What do I look for in a coach?

Good morning, afternoon, or evening. Being newer to chess, I am wanting to increase my skill and have gotten overwhelmed with information. I have tried some of the lessons on chess.com and I have purchased Pandolfini’s Ultimate Guide to Chess, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, as well as FCO. I feel as if I am missing something. My past experience has shown that I learn better with lecture / coaching. Like in many other areas, how does one know what to look for in a coach/teacher if one is not an expert in the thing that one is wanting to learn? There are chess clubs around where I live and am looking to do in person lessons OTB. I appreciate any insight and information.

Chess.com has a coaching program where the instructors are vetted. You can look through the list and see if anyone resonates with you. Titled players will have a red box before their name.

When seeking a chess coach, prioritize finding someone with whom you can communicate easily and who provides clear explanations. Look for a coach who encourages a general understanding of chess; they should help you analyze positions effectively and grasp the dynamics of the game. A good coach will gradually introduce you to various chess concepts, review your games, and discuss the thought processes behind your moves. They should also help identify any errors in your thinking and knowledge gaps.

Additionally, a supportive coach will offer extra resources or exercises to work on outside of coaching sessions. Keep in mind that coaching styles and philosophies vary, so if you don’t feel a connection with one coach, it’s perfectly fine to explore others until you find the right match for your needs. Embrace the journey of learning chess, and don't hesitate to reach out to others for advice, information, or practice opportunities along the way!

A coach here myself:

Define why you want a coach

Do you want to improve? Do you find it fulfilling to spend time with a very strong player?

Then make sure you find a couple of coaches snd test them.

If your goal is improvement, make sure that the stuff he is teaching is valuable for your current level. Another incredible indicator is a long-term plan. Explaining important concepts is good, but does he suggest you what you should work on between the lessons?

Measure your improvement

Make sure to check if your rating is going up. I had students going up 500 points in less than half a year. There we do not need to change a lot. I have students who stagnate and after a certain period of time I sit down with my student and discuss what might be going wrong.

The first question you need to ask and answer honestly is this. What do you want out of chess?

Unless you plan on playing in OTB tournaments you have no need of a coach. And unless a coach is in it just for the money. NO serious coach is going to take on a student that does not want to play OTB tournaments.

if the requirement is for the coach to have read over a hundred chess books, I'm cool with that

Good afternoon, I am fanpolar285 speaking and my elo is 332. What is your elo? My chess 960 elo is 546. What is your 960 elo? I am looking forward to your answer 😃

I have recently started getting a lot of awards and I have 120 or more. 😃😃😃

Hello, please book a free trial class with me and I will have a learning plan for you https://scheduler.zoom.us/darko-polimac/coaching-with-darko-

@HeckinSprout, I will check it out and see if anyone is in my area.

@f8plays2mate, I really appreciate your insight and I think the idea of not being locked in and “shopping around” for someone that is a good fit is solid advice.

@Petrosian94, thank you for your thoughts. The tracking of improvement makes a ton of sense in evaluating the teacher if they are dynamic in the instruction or ridged in response to improvement or stagnation.

@LieutenantFrankColumbo, I appreciate your input and your comment. Your response brings up the fact that maybe I used the wrong language/word when asking my questions. I used the word coach when I, maybe, should have used instructor. I am looking for in-person chess lessons. I do want to play in some OTB tournaments at a future point, but that is not what I am primarily looking for at this point in time.

I appreciate everyone’s responses so far. Thank you.