Chess is obviously an activity that you cannot do alone. You need someone to play with, but in order to really hone your skills as a chess player, you need to have someone that can guide you or, at the very least, pose enough of a challenge to develop and harness your skills.
Almost every chess master and legend had a mentor, and if you want you or your children to enhance their chess skills, then it is very important to find a chess school that will help you do just that. There are many that provide either face-to-face or online lessons, but which one should you pick?
Here are the top 5 chess academies in India:
- ChessEasy Academy
- Chess Gurukul
- Premier Chess Academy
- Victorious Chess Academy
- Kingdom of Chess
In this article, we will provide you with five of the top chess academies in India that we have found. It is here that you can possibly find a mentor that can turn your chess skills into a grandmaster level of play.
ChessEasy Academy
ChessEasy is one of the best chess academies in India. Offering one on one training and group classes. ChessEasy has an impressive roster of coaches boasting some former FIDE and Commonwealth players and multiple-time university champions.
Not only does ChessEasy provide live training sessions, but they also have customized training plans for all types of players, from beginner to advanced. Lastly, ChessEasy also holds regular tournaments, provides feedback on games, as well as provides puzzle-solving exercises to enhance mental skills necessary for levelled-up play.
Contact/ Whataspp: +91 7012980842
Chess Gurukul
Chess Gurukul was founded in 2008, making it one of the oldest chess academies in India still running in this list. Founded by two grandmasters in GM Ramesh RB and WGM Aarthie, Chess Gurukul also has other GMs, IMs, and FIDE-ranked instructors so you are assured that you are getting the best quality chess education possible.
Chess Gurukul holds both online and offline classes for both individuals and groups. Tournaments are also held regularly to further hone the skills of their students. The school divides its students to up to six different levels of skill so that competition within groups is more evenly matched and progression can be more closely monitored before advancing to a higher level.
Premier Chess Academy
Premier Chess Academy has World Chess Federation-rated coaches and offer group and individual sessions to children. Operating in both India and the United States, Premier Chess Academy has had multiple success stories of their students of winning championships in their respective tournaments both locally and abroad.
Premier Chess Academy also provides free trial classes to properly gauge not only the student’s ability but also their attitude towards the game. This lets the school provide a more suitable way to further harness the skills that are already there so that it will grow to its full potential.
Victorious Chess Academy
Victorious Chess Academy’s lineup of coaches include several internationally rated players. They serve as coaches through online sessions where students will not only learn the basics of chess but also brain exercises that help stimulate memory, calculation, imagination, and critical thinking.
The school has three courses namely beginner, intermediate, and advanced. They also hold tournaments on a regular basis for students to not only gain experience but to instill confidence and competitiveness with each match.
Kingdom Of Chess
Kingdom of Chess is an online and offline chess academy founded in 2015 by Arena Grandmaster Chandrajeet Singh Rajawat. The academy has trained over 1500 students from 20+ countries, and their students have won numerous national and international awards, including reaching World Championships.
Kingdom of Chess specializes in teaching young children, emphasizing the need for strong fundamentals from the start. They have their own structured course and database that they follow, which was created after years of experimentation and observation. Their engaging and dynamic offline and online chess coaching methods encourage kids to learn even the most difficult aspects of the game.
How to Choose a Chess Academy
When choosing a chess academy for your child, you have to consider several factors, all of which are necessary to ensure that the student is going to get the best coaching possible.
- Price – You should definitely choose a school that suits your budget. Of course, you can opt for shorter courses or go for group courses if you want to go a bit cheap.
- Face to Face or Online – This is a matter of personal choice. This option will depend fully on the parent as well as the distance of the academy from the home. Of course, check first if the academy offers either offline or online classes before you commit.
- Coaches – It is important to be trained by actual professional players. You should find GMs, IMs, internationally ranked players, or even former champions with the actual skill and experience to serve as mentors to your child to assure their growth as a player.
- Teaching Style – Find a school that is firm yet makes the learning experience enjoyable. A school should teach with passion and not just be after your money. Mentors should build personal relationships with their students to ensure optimum learning and skills development.
- Competition – Several schools hold competitions inside and outside the school. This helps improve the student’s confidence and all abilities necessary to be a good chess player. Tournaments where students are pitted against those with slightly higher levels is also good so that they would be able to really test their skills.
- Nature of Lessons – Many schools do not just offer straight chess lessons as they also provide exercises in the form of puzzles or other methods that can exercise the brain. This can help develop core skills necessary in chess like memorization, creativity, and thinking multiple steps ahead.
How Much Should It Cost?
Academy costs are provided in terms or months or courses. A two-month course of 24 to 25 sessions can cost around 6 to 11 USD or around 500 to 900 INR per class. Rates are typically lower for longer sessions where you would be trained as a group, and higher for individual training for higher levels of play.
The cost of chess academies will vary from school to school. This can be due to a number of factors such as the background and accomplishments of the coaches in the school, whether the training would be online or face-to-face, the skill level of the student, the number of courses purchased, and many others.
Some schools would also provide additional training materials and even arrange for inter or intra-school competitions which may drive the tuition costs a little bit.
Conclusion
With the right mentor, your child can significantly develop their skills and abilities as a chess player. By also being able to compete with others, they are able to advance faster and be experienced enough to join tournaments and win.
Choose the best chess academy that suits your needs and preferences to ensure that your child becomes the best chess player that he can be.
