Interesting topic and thank for sharing this. I think it all has to do what you are trying to get from the lessons and how serious a player is about their growth. But I do agree with you that the price can be heavy and will cost a lot if someone really wants to pursue a coach and take it in that manner.
Why are Chess Lessons so overpriced?
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Oct 6, 2016
0
#23
SmyslovFan wrote:
Bramblyspam wrote:
I believe IM/GM coaches are worth what they charge, but most people don't need them. As a rule, you can learn everything you need to know from someone rated 300 points above you. Anything beyond that is likely to be a waste. It's like paying a GM to teach a novice how the pieces move, even though any 1200-rated player could teach that just as well.
It really depends on the coach. I won't name the titled players, but I've had many students who took lessons from GMs and they had a common complaint: the GMs were great at analysing, but they didn't know how to plan a lesson or communicate with lower rated players.
In order to teach a subject, one needs both a deep knowledge of the subject and the ability to communicate with the student. Many titled players have one, not the other.
One of the very best chess teachers I ever saw was an E-class player named Wendell Derritt. He managed to inspire thousands of inner-city kids to play chess. At least one of his students went on to become a NM, but the real measure of success for him was that they all made chess part of their lives.
Chess coaches generally charge about the same as a music teacher does.
Look for a coach who not only has a strong background in chess, but is also a teacher. Many good teachers offer their first lesson for free. They know their product will sell itself.
+1
Chess teachers want their student to be serious about chess. At $10 an hour, a student isn't making much of an investment. After 4 or 5 lessons, it's easy to quit having spent only $50. It ends up being a waste of time for the teacher.
Knowing that the lesson is $50 per hour, the student is going to decide if he really want's to take the game seriously or not.
Also, it's ridiculous to think that an instructor might drive all the way across town to give a lesson for only $10 or $20, or take 1 hour out of his day for such a small amount of money. it's simply not worth his time.
With that, bear in mind that everything a highly skilled player has learned about chess has taken him several years (Often times, much of his life) to learn. That information is worth more than $10 or $20 per hour.
I do think though that online lessons should be cheaper though.
Oct 6, 2016
0
#25
Dark_army, today, online chess lessons are really good. I use Skype and a live interactive chess board. I can draw arrows and circles, which is better than I could do live. There are of course drawbacks to online chess lessons, but they are minor. And they are far more convenient to both the student and the teacher. I've actually given online lessons to some students living in the same town as myself. I do charge slightly less, because there are no travel costs.
Oct 6, 2016
0
#26
Jimmykay wrote:
Hmmm...A good coach spends at least 50% of time preparing for lessons, so let's see what $50/year translates into a yearly salary...
8 hours per day, 5 days per week, 50 weeks per year. That is 2000 hours per year, only which 1000 would be billable time. That is $50,000 per year, assuming that teaching chess is the person's full time job.
There are areas of the world where this is a good income. I can tell you that where I live in the United States, this would barely cover the bills for one person, and you could not raise a family on this. After the cost of healthcare, this would be considered poverty.
The cost of living is much higher here than in Ecuador, so please understand, KingNick, that economies are relative to each other. What sounds like a fortune to a person in one country would not be a livable wage in another.
Please note I am American and am Minnesotan. I don't know how you do your math, but $50 an hour would come out to $100,000 per year... That sounds very good to me and most chess coaches on here charge much more than that...
Oct 6, 2016
0
#27
Pouya-Khodadadi wrote:
Interesting topic and thank for sharing this. I think it all has to do what you are trying to get from the lessons and how serious a player is about their growth. But I do agree with you that the price can be heavy and will cost a lot if someone really wants to pursue a coach and take it in that manner.
Indeed.
Oct 6, 2016
0
#28
pfren wrote:
Lasker1900 wrote:
But if a coach can fill all his available time slots at $50/hour, why would he charge less?
Because anyone willing to pay $50+ per hour to attend a session with GM/IM XYZ is an idiot- and having to deal with idiots all the time is very bad for the teacher.
I do know that several fellow titled players/ trainers charge that much, or even more than that, and they have a decent client base. But this doesn't make the pricing less ridiculous. But I also know a lot of good trainers which charge much less than that.
Words of the wise. Thanks for your comments.
Oct 6, 2016
0
#29
Dark_Army wrote:
Chess teachers want their student to be serious about chess. At $10 an hour, a student isn't making much of an investment. After 4 or 5 lessons, it's easy to quit having spent only $50. It ends up being a waste of time for the teacher.
Knowing that the lesson is $50 per hour, the student is going to decide if he really want's to take the game seriously or not.
Also, it's ridiculous to think that an instructor might drive all the way across town to give a lesson for only $10 or $20, or take 1 hour out of his day for such a small amount of money. it's simply not worth his time.
With that, bear in mind that everything a highly skilled player has learned about chess has taken him several years (Often times, much of his life) to learn. That information is worth more than $10 or $20 per hour.
I do think though that online lessons should be cheaper though.
I don't think it's right to put a dollar amount on what is and what isn't a good investment for someone. You could also say that you have much more to lose at $50 an hour versus $10 an hour, so it would be a BAD investment.
Oct 7, 2016
0
#31
Depends what your goal and aim is if your a young boxer, mix martial artist or someone who is going to play professional tennis or Chess then you search out the best trainer who is a good fit you can work with to help you become in the voice of Mickey in Rocky a contender.
"Overpriced" is subjective...
Why is someone charging $50/hour to teach chess "overpriced"? But charging $50 to park your car at a sporting event considered "normal?"
When did $12 for nachos become normal, and acceptable?
An IM charging $65/hour to teach chess is ridiculous, but charging $175 for a polyester sports jersey isnt?
Oct 7, 2016
0
#33
KiNgNiCk23 wrote:
Jimmykay wrote:
Hmmm...A good coach spends at least 50% of time preparing for lessons, so let's see what $50/year translates into a yearly salary...
8 hours per day, 5 days per week, 50 weeks per year. That is 2000 hours per year, only which 1000 would be billable time. That is $50,000 per year, assuming that teaching chess is the person's full time job.
There are areas of the world where this is a good income. I can tell you that where I live in the United States, this would barely cover the bills for one person, and you could not raise a family on this. After the cost of healthcare, this would be considered poverty.
The cost of living is much higher here than in Ecuador, so please understand, KingNick, that economies are relative to each other. What sounds like a fortune to a person in one country would not be a livable wage in another.
Please note I am American and am Minnesotan. I don't know how you do your math, but $50 an hour would come out to $100,000 per year... That sounds very good to me and most chess coaches on here charge much more than that...
Please read the first sentence...a teacher will spend at least 50 percent of the time prepping and travelling...so in a 2000 hour work year, there can only be 1000 billable hours.
Oct 7, 2016
0
#34
"overpriced" is completely subjective. If there's a market for it, then it's not overpriced.
If you're happy with your current coach and find his rates reasonable, then it's the right coach for you. Some people prefer to work with a stronger coach or a titled player. They probably have their (good) reasons too.
hicetnunc wrote:
"overpriced" is completely subjective. If there's a market for it, then it's not overpriced.
If you're happy with your current coach and find his rates reasonable, then it's the right coach for you. Some people prefer to work with a stronger coach or a titled player. They probably have their (good) reasons too.
You have to love those that think someone trying to charge $50-$65 for chess lessons is unreasonable, but have no issue with someone making $200,000,000.
Oct 7, 2016
0
#36
Yeah, the whole concept of "overpriced" misses out on the nature of supply and demand. If something is "overpriced", competitors will swoop in and offer the same service for a lower price. The market dictates prices.
chesster3145 wrote:
Umm, because chess coaches are severely underfunded.
Or they realized that the opportunity cost to become an adequate player could have reaped them more lucrative opportunities if the time and energy was spent elsewhere. Making up for those sunk costs.
Oct 7, 2016
0
#38
$50 could buy you 2 or 3 good chess books that would keep you busy for hundreds of hours, if you really studied them. I am not sure why anyone under 1800 thinks that $50 is better spent on even 5 hours with a coach instead of a few good books.
Jimmykay wrote:
$50 could buy you 2 or 3 good chess books that would keep you busy for hundreds of hours, if you really studied them. I am not sure why anyone under 1800 thinks that $50 is better spent on even 5 hours with a coach instead of a few good books.
As it has been said before. I think a lot of it has to do with what you want to get out of chess. I made it to USCF A class on my own. Nut to make Expert i know that i need a coach to guide me there. Just my opinion...
I believe IM/GM coaches are worth what they charge, but most people don't need them. As a rule, you can learn everything you need to know from someone rated 300 points above you. Anything beyond that is likely to be a waste. It's like paying a GM to teach a novice how the pieces move, even though any 1200-rated player could teach that just as well.
It really depends on the coach. I won't name the titled players, but I've had many students who took lessons from GMs and they had a common complaint: the GMs were great at analysing, but they didn't know how to plan a lesson or communicate with lower rated players.
In order to teach a subject, one needs both a deep knowledge of the subject and the ability to communicate with the student. Many titled players have one, not the other.
One of the very best chess teachers I ever saw was an E-class player named Wendell Derritt. He managed to inspire thousands of inner-city kids to play chess. At least one of his students went on to become a NM, but the real measure of success for him was that they all made chess part of their lives.
Chess coaches generally charge about the same as a music teacher does.
Look for a coach who not only has a strong background in chess, but is also a teacher. Many good teachers offer their first lesson for free. They know their product will sell itself.