Knightly in the USA
Online chess lessons for kids in the USA
Scholastic chess in the US is competitive and well organised, which is great for motivated children and hard on parents trying to work out what good coaching looks like. Our answer is simple: a defined curriculum, one coach who knows your child, and a free demo lesson so you can judge the teaching before you pay for it.
Who these classes are for
- Children aged 5 to 16, from first-time players to scholastic tournament regulars.
- Families in every US time zone, from Eastern to Pacific and Hawaii.
- Children who play on chess apps and want to understand what they are doing.
- Parents looking for a private coach without local availability.
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 the USA
Scholastic tournament support
Coaching covers what actually costs children points at scholastic events: time pressure, notation, and the habit of checking the opponent's last move before replying.
From app player to real understanding
A lot of American children arrive having played thousands of online blitz games. Speed is not the problem; the absence of a plan is. We slow the thinking down before we speed it back up.
Priced in US dollars
The USD price below is per live lesson and is the same wherever you are in the country.
Parent-first communication
All scheduling and progress updates go to the parent by email. Parents may sit in on any lesson.
Local pricing
Prices below are per live class in USD, set for the United States market. We do not convert a dollar price at a floating exchange rate.
Personal 1:1 coaching
45 minutes, one coach, one child
$10$28per class
Small group class
60 minutes, level-matched group
$6$16per 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 the USA
- Which time zones can you teach in?
- All of them. Our coaches cover a wide daily window, so Eastern through Pacific families get realistic after-school slots. Give us your zone and preferred window in the demo request.
- Can you help my child prepare for scholastic tournaments?
- Yes. From the intermediate stage we cover tournament routine, clock discipline, notation and post-event game review. We do not guarantee ratings or results.
- My child plays a lot of online blitz. Is that enough?
- It builds pattern recognition and bad habits at the same time. Coaching keeps the pattern recognition and replaces the guesswork with a way of choosing moves.
- Are lessons one-on-one or group?
- Both are available. 1:1 lessons are 45 minutes and fully personalised; small group classes are 60 minutes with level-matched classmates and cost less per lesson.
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