Upper East Side Chess Classes – Fall/Winter 2026/27

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.