How to Find a Chess Coach
The right chess coach can accelerate your improvement dramatically. But with thousands of coaches available online, how do you find a good one? Here is what to look for and what to avoid.
What rating should they be?
A good rule of thumb: your coach should be at least 300-500 rating points above you. For beginners (under 1200), a 1600+ coach is fine. For 1500+ players, look for titled coaches (FM/IM/GM). The coach's teaching ability matters as much as their playing strength.
What to expect
A good coach will: analyse your games to find patterns in your mistakes, create a personalised study plan, work on your specific weaknesses, set homework (puzzles, games to study), and track your progress over time. Avoid coaches who just lecture about theory without examining your games.
Online vs in-person
Online coaching is convenient and often cheaper. In-person coaching allows for better interaction, especially for younger children. Most coaches today use a combination: online sessions with shared screen analysis on Lichess or Chess.com.
Pricing
Rates vary widely: £15-30/hour for untitled coaches, £30-80/hour for titled coaches (FM/IM), £80-200+/hour for GM coaches. Group lessons are cheaper. Consider starting with 4-8 sessions to evaluate fit before committing to a long-term arrangement.