In-Person & Online Chess Classes and Tournaments,
Trusted by World Champions!
Vancouver Chess School has guided over 5,000 juniors to success — including 3 World Champions, FIDE Masters, and countless national & provincial champions — through our proven 12-level program, expert coaching, and exciting tournaments. Starting at $100 CAD/month.
What are our superpowers?
Champions
Titles
Experience
Reviews
Our Stars & Stories
🎖️ Levy Rozman Receives the VCS Signature Medal of Honour
Levy Rozman, known as GothamChess, sends his best wishes to all Vancouver Chess School students and shares his hope to visit Vancouver one day.
Karson Lu 👑 Crowned U7 FIDE Rapid World School Champion 2024!
Huge congratulations to Karson Lu on his incredible victory at the U7 FIDE Rapid World School Championship 2024 in Callao, Lima, Peru! 🏆 A remarkable achievement that brings pride to Vancouver Chess School and inspiration to all our juniors.
Hikaru Nakamura’s Legendary Visit to VCS! ✨
During a special training session, Hikaru Nakamura surprised our Team BC and Sunday Chess Club students! He played blitz, signed autographs, posed for selfies, and was awarded the very first VCS Signature Gold Medal — now officially named the Hikaru Nakamura Medal 🥇. A truly unforgettable day for all our young players!
Elliot McCallum Wins Gold at the FIDE World School Championships 2023! 🥇
Huge congratulations to our Grade 1 Provincial Champion, Elliot McCallum, on his sensational victory in the U7 category at the FIDE World School Championships 2023 in Rhodes, Greece (April 13–23). A proud moment for Elliot, VCS, and the entire Canadian chess community!
Elliot McCallum Presents VCS Signature Medal to Super GM Wesley So 🌟
At the 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championship, 9-year-old Elliot McCallum proudly awarded the VCS Signature Medal to Super GM Wesley So, celebrating his brilliance, sportsmanship, and inspiration to young players worldwide. A powerful symbol of respect across generations — from a rising talent to a living legend. 🙌♟️
Zhu Chen, 9th Women's World Chess Champion, Supports VCS.
We are proud to have the long-time support of Zhu Chen, the 9th Women's World Chess Champion. Over the years, we've exchanged ideas, class materials, and curriculum with her, strengthening our mission to provide world-class chess education. In this video Zhu Chen wishes all the best to the students and parents of Vancouver Chess School in their chess journey.
Our 3 pillars of excellence
Proven 12-Level Curriculum
Our structured program ensures that every student - beginner to advanced - follows a clear path to mastery. Each level builds on the last, developing logic, tactics and strategic thinking.
World-Class student success
We've taught over 5,000 students, with multiple National & Regional Champions - and 3 World Champions and 3 FIDE Masters trained at our school. Your child joins a winning tradition.
Innovative Chess platform & Games
Our Chess heroes platform offers interactive lessons, challenges and rewards, on a state of the art custom-built platform, designed to engage and motivate young learners.
What parents are saying
I first got to know Vancouver Chess School when I registered my son for the VCS’ Chess in School program in 2016. I simply wanted to expose him to an extracurricular activity, but I didn’t expect ...
My child had a great experience here. She got so much interest in chess after taking summer camp here. They even provide pizza lunch for camps....
The Vancouver Chess School has been a game-changer for my autistic child. Not only has he made remarkable progress in his chess skills, but he genuinely looks forward to every session. The instructors...
My kids had wanted to join VCS classes at Jericho for some time, and the availability of online classes during the pandemic provided the opportunity to overcome scheduling barriers. My 6 year old da...
Vancouver Chess School is a very well run and well organized endeavour, and kudos to the dedicated people running it. We'd been looking for chess classes for our son for a while but what made the diff...
I highly recommend this chess training school to anyone looking to improve their chess skills. The instructors are all highly knowledgeable and experienced, especially Gyan Awatramani. And their pass...
Great place, both before and post-Covid. My son has been attending for 3 years and has made great progress. They have lots of tournaments and camps. There's a clear system in place to track performan...
Vancouver Chess School is a really well run chess school, with kind and dedicated coaches. It teaches students from complete beginners to much higher levels. VCS has made a seamless transition to teac...
Our kid really enjoyed the chess classes. The classes/activities are well structured and the coaches are patient....
The camp at VCS is an amazing experience for all ages. Whether your child is 5 or 15, there is a variety of opportunities of learning. Completely approve of the camp and believe in its ability to impa...
My son loves to play chess and we have been looking for a platform to play and learn chess. Luckily we found Vancouver Chess school. My son got an opportunity to play at Vancouver Chess school for the...
Wow! The Vancouver Chess School is such a great place for children to learn Chess! Awesome coaches and amazing programs! The coaches are very professional and experienced....
This Chess school is amazing! Learn chess at any level, play with different people, and have fun!...
My kid loves playing chess and learning chess with Vancouver Chess School. Their online class allows the students to learn from home and I appreciate they have a great website for the students to prac...
Our older son got curious about chess earlier this year - in the middle of the pandemic - and so we were happy to learn that Vanchess offered all classes in virtual form. After some cautious initial a...
My son really like this school, the coaches there are patient and professional, he's made a huge improvement during these two years....
VCS is a great place to learn chess. My kid loves the weekly classes and tournaments. Teachers are professional and patient, and classes are well organized. VCS also hosts monthly Vancouver Chess Fest...
Vancouver Chess School has helped my child develop his chess skills and provides a wonderful chess community for all who love chess to grow together in. It organizes many chess events and tournaments ...
My son has been attending Vanchess for half a year now. It has been a great learning experience and his skills improved very much. His instructor Gyan is professional, kind, encouraging and patient. ...
I love vanchess! It taught my brother endgame techniques that he never knew about and tactics. I appreciate vanchess for its effective teachings. It is very good!...
Explore our programs for every
young chess player
Group Lessons
Small groups led by experienced coaches. Kids progress through our 12-Level curriculum with games, fun homework, and teamwork.
Join a Group lesson
Private Lessons
One-on-one coaching tailored to your child's strengths. Get rapid progress and personalized attention at every step.
Book a Private lesson
Tournaments
From beginners to national contenders - our rated events help kids sharpen skills and boost confidence in a fun, supportive setting.
Join a TournamentStart your chess journey
in 4 easy steps
Take the test
Find your child's level with our free online assessment.
Register
Create your student account in our secure platform.
Try a lesson
Book a free trial class to get started.
Enjoy!
Watch your child grow in confidence
and skill.
Our Unique Chess Learning Methodology:
A Pathway to Mastery
At Chess Heroes Academy, we believe every child learns best when they're challenged and inspired. That's why we built a 12-level system tailored to their unique pace - whether they're just starting or already making brilliant moves.
Our level system
Beginner
Beginner
What chess teaches your child -
on and off the board
Take the test
Find your child's level with our free online assessment.
Focus, memory & concentration
By remembering strategies and analyzing opponents, kids sharpen focus and build memory - essential for school success.
Academic performance
Studies show chess improves math, reading, logic, and critical thinking - all leading to stronger academic outcomes.
Confident decision - making
In chess, kids learn to assess risks and make choices under pressure - building judgment they'll use far beyond the board.
Where Play Builds Real Skills
it's a powerful learning tool.
Top performers
Celebrating the achievements of our rising stars - students who've stood out in recent tournaments and events.
Fred Yang
King of the Hill
Sofia Vigurs
Queen of the Hill
Murray Weaver
Fire Streak King
Melody Song
Fire Streak Queen
Celebrating students achievements
Shenyou Yang
Shenyou Yang has been promoted to Knight level.
Niko Chen
Niko Chen has been promoted to Bishop level.
Youssef Mahmoud
Youssef Mahmoud has been promoted to Pre-Knight level.
Sophie Zhu
Sophie Zhu has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.
Jianwen Hua
Jianwen Hua has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.
Charlie Tang
Charlie Tang has been promoted to Pre-Rook level.
Aiden Jin
Aiden Jin has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.
Ryan Li
Ryan Li has been promoted to Bishop level.
Ares Jin
Ares Jin has been promoted to Pre-Knight level.
Liv Bustillo
Liv Bustillo has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.
Our events
