I would get the coach for your kid if u want him to develop properly, just because the information is available online does not mean you know how to use it properly to set your kid in the right direction. a coach can give your kid valuable study habits and show him how and what to study
Relevancy of a chess coach - Low rated players
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Mar 31, 2018
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#5
A lot of coaches are free.If you go on their webpage and write them they answer you for free.
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I also can't say whether my growth would have been much faster if I had a chess coach. Still, I hope this was a helpful data point!
Mar 31, 2018
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#8
You say you're almost 2000 USCF level.
You haven't even played anyone over 1700.
(Since you used your real name, we can look up your USCF tournaments and stats).
Mar 31, 2018
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#9
In general I agree though, a coach isn't useful at a low level. You should be reading and playing a lot to collect all your basics.
If you go to a coach as a beginner, they'll just give you that homework... so sure, maybe get a coach for a few weeks and ask them how and what to train. Let them organize a training schedule and suggest material. Then you can follow it on your own.
Hmm, after checking myself I only found a few examples of people rated over 1700, with the highest I played against being 1789, and most being sub 1700. So I suppose you're right. I hadn't bothered to check my opponents' ratings in tournament. I tried to edit my comment to add that in, but accidentally deleted. :/
My point was that I improved to a fairly decent level (I think it's fair to say ~1800) through chess.com resources and video, not using a coach, over a Summer + several months. Hopefully that is a useful data point for your son.
Mar 31, 2018
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#11
I'd go with a coach if you have any sort of aspirations of your child competing professionally. But if you just want your child to learn chess as a hobby, a professional coach would be a bit overkill.
Mar 31, 2018
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#12
I dint get a coach until about 1400, then within about two weeks I had improved about 150 rating points in playing strength. I found the coach was extremely helpful for those two weeks, he showed me all the common mistakes in my games and helped me learn how to study as well as directing me towards some good books and telling me to play slower games, this coach was only rated about 2100.
I’d say if ur son is in the same situation as me ( perhaps just hit Class C) and there aren’t any expert rated or master players around that it would be possible to ask for advice, I think getting a coach for a short stretch of time is very beneficial.
I’d say if ur son is in the same situation as me ( perhaps just hit Class C) and there aren’t any expert rated or master players around that it would be possible to ask for advice, I think getting a coach for a short stretch of time is very beneficial.
If you want to improve rapidly a coach can help you by condensing information found in books that would take hours of reading and turn it into only a few minutes of learning. They also can tailor lessons to your weaknesses and strengths, that's something you can't really do on your own.
Thank you for all the feedback. I think it is very important to consider the financial expense that comes with the benefit of a coach. I think that is the one thing keeping me back.
Is it worth spending all that money to improve at chess? I love the game, my son enjoys playing it, we both want to progress and grow in the game, but is the money/time worth it?
Personally, I think balance is very important. So, a coach that is affordable, with a goal that is achievable, mixed with good son and dad fun over the chess board, maybe then it could be worth it.
During a tournament where my son was playing, I had the opportunity to talk to someone that played on the highest levels of chess in my country.
I asked him about getting a couch for my son (and possibly for myself too), but what he said shocked me. He stated that a coach, in today's time, is not really necessary unless you are competing in the top levels of chess internationally. He stated that there are many sources to gain information and improve at the game.
Now, I am not saying that I agree or disagree, but I was just wondering how other people feel about whether it is worth spending money (and a lot thereof) on a coach.