Live chess lessons for all ages, with a real coach.

Kids, teens and adults, from complete beginners up. Group classes are split by age (youth under 18, adults 18 and over), not by level: puzzle sets start easy and get harder, and each student works through them at their own pace on their own board. Private lessons are shaped to the student’s level.

A tablet, laptop or phone with a web browser, and a steady internet connection. No chess set needed. Each lesson also has a live video call (Zoom): the link appears in your account once the lesson is paid, and in the reminder email the day before (if reminders are on). It’s easiest with two screens, such as the board on a tablet or laptop and the video call on a phone, but one laptop can show both. On a phone or tablet, the video call may ask you to install the Zoom app.

The coach teaches on a shared board that everyone sees live, and can hand the board to one student to try a move. Then every student solves puzzles on their own board at the same time, while the coach watches all the boards. Classes can finish with friendly games against classmates, refereed live by the coach.

Private lessons move at your own pace, with the coach’s full attention. Group classes are a fun way to learn alongside other players of your age group, at a lower price. Many families start with one group class and decide from there.

The coach has passed a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check. There is no chat between the coach and students in the app, only ready-made picture-and-word cards. For students under 18, parents book, pay and receive every message. Classmates never see each other’s names, youth and adult groups never mix, and parents are always welcome to sit in.

Yes. Everything happens on the board: moves, arrows, checks and checkmates are shown on screen, the coach can send big picture-and-word cards like “Your turn!” or “Great move!”, and students can answer with their own cards. A coloured frame flashes round the board for “your turn”, right or wrong answers and the end of a game, and phones that can will also buzz. Sound and cards can be switched on or off on each device. For the video call, turn on live captions in your video app.

Eastern Time (ET). Youth group classes run after school on weekdays (3:30 and 4:45 PM) and on weekend mornings; adult group classes run on weekday evenings (7:15 PM), some mornings and weekends; private lessons are by appointment. Outside Eastern Time? Times convert automatically when you book: you see your own local time, with the ET time in brackets.

Choose one of our youth class times with your co-op, then each family books that class from its own parent account and pays for its own child ($20 a class). Seats are first come, first served, so book early; a class holds up to 10 students. Want to see it first? Ask for a 20-minute demo call by email at chessteacher@chessteacher.org (a demo call is not a free class).

Yes: put ChessTeacher on your home screen straight from app.chessteacher.org, with no download needed. On Android, open it in Chrome and tap Install (or the menu, then Install app). Use Chrome: other browsers, such as Samsung Internet, make an older kind of app that Google Play Protect may block. On iPhone or iPad, open it in Safari, tap the Share button (the square with an arrow), then Add to Home Screen. Store apps for Google Play and the App Store are coming.

Email us within 48 hours after the first class or lesson you pay for, and we'll refund it in full (once per family or adult learner). Parents of younger students are also always welcome to sit in and watch.

Cancel at least 24 hours before a class starts for a full refund. Once your week's sessions have started, unused sessions are 50% refundable. You can cancel your weekly plan anytime before the next week begins.