Coach of Canada's Junior & Youth Chess Champion | Internationally Certified Chess Instructor | Teaching Since 1996

From the very first moments of our lesson, it was clear that working with Jenn would be a real pleasure. She genuinely loves the game, brings great energy and curiosity to the lesson, is very receptive to feedback, and is clearly motivated to improve. Her enthusiasm made the session both productive and genuinely enjoyable. I’m really looking forward to our future lessons and to seeing how her game develops.

Hanaa is an absolute pleasure to teach. From the very beginning, she has approached chess with patience, organization, and a genuine passion for learning that makes every lesson enjoyable and meaningful.

What stands out most about Hanaa is her calm and thoughtful approach to the game. She takes the time to understand ideas, asks insightful questions, and applies what she learns with care and discipline. Her kindness and gentle personality create a wonderful learning atmosphere, and her dedication to improving step by step is truly admirable.

Her enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment to progress make every session a joy.

Giancarlo is the definition of an artist and a true enthusiast.

He approaches chess with the same depth, discipline, and passion that he brings to music as a master guitar player, teacher, and true lover of his craft. His curiosity, consistency, and desire to truly understand the game make every lesson meaningful and rewarding.

What makes Giancarlo special is not only his talent, but his mindset. He studies seriously, asks thoughtful questions, reflects deeply, and applies what he learns with intelligence and creativity. This is the attitude that leads to real mastery, in chess and in life.

Teaching him is not just about improving moves on a board. It is about sharing ideas, building understanding, and growing together.

I am proud of his progress and grateful for his trust. Working with students like Giancarlo is exactly why I love teaching.

David’s sheer intelligence shines through in every session, often carrying him beyond his current chess level and proving that a sharp mind can break barriers!

His incredible enthusiasm for chess, a game he so clearly and deeply loves, is a joy to see and brings such a unique energy to our lessons.

What I value most, though, is his genuine curiosity: he embraces both the artistic beauty and the scientific rigor of the game with equal passion. His emotional reactions to brilliant ideas, whether tactical fireworks or subtle positional concepts, show how deeply he connects with the heart of chess.

Teaching David has been truly inspiring, and in many ways, a learning experience for me as well! I have no doubt that his journey will continue to be both impressive in achievement and joyful in spirit.

Charley has an amazing character: kind, friendly, and wonderfully spontaneous. This spontaneity gives her a smooth and intuitive approach to chess, helping her enjoy the learning process and spot creative possibilities with a natural instinct along the way. Much like in life, she brings curiosity, positivity, and a joyful spirit to every lesson, making teaching her a true pleasure.

Jason is a fantastic student to work with! He's focused, dedicated, and has a real passion for chess. He's always eager to learn and improve, and he never backs down from a challenge, leading to continued progress. I'm really enjoying our sessions and always look forward to the next one!

It is always an absolute joy to teach amazing people like Olivier! Not only is he a true gentleman on a personal level, something that was evident in less than a minute after the first meeting with him, but his natural curiosity and ability to grasp new ideas are remarkable. Olivier's genuine excitement for learning is invigorating, and it's hard to say who is more inspired by the other's passion for chess. The dedication and enthusiasm of students like Olivier make teaching chess such an enjoyable and spectacular experience!

The moment I finish a lesson with Lydia, I immediately start looking forward to the next lesson! A natural leader, with a spontaneous and amazing personality, she can teach you a lot just by learning from you! I have taught some wonderful people which can be seen from my other students' reviews, some wonderful personalities, incredible champions, who have become great friends, and then Lydia came along to complete this beautiful group, with a true hero! I cannot be blessed more, or grateful enough for this!

Annie is simply Ms. Perfect! This will certainly seem like an exaggeration, but it is 100% true. I have never met someone with such a clear mindset, amazing discipline, outstanding list of priorities, respectful hard work, and exceptional determination! My mission is to teach my students how to win, and chess is the beautiful illustrative tool. I never imagined that I would feel such emotional thrill, pride and joy when Annie told me about a victory she had achieved in her studies. For me, it was if she had won first place in the World Chess Championship. Annie is a winner, and I'm looking forward to the bright future of the young lady who will definitely go really, really far!

The teacher's job is not only to help students reach their fullest potential, but also to maintain or even increase the student's passion for the game. With Marcus, passion is always at its highest, and I sometimes feel that during our chess lessons he is already in the middle of the most serious game in the most important tournament of his life. Like every great artist, Marcus forgets about the entire world and goes with all his senses into the magical realms of chess. He said he always looks forward to the next session. I can't say less about myself, thanks to Marcus' incredible passion that always has me waiting for the next session with the absolute chess lover!

During our first lesson, I asked Saad about the classic guitar that appears behind him on the webcam, and whether he is the one who uses it. I was glad to hear a positive response because it is much easier for an artist with a taste for music to taste the beauty of the most charming game in the world, chess! Once, the great teacher Siegbert Tarrasch said "Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make people happy"! Saad is certainly an amazing and a happy person, who can spread intelligence and happiness, even via a webcam!

Everything was clear from the first lesson: Amir is "A Scientist" who calculates, plans, and learns, "An Artist" who appreciates and celebrates beautiful ideas, tactical or positional, with all his senses, and "A Chess Lover" who looks at the moves on the chess board with a sparkle in the eyes, a broad smile, and his trademark phrase: " Wow, this is beautiful!"

So, is Amir the perfect chess apprentice? Honestly no! He is that, and much, much more! He's also a very smart, gentle, and amazing personality who can combine seriousness with humor in an incredibly clever way, making the next online chess session something to wait for, every time!

When I read the review above, I told Amir that his words were among the best things anyone said/written about me, and that I was so honored, the humble gentleman insisted on giving me back the credit. After all - and here I will borrow his own expression- his name is also the exact indication of what to expect from him, Amir...The Prince!

Rajeev has everything it takes to be successful. I cannot challenge him to do further, more than how willing he is to challenge himself. Determined to succeed, he seems tireless in trying again and again until he reaches his goal. As I constantly motivate my trainees to do their best, I am amazed to which extent Rajeev's perseverance can motivate me to do my best!

Jonathan is a real warrior! The combination of passion and determination is always the perfect formula, and Jonathan takes it to its limits in every game. While winning is a good motivation to keep going for most people, only real fighters can show their best after a defeat. Jonathan is that kind of person, working with whom, I cannot ask for more!

I adore Pablo Picasso's famous saying “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist!”, but with Keith, the brilliant artist, the opposite is true! Imagine my absolute sheer joy watching him analyzing and obtaining the rules of complex endings using his creative imagination! Honestly, even writing about this is a reason to smile, let alone watching it!

When I asked Scott about his preferred timing for lessons, he immediately picked early mornings on the weekends, after finishing his physical workout! I realized that I was going to learn a lot from him, and that was proved right away in our first lesson! The extremely kind and cheerful gentleman who strives to train his body and mind, rather than enjoying a long sleep on weekends, is someone I had the honor to meet, let alone to teach!

With Paul, I had the feeling that I started the lesson with a chess player, and finished it with a player of a completely different level! This is incredible, and no teacher can do that alone! “It takes two, you know, to play a great game,” Kasparov once said, referring to the winner and the loser! Paul is definitely the type of partner with whom you can play a great game, and both of you will be a winner!

It's always a pleasure to teach someone like Benjamin, who sparkles with intelligence. A gentle, quick-learning, enthusiastic and honest person. An amazing combination indeed!