I’ve played chess for over a decade, with a chess.com Rapid peak rating of 2015 and Blitz peak of 1855, along with multiple wins at the Birmingham Rapidplay tournaments in England and a chess.com Team England Championship title.

But my real strength as a coach comes from outside traditional chess instruction — I am a Game Theory and Multi-Criteria Decision Making professor with a PhD in Mathematics, specialising in decision-making under pressure and how strategic thinking is learned most efficiently. I have taught students from age 5 to adult, both in schools and online, across multiple countries and my academic background in teaching pedagogy allows me to break down complex ideas into clear and practical thinking habits.

🎯 Who I Coach

Beginners and improvers aiming to reach 1000 chess.com Rapid quickly
Serious students in the 1000–1500 range who want structured improvement and accountability
Players who want clarity and logic, not endless memorisation

If you’re committed to improving and willing to follow a structured thought process, you’re my ideal student.

🧠 My Coaching Philosophy — Sword & Shield

I teach using a unique framework I developed called Sword & Shield:

Shield first: build a solid foundation first.
Sword second: advance with purpose and apply pressure efficiently.

Alongside this, I train students to recognise Tactical Red Flags — simple visual triggers that signal danger and tell you to pause your plan, deal with the threat, and then continue your strategy with confidence.

⚙️ What Makes My Coaching Different

No memorised opening theory — instead, you learn universal priorities that work in any position.
Personalised exercises and homework based on your own games — you improve where it matters most.
Simple practical heuristics that train your decision-making speed and accuracy.
Maximum understanding, minimum memorisation.

My goal is to help you think clearly, play with purpose, and reach 1000+ Rapid with confidence and structure — not by guessing moves, but by understanding exactly why you’re making them.

If you want a coach who focuses on clarity, strategic priorities, and fast improvement without opening memorisation, feel free to message me — I reply personally to every student.

Danjones1729