Chess isn’t just a game; it is a literal workout for the brain. Considering that approximately 605 million adults play chess regularly worldwide, the online tutoring market is experiencing significant growth. The need for an online chess tutor is constantly on the rise. So, no matter if you are a professional chess player or simply passionate about teaching chess online, becoming a tutor can bring a lot of opportunities for you.
But the real question that tutors ask is, how can you structure an online chess course while keeping learners intrigued and delivering progress that can be measured? No worries! In this step-by-step guide, we will explain how to teach chess online using various tools and techniques.
A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Teach Chess Online
In the digital age, teaching chess has expanded beyond classrooms and local clubs. Millions of people log in and play chess online. This presents a great opportunity to teach chess online. This opportunity is ideal for both tutors and learners. Let’s look at the steps you need to follow to learn how to teach chess.
Step 1: Define Teaching Goals and Understand Audience
The first step involved in becoming a chess coach online is understanding who you are teaching. Different age groups will require distinct teaching approaches.
Here is an example of how you can identify your audience:
- Absolute beginners: You can focus on piece movement, board setup, and basic rules.
- Kids (ages 6–12): You can make sure that the sessions are fun, interactive, and story-based.
- Teenagers and adults: You can include historical games, real-world strategies, and common tactics.
- Intermediate players: You can teach concepts like forks, pins, openings, and endgame principles.
Step 2: Selecting the Right Platform and the Right Tool
To teach chess online in the best possible way, it is first essential to understand which platforms would be more beneficial to use, along with the tools that you can use. You can use a blend of video conferencing tools and an interactive chessboard to make the lessons more interesting yet informative.
Some of the commonly used tools are mentioned below:
- Zoom / Google Meet: For live face-to-face sessions.
- Lichess.org: Free, open-source, allows live games, shared studies, and interactive boards.
- Chess.com: Ideal for puzzles, ratings, and student vs. coach challenges.
- ChessKid.com: Specifically designed to help teach kids chess.
- Google Classroom / Notion: For assignments, lesson archives, and feedback.
For example, an online coach teaching a 7-year-old in Canada used ChessKid for interactive puzzles while keeping Zoom open for commentary. The child’s engagement doubled once animations and stars were added to the learning process.
Step 3: Creating a Lesson Plan
Tutoring for a challenging game like chess requires a well-structured approach. Whether you are teaching a professional or a beginner, it is essential to have a robust lesson plan format ready for all your sessions.
Below is the sample lesson plan format:
- Warm-up (5–10 mins)
- Start with a simple puzzle.
- Play a quick 5-minute unrated game.
- Primary Lesson (20–25 mins)
- Focus on a core concept (e.g., pins, king safety, central control).
- Use real games to explain it.
- Practice and Play (15–20 mins)
- The student applies the concept in a short game.
- Analyze key moments afterward.
- Wrap-up and Homework (5 mins)
- Assign puzzles or ask the student to annotate a game before the next class.
Pro tip: It is best to use tutor scheduling software to schedule classes efficiently.
Step 4: Using Different Resources
How do I teach kids chess? Or thinking about how to help an intermediate player? Well, the answer is utilizing both online and offline resources. You can either use online libraries or traditional books to become a better chess tutor. Here are some recommended resources for the best results:
- Lichess Studies: Create your own interactive, annotated lesson libraries.
- YouTube: Channels like GothamChess and Hanging Pawns offer engaging explanations.
- Books: Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (great for beginners), Chess Fundamentals by Capablanca, or Silman’s Complete Endgame Course (for intermediate learners).
Always blend visual, audio, and kinesthetic methods (e.g., let students move pieces themselves). It is also suggested to allow learners to make mistakes, as this is the best way to learn.
Step 5: Consistent Practice and Feedback
A learner who does not practice will not improve their skills. Chess is a game that is only 20% theory; 80% of learning chess is practicing. As a tutor, it is also essential for you to provide feedback to the learner so that they can avoid making mistakes. You can also utilise tutor management software such as Wise to share feedback in real time.
Let us look at some of the practical ways to reinforce learning:
- Assign 5–10 tactical puzzles weekly (use Lichess puzzle sets).
- Ask students to send a PGN of one game per week for analysis.
- Let students explain why they made each move (builds thought process).
- Ensure to conduct mock tournaments every 4–6 weeks to simulate competitive play.
For Example, a coach in the UK asked his students to start recording voice notes explaining their thought process while playing, as it helped them understand and identify gaps.
Step 6: Tracking of Progress and Celebrating Milestones
Motivation paves the way for growth. When milestones are celebrated, it boosts a learner’s confidence and leads to fewer blunders. To motivate, it is essential to track progress.
What to track:
- Increase in online ratings.
- Puzzle accuracy improvement.
- Reduction in blunders (use game reports from Chess.com/Lichess).
- Understanding of tactical themes (forks, skewers, discovered attacks).
For example, a 14-year-old who started with a 750 rating climbed to 1100 in six months through weekly reviews, feedback, and a tracker that logged his mistakes, time usage, and puzzle results.
Pro tip: Use a tutor management software to track progress through dashboards.
Step 7: Market Your Offerings
When you begin as a tutor, it is essential to market yourself and gain as much visibility as possible. Whether you are providing online chess coaching or running a chess coaching center, it is important to attract and, more importantly, retain students.
Where to promote your chess lessons:
- Social media: Share puzzles, student wins, or tips on social media platforms.
- Tutoring platforms: SuperProf, Preply, UrbanPro, MyPrivateTutor.
- YouTube or blog: Offer free lessons to show credibility.
- LinkedIn: Post milestones, game analyses, or parent testimonials.
It is also best to set your rates beforehand. To get more students, you can also offer discounts.
What are the Mistakes that Must Be Avoided While Teaching Chess Online?
Mistakes are unavoidable; however, planning carefully can help you avoid them. Below are errors that must be avoided:
- Please do not skip the basics, as it can confuse beginners.
- Using jargon can confuse new learners.
- Avoid teaching too many concepts in the same lesson plan.
- Do not keep lessons longer as it can reduce engagement.
- Not including practice tasks.
- Avoid emphasizing memorizing the tricks.
- Not motivating the students when needed.
- Not tracking student progress.
Conclusion
Learning how to teach a beginner chess online requires skills. A tutor needs to have subject expertise, creativity, adaptability, and, more importantly, patience. A tutor must understand a learner’s pace, along with the right tools and materials. It does not matter if your student is a young child, a skilled teenager, or a learned adult; as a tutor, you are part teacher, part coach, and part motivator. Chess is a game that teaches patience, planning, and resilience. As a tutor, you are doing more than just training and building players; you are building thinkers.
FAQs About How to Teach Chess Online
Is it a requirement to have a chess title to teach online?
It is not a mandatory requirement to have a chess title. Good communication and a solid understanding of fundamentals are sufficient to start teaching chess, especially to beginners.
How to make chess lessons more interesting for kids?
When it comes to kids, it’s best to keep lessons short. Also, ensure it is visually appealing and interactive. Besides, you can use puzzles, short games, and stories to keep the kids engaged. Gamifying will also help to a great extent.
Is it possible to teach chess online without a webcam?
Yes, you can teach chess online without a webcam; however, using a webcam will help build rapport and also enhance student engagement.
Is it ideal to record online chess lessons?
Yes, recording online chess lessons will help students to review and allow them to self-improve.
