Announcing the 2025 CoachChamps Players

Dear Improvers,

The 2025 Improvers Challenge has been inspiring and helping hundreds of chess players to commit to improving their game. One of the most exciting perks of participating? The chance to be selected for the prestigious 2025 CoachChamps Tournament!

This unique event pairs eight top-tier coaches with 32 highly motivated students for an improvement-based team competition like no other.
And now—the wait is over.
We’re thrilled to unveil the official player roster for CoachChamps 2025!

What is CoachChamps?

CoachChamps is a first-of-its-kind event that brings together passionate chess improvers and elite coaches in a collaborative competition. Players are divided into four rating groups, each representing a different stage in the chess journey—from beginners to advanced club players.
The inaugural lineup features members of the Improvers community who not only play actively but also contribute as content creators, community builders, and ambassadors of lifelong learning.

Confirmed 2025 CoachChamps Players

Group 1 (Rated 0-799)

1. 1. hhart10k
   2. moonzzs
   3. jayy_dizzyy
   4. Southernrun
   5. Thanos-V
   6. wioldhorse
   7. JakesActually
   8. Nabbollini

Group 2 (Rated 800-1199)

1. 1. JAnderau
   2. B_Chris11
   3. p1ngu7
   4. ClingermanChess
   5. SMTariqulIslam
   6. 84moose
   7. QQQ1M
   8. kashcarbon

Grpoup 3 (1200-1500)

1. 1. TheLearnerofGames
   2. house_of_pancakes
   3. Sebu13
   4. emilyplayschess
   5. Frank
   6. cegalleta
   7. dq_555
   8. kiriyamakazuo

Group 4 (1600-2000)

1. 1. phoebewitte
   2. Gothenburgess
   3. logando2805
   4. asmoada
   5. JJ0268
   6. masky_chess
   7. vtom
   8. Olzhek

The Coaches

The following elite coaches will each draft four players, one from each rating group, in a live event on September 10:

• GM Ben Finegold
• GM Arturs Neiksans
• IM Levy Rozman
• IM David Pruess
• IM Andras Toth
• WGM Dina Belenkaya
• NM Robert Ramirez
• NM Can Kabadayi

Each coach will then work with their team throughout the month, helping their players level up for the big event. Click the link and follow their channel!

Key Dates

• Coach Draft:
  • September 10 at 11 a.m. ET / 17:00 CEST / 8:30 p.m. IST
  • Watch it live on Chess.com/TV and on our YouTube and Twitch channels.
• Round-Robin Matches:
  • October 7–10
  • One group plays each day starting at 11 a.m. ET / 17:00 CEST / 8:30 p.m. IST
  • Time Control: 10+2
  • Format: Four round-robin tournaments, one per rating group
  • Player scores will be combined to determine their coach’s final team standing.

How to Follow CoachChamps

• Join the live draft on September 10 to see which coach picks which player.
• Follow your favorite coaches as they stream their training sessions with the players. Don’t forget to follow the coaches’ channels to get notified when they go live!
• Watch the round-robins from October 7–10 to see how the teams perform under pressure. One rating group will be playing each day starting at 11 a.m. ET.

Want More Details?

Check out our full article for everything you need to know about CoachChamps 2025 — from format breakdowns to behind-the-scenes content.

How to Follow CoachChamps

Let the games—and the improvement—begin!