Private Chess Lessons in NYC & Online | Chess Max Academy
110 West 79th St. New York, 10024
230 E 78th St. New York, 10075
79 E Putnam Ave Greenwich CT
466 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011
1435 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10028

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Chess Max Academy

Private Chess Lessons in NYC, Greenwich & Online

One-on-One Chess Coaching for Faster Progress

Personalized private chess lessons for kids and adults in NYC, Greenwich, and online

Private chess lessons help students improve faster with focused attention, a personalized training plan, and direct feedback from an experienced Chess Max Academy coach.

Private coaching is ideal for tournament preparation, catching up to a group class level, building confidence, or working on specific weaknesses that are hard to address in a group class.

Not sure which coach is right for your child? Start with a free consultation and our team will recommend the best fit.

Private Chess Lessons in NYC, Greenwich & Online
Private Chess Lessons in NYC, Greenwich & Online Grandmaster

Grandmaster
Maxim Dlugy

  • Online and in-person private chess lessons
  • World-class coach for advanced students and tournament players
Founder of Chess Max Academy and former World Junior Champion. Maxim Dlugy has coached elite players including Kasparov and Karpov, and his students have won more than 25 National Scholastic titles, 1 World Championship title, and 2 Continental Championships.

Rate Starting From: from $300/hour

Choose Your Private Chess Coach

Not sure who is the right fit? Schedule a free consultation and our team will help match your child with the right coach.
Grandmaster Sergey Kasparov

[ Online Lessons ]

International Grandmaster | Chess Coach | Author |
Languages: Russian, English, Italian

Rate Starting From: from $140/hour
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Artiom Samsonkin standing at the World Chess Championship venue in a dark suit beside a chess-themed display.
International Chess Master Artiom Samsonkin

Top Rated Coach, National Level
[ Online Lessons ]

Artiom is extremely diligent and responsible when it comes to organizing the chess teaching for his students, making sure that they are assigned significant homework ...

Rate Starting From: from $130/hour
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Humberto Blanco International Master
International Master Humberto Blanco

[ Online Lessons ]

Humberto is an established chess coach, having coached State Youth Team of Cuba in the Under 14 and Under 18 Categories as well as National Team of Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela ...

Rate Starting From: from $100/hour
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Expert coach Marfa Esaulova
Expert Coach Marfa Esaulova

Top Rated Coach
[ In-Person & Online Lessons ]

Marfa is a chess expert and a great kids chess coach. Marfa has graduated from the World famous Botvinnik Chess School in Moscow, as well as from the Orient Chess School ...

Rate Starting From: from $180/hour
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dan yates
Dan Yates

[ In-Person & Online Lessons ]

Coach Dan Yates is the heart of Chess Max Academy’s youth program—a gifted instructor who turns every class into a joyful, confidence-building experience. Specializing in teaching younger kids...

Rate Starting From: from $150/hour
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Benjamin Ginsberg Private Chess Coach
Benjamin Ginsberg

[ Private Lessons ]

Meet Chess Coach Ben, a passionate player and dedicated mentor at Chess Max Academy. Ben has been playing chess since the age of six and has developed a deep appreciation for what he believes is the most beautiful and fascinating game in the world.

With a love for both teaching and strategy, Coach Ben enjoys working with students of all ages and skill levels, helping them discover their own passion for the game. He brings energy and curiosity into every lesson, guiding players to explore the rich intricacies of chess while building confidence, critical thinking, and creativity on the board.

Rate Starting From: from $150/hour
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Arrik Leman teaching a chess lesson at Chess Max Academy
Arrik Leman

[ In-Person & Online Lessons ]

Arrik Leman is a Master level chess coach, who helped GM Max Dlugy prepare for the US Senior Championships and helped edit Max’s new book on the Queen’s Gambit Accepted. His photographic memory enables him to quickly bring ...

Rate Starting From: from $180/hour
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Angelyn Binan
Angelyn Binan

[ Online Lessons ]

Chess Coach Angelyn is one of the top Women chess coaches in the Philippines. She is also a National Master. As a coach of a University team, she coached the team to the number 2 position in the country...

Rate Starting From: from $90/hour
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alan suh chess tutor
Alan Suh

[ Online & In-Person Lessons ]

Alan grew up in Hong Kong, actively competing through middle school and teaching a U.S. experts level. After moving to Middle East, Alan started a club in High School where he actively taught students in his school to make the club thrive...

Rate Starting From: from $150/hour
More info Get Started

Why Choose Private Chess Lessons at Chess Max Academy?

Private chess lessons give students focused attention, clear feedback, and a personalized training plan built around their level, goals, and learning style.

Personalized coaching: Some students need help slowing down and avoiding rushed moves. Others need stronger tactics, better opening habits, tournament preparation, or help building confidence after mistakes.

Master-level instruction: Chess Max Academy private coaches are experienced instructors trained in the Chess Max teaching system developed by Grandmaster Maxim Dlugy.

Tournament preparation: For students preparing for rated or unrated chess tournaments, private lessons can focus on tactics, notation, clock management, opening preparation, game review, and decision-making under pressure.

Online and in-person options: Chess Max Academy offers private chess lessons online and in person in NYC and Greenwich, depending on coach availability. Online chess lessons are a flexible option for busy families, travel schedules, or students who want to work with a specific coach.

Group class support: Many students make the fastest progress by combining group chess classes with private lessons. Group classes provide regular practice and social learning, while private lessons give targeted feedback and a personalized improvement plan.

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.