Knightly in New Zealand
Online chess lessons for children in New Zealand
Knightly provides live online chess coaching for New Zealand children from complete beginners to school and tournament players. Lessons are scheduled in New Zealand local time, and every new student starts with a free demo so the coach can assess their current level before recommending a starting stage.
Who these classes are for
- Children aged 5 to 16, from first-time players to regular school competitors.
- Families who want structured coaching without relying on local in-person availability.
- Children who enjoy online chess but need help turning games into real improvement.
- Junior players preparing for school, club or tournament chess.
How the classes run
- Live 45-minute 1:1 classes or 60-minute small group classes, never recordings.
- A five-stage curriculum from board setup through to tournament preparation.
- Puzzle homework between classes and coach-led review of your child's own games.
- Progress checked against curriculum milestones, not attendance.
What is different about teaching families in New Zealand
Scheduled for New Zealand families
New Zealand is far ahead of many coaching time zones, so we treat it as its own scheduling market rather than offering unsuitable late-night times copied from another country.
Useful alongside school chess
If your child already plays at school, the demo identifies what they genuinely know and what they still guess at. Coaching can then build beyond the school club rather than repeat it.
NZD regional pricing
New Zealand already has its own region in Knightly's pricing system. When an NZ price is published in the pricing database, this page displays that price directly rather than converting from US dollars.
Tournament habits, not rating promises
For competitive juniors, lessons can focus on clock use, calculation discipline, openings they actually play and analysis of their own games. We prepare controllable skills rather than promising a rating increase.
Local pricing
Prices below are per live class in NZD, set for the New Zealand market. We do not convert a dollar price at a floating exchange rate.
Personal 1:1 coaching
45 minutes, one coach, one child
$13$45per class
Small group class
60 minutes, level-matched group
$10$28per class
Launch pricing is a limited introductory rate. The demo class is free and no payment details are collected to book it. See pricing for every region.
Questions we get from parents in New Zealand
- Are lessons scheduled in New Zealand time?
- Yes. We use the child's New Zealand local time for scheduling and account for NZST/NZDT changes rather than asking families to convert the coach's time zone.
- Can my child start with no chess experience?
- Yes. Complete beginners are welcome. The demo is used to check readiness and decide whether to begin with board basics or move directly into the next curriculum stage.
- Can you help with school or junior tournaments?
- Yes. For children who already play complete games, coaching can include tournament routine, clock discipline, practical preparation and post-event game review.
- Do you offer both 1:1 and group classes?
- Yes. Personal coaching is a 45-minute live 1:1 class, and small-group classes are 60 minutes with level-matched students where suitable.
The five-stage curriculum
Every child, in every market, follows the same structured pathway. The demo class decides where they start.
- 1. First Moves
From an empty board to a confident first checkmate.
- 2. Tactical Builder
Stop losing pieces. Start winning them.
- 3. Strategic Player
Plans, not just moves.
- 4. Tournament Ready
Prepared for the clock, the opponent and the pressure.
- 5. Competitive Edge
Individual work on the exact things holding you back.
Start with a free demo class
A live class with a coach, a friendly assessment of your child's level, and a recommended starting stage. No payment details, no account needed.
Book a free demo class