Learn Chess: How to Play (Kids & Adults) | Chess Max Academy Skip to main content
110 West 79th St, New York, NY 10024
230 E 78th St, New York, NY 10075
79 E Putnam Ave, Greenwich, CT 06830
1435 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
PHONE: +1 (646) 783-1386

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In-Person & Online Chess

Chess Training: Learn How To Play Chess

Group Chess Lessons

Group Chess Lessons

During the school year, students are assigned homework and are challenged by competing with each other by solving chess puzzles in group classes, helping them to improve rapidly.

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One on One Chess Classes

One on One Classes

Private chess lessons offer one-on-one instruction for kids and adults. Work with a coach on the skills and goals that fit your current level.

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Chess Tournaments

Chess Tournaments

Chess Max Academy holds regularly scheduled chess tournaments for all levels and ages. All tournaments are rated by the U.S. Chess Federation.

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Chess Classes for Kids

Chess Workshops

Participate in problem-solving contests using the latest technology. Play tournaments, blitz, and 4-player chess, learn how to improve your thinking ..

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Chess Camps

Chess Camps & Events

Explore the Chess Camps & Events page for programme details. Check the individual event page for its dates, location, and registration information.

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Online Chess School

ONLINE SCHOOL

Learn chess from home with live instruction on Zoom. Explore online group classes and private lessons to find the format that fits your goals.

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Four academy locations, plus
live online chess classes

LOCATION #1
Upper West Side NYC
Fall/Winter Schedule
+1 (646) 783-1386 Get directions
LOCATION #2
Upper East Side 78th NYC
Fall/Winter Schedule
+1 (646) 783-1386 Get directions
LOCATION #3
Greenwich, CT
Fall/Winter Schedule
+1 (646) 783-1386 Get directions
LOCATION #4
Upper East Side Lex 93rd NYC
1435 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
Fall/Winter Schedule
+1 (646) 783-1386 Get directions

Learn Chess with Chess Max Academy using a proven program—online on Zoom or in-person in NYC and Greenwich, CT.

Chess Training: Teaching Kids and Adults How to Play Chess

Chess training for kids and adults can follow the same basic approach:

  1. Get a chess set on Amazon.com or at the offices of Chess Max Academy;
  2. Get a rule book – a good resource is Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_of_chess
  3. Learn how to set up the pieces.
  4. Learn how each piece moves by following the rule book.
  5. Practice moving each piece and capturing with the pieces on the board.
  6. Use online resources to improve your understanding of the basic rules: Watch YouTube videos or download a free comprehensive mobile chess app such as “Chess Max Academy” which offers step by step guide to learning the rules and making the first steps in practicing them, making it easy to learn at any age.

Once you learned all the rules, and decided that chess is for you and you want to find the best way to learn chess, you will need to find the best place to learn chess. If there are a number of chess schools in your area, you have to make a decision where to learn chess the best way. How to choose the best place if there is more than one chess school near you?

Our suggestion is to look at some obvious signs:

  1. Reviews: How satisfied are the customers with the service they are getting?
  2. Tenure: How long has the school been open? If it’s been around for 5 years or more, chance are things are going well as the clients are returning because they are happy.
  3. Who are the coaches? The level of private tutors is extremely important. If the school is run by Internationally acclaimed players, you are likely getting the best value for your investment, as getting taught correctly in chess works the same way as in all major life’s interests. Whether you are learning music, tennis, cooking or chess – mistakes made by bad coaches are the toughest to correct, as they become ingrained into the student’s thinking.
  4. Website: If the website looks like it’s professionally designed with all the chess school’s offerings pretty clear; whether you are looking for online tutoring with private tutors or group classes, to play in a chess tournament or to enroll in a camp – it means the owners are thoughtful not only in the design of their website, but also in how they structure their online and in-person group chess classes.

To sum up, to choose the best Chess School for you to learn chess check out the Reviews, the number of years the school has been in business, the level of the top coaches in the chess school and whether they have one of the best websites in the industry.

Chess Max Academy is a chess school with four academy locations: the Upper West Side, Upper East Side 78th Street, Upper East Side Lex 93rd Street, and Greenwich, CT. You can also learn online via Zoom. Check the programme and location pages for the current class details.

Choose a Chess Class for Your Learning Goals

Why Should You Get Chess Training If You Want To Learn Chess?

A chess instructor can explain why a move works, help you spot mistakes, and suggest what to practise next. Beginners can work on legal moves, checkmate, and piece safety. As you progress, lessons can focus on tactics, strategy, and reviewing your own games. Regular practice gives you opportunities to apply each idea on the board and discuss the results with your coach.

Learning Chess Strategy and Tactics

To learn chess for beginners we recommend our mobile chess app ‘Chess Max Academy’, which will take players from learning how the pieces move to understanding the basic tactics and strategy by reading through and then solving the puzzles in our free chess courses.
Practice between lessons complements our chess group classes for kids in NYC, Greenwich, CT, and online via Zoom.

Testimonials
about our chess classes
Eugene Galbmillion

Love this chess school. Facilities are great, teachers are very professional. Online classes are very helpful as well. They often hold chess championships and competitions.

Very recommended to everyone who wants their children to learn and advance in chess.

Antti Rajala

While visiting New York City from Finland. I took one lesson from GM Dlugy. My goal is to become National Master in Chess in the coming 10 years. Mr. Dlugy gave me excellent advice regarding opening choices. An important take away from the lesson was also a list of things to consider when making a move. The list encouraged me to move from a 10-minute game to a longer 30-minutes game which requires more thinking and it helps me to assemble different aspect of what I have learned about chess into a concrete plan of what move to make in a specific situation arising in the game. I put the tool to test and already can see that the accuracy of my play was greatly improved.

Pete Francis

Chess Max Academy is first rate. Coach Surfi has taken my game to a higher level. He makes studying chess fun and exciting. I look forward to my lessons each week.

Justin Kulla

Chess Max has been a terrific experience. Our son grew so much over the past year. He gained, skills, confidence and friendships. While he was the youngest in his class, Chess Max created a supportive environment. With the teacher’s support and encouragement, he competed in tournaments, some of which were at the school and had a terrific time playing against other students across the city. We appreciated the rigor of classes and assignments. Highly recommended for kids who are interested to really improve in chess.

Fu Chen
Chess Max Academy NYC

My two sons (11 and 7) have been attending Chess Max Academy’s online classes for about a year now and they have really benefited from the lessons and homework. Their game has improved and more importantly the classes are fun and the kids they met have helped them remain interested in chess. It is a great program and I recommend it to everyone.

Rohit Bansal
Chess Max Academy NYC

Chess Max Academy has been an incredible experience for my son and my family. My son is 8 yrs old and has been attending for close to a year. He is taking group lessons on Saturdays and 1-on-1 lessons on Sundays. Max and his team are extremely caring and focused on the student’s growth in both chess and life skills. I have seen tremendous growth in my son’s chess skills and his confidence in applying new strategies. The staff are incredibly talented and passionate when it comes to teaching chess. Mr. Surfi, in particular, has done an incredible job of helping my son make leaps and bounds in his chess playing ability. He employed incredible patience and care to see that my son made it through his self-doubt and frustrations. We had such an enjoyable experience that we are most likely going to sign our 5yr old son up to the same curriculum. I could not be more emphatic in my recommendation for Chess Max. It is a great experience for the parents, and especially for the children. It doesn’t matter what your level is when you start, you will see real improvement. Just Amazing. 5 Starts.

Jenny Villar
Chess Max Academy NYC

Chess is part of our daily lives thanks to Chess Max Academy. My 6 YO son started with them at 5 1/2, and they have led him in every step.

Sarfaraz Ahmed
Chess Max Academy of Greenwich

At Chess Max Academy the syllabus and training are designed in a step by step process carefully understanding the individual needs with the expert knowledge and supervision of Grand Master Maxim Dlugy. His years of experience embedded in the training procedures and developing a curriculum ensures the development and the learning curve of chess.