Structured Lessons

We believe that structured lessons are an important part of chess improvement, particularly for beginners. To that end, we run group lessons multiple times a week, which are all overseen by instructors with decades of experience teaching chess players. If you would rather have one on one attention, we also offer private lessons. Students of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels are welcome. If you have any questions, reach out at edu@chichess.org

Times:

• Mondays, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM.

• Fridays, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM.

• Sundays, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

Pricing:

• Group: $25 for a single lesson, $100 for a five pack of lessons.

• Private: $25 for a half hour lesson, $40 for an hour long lesson.

• If you’re registering 2 or more girls/women at the same time, it’s buy one get one half off (if you’re one girl, bring a friend!). 

Two levels of classes

Beginner:

Recommended rating: 0-1200

What you’ll learn:

1. The rules of the game.

2. Essential tactics like pins, skewers, and forks.

3. Opening principles like development, central control, and king safety.

4. Key mating patterns like the King + Queen vs. king checkmating pattern.

5. Tournament notation and etiquette.

What you’ll gain:

1. A foundational understanding of the world’s greatest game, and the personal maturity which comes with that understanding.

2. Ability to play in officially rated Chess tournaments.

3. A lifelong passion that you can take with you anywhere in the world for as long as you live.

Coaches: Edwin, Lamar (rated 1500+ USCF, 2000+ online)

Guest Lecturer: Founder of Queens United Chess, Maggie Tsyganova.

Intermediate:

Recommended rating: 1200-1600

What you’ll learn:

1. How to build an opening repertoire.

2. Common tactical motifs like the overloading, deflection, and interference.

3. How to properly analyze your tournament games (including engine use).

4. How to employ middlegame principles like good bishop vs. bad bishop, pawn structures with their associated breaks (e.g. Carlsbad and the minority attack), and prophylaxis.

5. Strategies for common endgames (such as Rook + Pawn).

What you’ll gain:

1. The habits to continuously improve, even after you’ve left the program.

2. Confidence in your abilities as a tournament player.

3. Hundreds of rating points.

Coaches: Zach, Jonathan, Bill (rated 1900+ USCF, 2300+ online)

Guest Lecturer:  Fide Master Kapil Chandran (He’s higher rated than Gotham Chess!)

Private coaching also available on request.