Selecting a Coach on Chess.com - Advice please.

I'd like to select a coach from those available here on Chess.com.  I assume, like with any activity, being a strong player does not make one a good coach necessarily.  Similarly, the ability to write a good bio means little.  Does anyone have recommendations on what to look for to narrow the options and make a final choice?  Thanks for responding.

Hey! I am a coach for a coaching collective called ChessBootCamp Live. It's $50/month to join. We currently have 4 coaches ranging from 1600-2000. We hold 4 live Zoom sessions between the 4 of us each week where we go through game analysis, puzzles, and chess concepts; that's 16 sessions per month for $50! Our goal is to offer interactive personal coaching in small-group format to also build community among our members. Each session is recorded and placed on the website for viewing if you miss any sessions. Here's the link to sign up if you're interested: https://chessbootcamp.club/

Personally I’d say it’s a bit useless to spend money on a chess coach at the 700 elo range. You’re better off waiting until EARLIEST maybe 1300 elo if that’s what you want to do. At your elo you need to focus 90% of your time studying basic tactics, basic checkmate patterns, basic endgame ideas and avoiding blundering any material. Doing that will lead you to the 1200/1300 range quickest imo and after that if you want to start studying some more advanced stuff and help studying your games anyone 2000+ would be good enough to teach you at that elo. Getting a titled coach at such a low elo is really expensive especially considering he’s probably just going to tell you to study opening principles and do puzzles.

Thanks, caseyfloridian.  That's good advice.  My thought was that a coach could give some structure to the study.  I'm studying those things you suggest on my own -- recorded lessons here, youtube, etc. -- but my understanding is limited enough that I don't know what's productive.  My self-diagnoses is that my play suffers most from lapses in board awareness.  That's improving with time, and I suspect it will continue to improve by getting more games under my belt.

It's totally fair, I started with my coach when I was 1200-1300

 

I can't believe that you told him all that for free.

« That’ll be $4.99 « 

Why would you need a coach?

Hi, I would try to search for a titleholder coach who is looking sympathetic to you and has a good biography, or maybe you should do some research about the player. I think you should try somebody who offers a trial class to check if the coach is good for you or not. I hope this is going to help you😊

Where does this stupid idea that people need to be xx rating to need a coach come from? It's like saying wait until you can play guitar/tennis/piano well enough to get some lessons. How many of these responses are from people with direct experience of coaches when they were beginners? If a coach just told you to do some puzzles and opening principles, get another coach who will actually try and help you. A good coach or teacher will actually try and help you. Speaking from experience here, and not just offering an opinion.

Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a respected  chess coach and chess YouTuber who helps beginners out.  

I am available to coach you, but here are some tips for you.  

 

 First of all, what are your specific goals in chess?  Tell that to your potential chess coach.  The coach should be easy to understand.  

If you start working with a chess coach and the lessons aren't great, then move on and find another one. 

 

Make sure your coach is consistently  on time. My current chess student discontinued chess lessons with her old coach because the coach was late for almost every single lessons. 

 

I picked a coach that achieved what I’d hope to achieve if not more and felt I understood him on a more personal, communicative level (not speaking of language but of approach to the game, teaching, communicating ideas). I looked at student reviews, rates, and trial lessons with several coaches. Whatever you do don’t settle on a coach, find one you like and trust. 

-Jordan

Hey! My advice is to just use suggested lesson videos and puzzles until you’re at about 1300-1400 ELO in your desired gamemode while playing normally and naturally improving. Then, if you consider yourself serious about Chess, hire a coach to help you personally approve. Make sure to check their background and see if they’re reliable. Also check that they’re at 2000+ ELO.

 

As a chess coach/ FIDE Trainer, I can confirm that all the above are entirely correct.

Is the elo there goes for OTB rating or chess.com rating?

 

You may add some 100 points for chess dot com (rapid) ratings. Blitz and bullet ratings aren't something that should be taken into account.

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses.

Comes from experience, I don't understand how you could consider something a stupid idea when you don't understand yourself since you're only 900 elo. Below 1200 elo there is almost always a serious mistake/poor positional trade/decision or simple blunder within 10, maximum 15 moves of the game. If you were to play me in a game for example I could completely not pay attention and play natural moves and probably just be crushing you by move 10-15. We're only trying to make OP use his money and time wisely. Speaking from experience here, not just offering an opinion.

Different people get stuck on different ratings. What seems to be simple to you may not be simple for someone else.

A coach is able to show you the things you’ve been missing, and give your practice so you can apply them to your games.

I would advise the OP to compare costs between different coaches and see if any of them have reviews/ trial lessons. But it is largely like making a leap of faith- you will have to try it out and see.