I was wondering what are the qualities to look for in a good chess coach.

someone that can play chess, how much do you charge Popeye ?

Unbelievable patience?

Someone who can make the lessons captivating. Not 100% necessary, but it really does help.

Strong interest to actually teach the other properly, but I only feel the correct way to teach one to play is where all the pieces can be positioned, the way they are to be, and what is possible of gaining, and allowed in a game, not so much tactics, but that they should interestedly grow their own.

NOT POOP  EYE THATS FER SURE ACKUH ACKUH KUCK HUH HAAA HAAA HAAGH

 LOL  WATZ UP POPEYE

YER FRIEND CATO

Hi my friend :-) certainly not me as you say!!

I hope you are well

Yea. Captivating is good. Not too easy and not too hard. A good coach has or can make good material to work with, knows chess activities that are fun well enough to interest the student and is able to see the needs of the student. Not all students need to do the same thing.

If you are looking for a chess coach I might be able to help: www.chess.com/coach/eric

My page has some comments from my student, so you can decide as to whether or not I am good for you.

Patience, perhaps a modest coach helps, one who is willing to put in the time for his/her students and providing them much-needed confidence.

He must be patient and kind. Like a Grandfather figure. A long, white beard would be a bonus.

Maybe even a cloud to sit on? Maybe even have some naked stud touching his finger?

I'm talking about a Chess coach, not a priest.

Something tells me you've spent a good deal of time on your back in the Chapel.  Like Michaelangelo, only different.

A good coach explains things in a way you can understand.  Beyond that, it depends much upon what you need.

For instance, one coach might be great at teaching tactics, but not so good at encouraging you after a bad tournament.  Another might be good at explaining pawn structures, but not proficient enough at endings to train you properly.

Like so many things, you can only find out by trial and error.

a good coach is someone who can teach you at a level you can understand.

a good coach is someone who actually knows how to coach.

my coach gives me endgame puzzles with two or three pawns because he knows that that is my current level. he wants me to understand these endgames perfectly before moving on to more difficult things.

he has coached many people who have gone on to become GMs. this proves that he is a good coach.

a good coach is someone who isn't afraid to admit his mistakes in training games.

my coach asks me to express my ideas and then he refines my moves according to the ideas i have expressed.

my coach also gives me lectures on theory and is not afraid to share current research he is conducting on some lines with some GMs. sometimes we spend up to two hours on one position. he is currently researching the milner-barry gambit with an English GM called Conquest or something and he shares these thoughts with me but asks me not to reveal anything to others and says he doesn't mind if i score some points based on these lines. the only problem is that he is a very tactical e4 player and i am a more natural d4 player. he tells me to play e4. i have even beaten him in one or two d4 games because he gets frustrated and ends up sacrificing something to open the position. the weird thing is that even though he is an extremely natural player and can see ideas in ANY opening, his e4 is so strong that he has beaten IMs and GMs with both white and black in e4. i know that as long as i am learning with him, i am pretty much doing d4 by myself. but his e4 is so inspirational that i too am playing e4 to try and emulate him.