FIDE Master | 12+ Years Full-Time Coaching | 2025 Ohio State Champion

I study your games before we even meet, personalize every lesson to your specific strengths and weaknesses, and focus on the areas that will make the biggest difference in your play. Book a free 15-minute consultation to see if we're a good fit: daltonperrine.setmore.com

Who I Am

I'm Dalton Perrine, a FIDE Master (peak FIDE rating 2374) and USCF National Master (peak USCF rating 2362) with over 23 years of competitive tournament experience. I won the 2025 Ohio State Championship, I've defeated multiple Grandmasters over the board, and I'm currently pursuing the International Master title. I'm also a certified FIDE Instructor, a Chessable course author with 375+ reviews averaging 4.7/5 stars, and a co-founder of Chessalyz.ai.

I've been coaching chess full-time online since March 2014. That's over 12 years of helping players at every level improve their game. Hundreds of students have taken thousands of lessons with me, and many have gone on to win tournaments and gain hundreds of rating points. One student even won $10,000 at the Millionaire Chess Open.

What Makes My Coaching Different

Before we even meet for our first session, I'm already doing my homework. I study your recent games on my own time to understand your playing style, identify recurring patterns, and figure out where I think you can improve the most. This way we hit the ground running from the very first lesson.

During lessons, I don't lecture very much. I ask a lot of questions. I want to hear how you think through positions, because that tells me way more than just seeing what move you play. A lot of coaches focus on opening theory because it's easy to deliver and feels productive. I focus on thinking processes, the mental side of chess, and practical decision-making, because that's where the real improvement happens.

Every lesson is personalized to you. Your strengths, your weaknesses, your goals. I also assign customized homework between lessons in your online student portal and continue analyzing your games on my own time so that each session builds on the last.

What My Students Say

"I've had a great experience working with Dalton. He has no problem putting together lessons based on a specific request, changing plans at the last minute, or covering a wide range of topics (from calculation, planning, or opening prep). While working with him, I have set new personal bests in blitz, rapid, and classical chess. I have noticed an increase in my ability to calculate deeper and recognize opponents' resources when calculating tactics. Highly recommended for adult improvers. Lastly, Dalton seems willing to work with your preferred style of learning and progress rather than imposing his own structure on you." — Brendan

"Mark Dvoretsky once said that serious work with a chess player begins with a diagnosis of the student's strengths and weaknesses. I have taken lessons from two other coaches in the past and Dalton is the first one to have started off with an interest in learning the style of his students so that he can personalize his lessons to enhance your strengths and eliminate weaknesses. I highly recommend him to anyone who is serious about improving their chess." — Jefferson

"I had loved chess as a child but never played or learned seriously. In 2021 I decided that I wanted to be a 'competent' chess player but was struggling to keep above 1000 rapid on chess.com. I figured 1500 was competent but I am older and have a demanding career so I needed help. Dalton Perrine helped me understand and improve in ways I wouldn't have been able to on my own. I look forward to our lessons and never feel judged for not seeing something. I am beyond competent now but have set new goals with his help." — Rick

Pricing

First 1-hour trial lesson: $80
Regular 1-hour lesson: $100 with package discounts available
Full pricing details and package options are on my website: daltonperrine.com/pricing

Free Content

I also publish free educational content if you want to get a feel for how I teach before committing to a lesson:

YouTube (2,200+ subscribers, 237+ videos): youtube.com/@DaltonPerrine
Substack newsletter, Chess Chatter (800+ subscribers, recommended by GM Eugene Perelshteyn): chesschatter.substack.com
Chessable courses: chessable.com/dalton

Let's Talk

If you have any questions or want to learn more about how lessons work, you can book a free 15-minute consultation call here: daltonperrine.setmore.com

You can also message me here on Chess.com or visit my website at daltonperrine.com to get started.