How To Find A Chess Coach
Do any of these describe you, your child, or someone you know?
- Have never played chess before but are interested in learning
- Feel stuck at your current level and want to break through the plateau
- Play chess online and want to further develop your skills
- Are getting better at chess, but want to improve more quickly
- Learned chess at school, fell in love with the game, and now want to take the next step
- Play in tournaments and want a skilled teacher to help you improve
If so, you’re probably in need of a chess coach. What defines the “right” coach depends on your skill level and personal chess goals. If you are a competitive player or hoping to start competing in tournaments you may need a different style of coaching than someone who just wants to play for fun.
There are two types of online chess instruction: small group lessons and private coaching. Let’s walk through what to look for in a good coach or program of either kind.
Small Group Coaching
As online chess has expanded rapidly over the past few years, so have online chess classes. These lessons typically take place on a weekly basis, similar to a traditional chess club, with average group sizes ranging from 2-20 students. Small group classes give students an opportunity to get to know their classmates as they learn and progress, which can make lessons more effective and the game more fun.
What to Look For in Online Chess Classes
One benefit online programs provide, that in-person offerings may not, is a wide range of class levels, allowing students to receive instruction better tailored to their particular skill level than they can receive from a “one size fits all” local club. If there aren’t any classes of the appropriate level for your needs locally, online classes can help students to continue their development and feel appropriately challenged in their games against peers.
When choosing a provider, look for a company with an established history of effective chess coaching and limited class sizes. Well-run online classes will use interactive software like Chessable to host their lessons. Features like simul games, quizzes, and game reviews help keep students engaged and make the material more interesting.
Another major benefit of small group classes is flexibility and convenience. While local clubs or private coaching opportunities may only be available on a fixed day and time, online programs like the scholastic focused Silver Knights Chess Academy, which coached 11 scholastic state champions last year, offer an array of weekly class times for every skill level. Registration isn’t rigid, either; if you sign up for a particular timeslot but end up not being able to make the class, you can simply re-register for another class later in the week.
What Makes a Good Small Group Coach
Coaches in this setting should not only be good chess players but excellent communicators who are kind, encouraging, and dedicated to making chess fun and interesting for their students.
For students at the beginner and intermediate levels, it’s more important for a coach to be experienced with teaching students in the relevant age and skill ranges than it is for them to be a titled player. While they should still be strong players, coaches at these skill levels should be positive, enthusiastic, and help students to develop a general understanding of and love for the game.
At advanced levels, it’s vital to find a coach with the knowledge base to push students and to assist with the finer details of their development. Having a titled chess coach becomes more and more important the stronger the student’s play becomes. A strong coach should be passionate about coaching and be able to communicate fluently with the students.
Private Lessons
For chess players who are looking for a more personalized experience, private lessons can be a great choice. One-on-one coaching offers students more individually-focused instruction than they might typically receive from a group class. Since private and group lessons provide slightly different benefits, it’s not uncommon for students to try both.
A great private coach will meet students where they’re at and tailor each lesson to address particular areas for improvement. They’ll also provide frequent analysis of student games to identify weaknesses and recommend alternative ideas for them to try. When looking for a coach at any level, a coach should also have a proven track record of success with students of a similar age and skill level for the student.
Just like with group coaching, a titled player is not always the best choice of coach, simply because they have a title. The coach’s ability to provide level-appropriate instruction is most essential. It’s normal for young players to change coaches as they improve, so you can always switch to a higher-rated coach as you progress as a player and your chess goals change.
To find a private coach, start your search on our Coaches page, where you can browse a selection of coaches at different skill levels and price points.
Have you tried chess coaching? What worked well for you? Let us know in the comments.
