lessons.

Carson Day

by FlorisG - 3 years ago
Netherlands
Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 1

Valeri is a trainer that is really there for you. He is very friendly and his lessons never get boring. He is not only improving your play but also stimulating your pleasure. Everything looks really professional, from his website up to the well prepared training lessons. He honestly is there to train students , not to easily get some money and run off. He always has time with emails and is most of the day available on skype for questions and help. His explanations are clear and really interesting and he always has suggestions. I'm still his student and I'll think he is an excellent trainer for guys who are really interested in understanding chess more and improving their play. The best coach I had so far.

by wun - 3 years ago
Beijing China
Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 6

I just took my fifth lesson with Valeri, and what can I say? He has been an excellent teacher so far.

I remember right after my first lesson with him I jumped right into a game and found that I was playing very differently. I was able to exploit the things he taught me that lesson and I won convincingly.

He is very organised, after every lesson he sends you an mp3 file of the lesson, and once he even gave me a free e-book to help me improve my skills. Also, occasionally he has gone 10-30 minutes past the hour limit in order to help me learn something new. This is definitely a plus.

I wish him the best of luck in his future chess endeavours!

by Jivko_Hristov - 3 years ago
Elhovo Bulgaria
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 1

For Valeri, I can say that pedagogy is his second nature. More extensive and detailed lessons than his can't be found anywhere. He doesn't simulate teaching for the sake of taking people's money as most other chess coaches actually do, but he enjoys teaching and never spares his time and efforts to prepare the best lectures. As if an artist painting a picture. Apart from chess, I have noticed that he has  a very temperate and mature personality for his age. Wish him success and many students!

by AndreaCoda - 3 years ago
Italy
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 2828

I just had my third lesson with Valeri, and I wanted to provide some feedback.

In short, I cannot say anything apart from great things about Valeri. Just to name a few:

-          He is very knowledgeable, dedicated and willing to have you learn;

-          He is absolutely open to feedback, and reacts on it immediately, so adapting himself to your needs;

-          He is always constructive and never destructive;

-          His English is exceptional, so no problems in understanding and following the lessons;

-          He is very structured and organized, and after every lesson he will send you an mp3 file with the recording of the lesson, for you to replay it at a later stage and go through the most critical parts;

-          He is available on Skype basically the whole day (and good part of the night) and he will reply to your queries almost instantly;

-          He never limits himself to the “canonical hour” of lessons, but always stretches it by 15/20 minutes;

-          Last but not least, his prices are more than reasonable: considering his high level, you can have a private lesson for the cost of a pizza and a beer, just impossible to complain about it!

 The only (slight) criticism I could make, just to show some objectivity :-) is that, at least with me, he is a little bit over-estimating my skills and current level, so probably some things tend to fly “over my head”: I am sure this is just due to the fact that we are at the beginning, and he is giving me more credit than I deserve!

As a last comment, which hopefully will help some of you: I learnt that there is a huge difference between a computer-done analysis and an analysis done by a good player like Valeri, not even a point in comparing the two. If you don’t feel like going for chess lessons, but still want to improve, I strongly suggest you chose the “Game Analysis” option: it is really cheap, exceptionally high quality, and if you regularly review your losses in this way, you will definitely improve, by understanding where your weak points are and working on them on your own. The suggestion is to send Valeri the game you want to be annotated, with a comment on every single move, explaining him why you did that move; this way, he will be able to understand your reasoning and correct the problems.

Hope this helps some of you to decide!

Andrea

by atomichicken - 3 years ago
United Kingdom
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 1285

I just had my 1st lesson with Valeri and was blown away with how good it was. It was pretty intense, and I will definately be looking over the lecture again and I'm sure I will soon improve loads because of it. One slight, and it is a very slight criticism is that he goes into the ideas and variations like a steamtrain which for a duffer like me is a bit hard to follow. Still I don't think that really matters, because I can look over the lecture again to pick up anything I missed or didn't understand. And he has the main quality that every coach should have which is that he's a really nice guy! Summing up, if you choose him as your coach you won't be disappointed!

by Flurkje - 3 years ago
Antwerp Belgium
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 1

I just had my 4th lesson from Valeri.

After I've send him a few of my games, he came up with a complete plan for me to improve my chess, tailored to my needs and common mistakes. All of the lessons I had so far were very well prepared and useful.

I played a game last week, and although I didn't remember much from the lessons at that time, I noticed I was playing differently, played stronger in the center and eventually won the game. I would have played much more defensive towards the center in the past. This proofs to me that the lessons are very useful.

Valeri is like a true chess coach to me, not just somebody that analyses your games. I hope to have him as a coach for a long time. Having a high rating doesn’t automatically make you a good chess teacher. It requires other skills also, which Valeri definitively has!

Highly recommended!

by Danail4o0 - 3 years ago
Varna Bulgaria
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 1

Well,that man is an excellent player and friend,but also he is and perfect coach and psychologist and one of the most progressive Bulgarian players of all times.He have read a hundred of chess books and is having аn impressive knowledge about all phases of chess art.

Good Luck to one of future Top GM!

by Lusus_Latrunculorum - 3 years ago
New Orleans United States
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 1

hi FM Lilov!!

I am excited to see you on this website as well and as I see you are getting more and more popular as one of the best chess tutors on the internet! Though, we haven't talked for a couple of months I want you to know that your intructive lectures really helped me heighten my overall level of play, thus turning me from a weak class player into a chess expert (>2000 Tongue out). Well, as I see, people at chess.com are wildly interested in your many abilities as a chess trainer, so I'd like to submit my reference on the approaches you used while teaching me this not so easy chess theory in the near past, so that the chess players who cursorily glance over your profile and other people's comments and then close the page, and continue to wonder why they keep making so many foolish and sometimes not so foolish mistakes while playing, understand what they will forfeit after leaving your personal page underexplored once again!

Well, FM Lilov actually has taught chess for much more time than his age may suggest. I can guarantee that he does his job, sometimes even much better than the super-grandmasters in the Chess Base lectures do! His approach to teaching aspiring chess players is somehow unique compared to the widespread methods of giving lectures. The first and most important thing is that he always tries to get to know with each of his students as much as possible, to perceive the subtleties of their characters and to find the best way and the most optimal kind of material that the particular student will be ready to perceive at a given stage of their chess career. What I want to emphasize on, is that his lectures and overall teaching (since he is available for the questions of his students any time) are ultra-personalized - a feature that makes his lectures have a great impact on his students abilities as chess players.

On the other hand, his teaching style is very good and convenient for all that have ever enjoyed his lectures. His assiduous and unhurried manner of lecturing helps the listeners comprehend every single detail of what he is talking about and most importantly truly understand the basic ideas in a given position or opening. You will never need to read through the lecture material over and over again desperately trying to remember why all of those arrows are pointing at a particular square ;) You will surely remember what he'd said immediately after a certain position appears again in front of you, since the lecture had beenvery interesting to you, presented in such a way that you'd never got absent even for a while - an hour and a half...


by farbror - 3 years ago
Uppsala Sweden
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 2759

 

Very good Teacher! Well prepared lessons and lots of study material. Excellent coach!


by Liamluke - 3 years ago
victoria Australia
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 268
hi
by Tani_Iliev - 3 years ago
Sofia Bulgaria
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 1
This man is the one you need to be your tutor! His teaching services are simply perfect and his lectures are very really high quality ones and everything is well considered till the last detail! :)
by Anto_G - 3 years ago
ON Canada
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 8

Great guy, professional coach, as you all know the good teacher must be a good person too!

He revived my motivation to become better in chess, something really hard, i hope that as a trainer-student team we'll succeed! Enjoy!


by Zorro_ - 3 years ago
Iceland
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 1

 Clevar, helpful and briliant chess player, trainer and friend.

 Future world champion !

 Hes lessons are just what y need !

 have fun


by alex_cia_007 - 3 years ago
Varna Bulgaria
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 1
hey, this one really helps. He's not like the most of the other chess coaches, who usually try to get the money and run away without really making sure that their students have learnt or even understood anything at all. Give him a chance and he will definitely find the talent for chess in you and develop it in no time! He actually did so with me for which I am really thankful to him....

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