TESTIMONIALS

A serious, technically innovative chess academy for all levels. Our son and daughter have thrived here. The teachers care, and students are encouraged with clever games, safe and appropriate social media, and of course the thrill of frequent competition. Homeworks are serious but fun and obviously build specifically on the lessons from class. It has kept our son committed to something other than TV and basketball...

Sep 12, 2022 Bilyana Ward

VCS is amazing place for both children who are just starting or experienced. Instructors are great, very encouraging and supportive in children's journey. As a parent with no chess experience I had a lot of questions and Gyan was very quick to answer and explain everything to me. My daughter absolutely loves it there and her progress is incredible since she joined. I would highly recommend this school to everyone who loves chess and wish to improve their game.

Nov 17, 2022 Svetlana Vigurs

This is a great chess school for kids to learn and grow up in. I am so happy we made the right choice 4 years ago. When my son told me he was interested in chess, I enrolled him in Vancouver Chess school camp. Kids love to go there and spend time with similarly aged kids there. The coach always provided lunch for kids, like pizza etc. My son started from zero and now his score is over 1000. I truly believe this is the right place if you want to help your kids entering the chess world. BTW, Gyan is a very nice, knowledgeable, friendly and patient teacher. If you are luckily in his class, I am sure you already won the game half way. Of course, the teacher here are all excellent and brilliant....

Jun 3, 2021 Zena Zuo

The best school to learn chess for any kind of levels!

Nov 16, 2021 Tadas Ceponis

VCS is a great chess school for kids. They have a lot of excellent programs, all well organized. The coaches are nice and experienced. My 8-year-old son has been there learning to play chess for more than 2 years, and he really enjoys the time with the coaches and friends. Thank you VCS for all the online courses and games, especially during this hard pandemic time.

Jul 12, 2021 Gem Yu

Great chess school. Provided many training sessions, coaching, and encouragement for the players of the 2022 Canadian Chess Challenge. We really appreciate it. Thank you, Vancouver Chess School!

Jun 16, 2022 Katherine Yang

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 performance and progress, the website is very well organized and allows parents to monitor their children's activities in classes and tournaments. VCS managed to transition to online very well after Covid, in fact it's at least as fun as before, according to my son. All in all a highly recommended place for kids to learn chess.

Mar 25, 2021 Cristian Grecu

Vancouver Chess School is an absolutely wonderful school for kids. Moving up from lower level class (Pawn) to higher ones ( Bishop) is a good way to build children’s motivation. All coaches and staff are super friendly and professional. They are dedicated to help kids learn chess. My son loves being in the community including the classes and extra activities, Christmas party, summer beach picnic, etc. The head coach, Mr. Gyan, is an awesome teacher, very sharp at student’s strong and weak points. “Mr. G is strict and fun.” , my son said. We love this school. It’s a place to help your kids become top players or just have some fun....

Mar 24, 2021 Jane Huang

A wonderful place for kids to learn and play chess! In addition to weekly classes and tournaments, Vancouver Chess School does a great job of organizing and running the Regional qualifiers and the Grade Provincials. In 2019, the Chess'n Math Association, in collaboration with Vancouver Chess School, organized the Grade Nationals (Canadian Chess Challenge) which was hosted in Vancouver for the first time. My kids participated in the past couple Nationals (the 2021 version was held online due to the pandemic), and they really enjoyed it! Each time, VCS organized training sessions for Team BC, provided the kids with uniforms (which they loved), and went above and beyond to make sure the team was cohesive and ready to checkmate! Maxim and Gyan, the main organizers, are both extremely dedicated and supportive, and VCS programs/events are always well-organized and professional....

Jul 9, 2021 C Wu

My son started chess class at VCS 2 years ago and had loads of fun. The chess school arranges class systematically and strategically which ensures the kids build up solid foundation for the next level. I recommend the school for kids who enjoy brainy activities and challenges.

Jun 8, 2021 Xuejing Liu

My daughter has been taking chess for a number of years now. Gyan has been very supportive since day 1 and allowed her to progress at her pace. With heavy school workload, my daughter managed to reserve time to continue with her chess whenever possible. She has reached to Bishop level now. She's playing chess because she finds enjoyment in the game. There has never been any pressure from us or Vanchess. It's a great place for kids to learn chess. They will nurture them in more ways than chess. We want to thank Vanchess for organizing an excellent program. We also want to thank Gyan for his patience and wisdom. Thank you!...

Apr 30, 2021 Anne Lee

My son has been enrolled with the school for approximately 7 months now and he has really enjoyed the experience, plus he has improved his game a lot. The teaching methods adapted for children strike the right balance and help the kids improve and enjoy with the game.

Oct 26, 2021 Gonzalo Herrera

We joined Vancouver Chess School after watching the movie.. "Finding Bobby Fischer". Our son, who was then learning chess online with a chess instructor based outside of Canada, was ready for more challenges and hence, we thought of looking for a local school. I got in touch with Maxim from Vancouver Chess Academy and he was very prompt in responding to my email. The courses have been going great and the weekly class tournaments along with CMA rated tournaments are helping our son understand the professional and competitive side of playing chess. We are very happy with the way their online classes are conducted. We can't recommend this school enough....

Sep 15, 2021 Maitrayee Shah

Great a chess school! My son made great progress while learning chess in VSC, where he got a lot of chess strategy and practice opportunities. Most importantly, my son has always been inspired to face challenges and do his best. appreciate!

May 16, 2022 Hong Zhou

A great chess school. Our kid Leon attended his very first chess tournament in this school three years ago and now won his provincial champion and represent BC to win his first national champion. For the Canadian Chess Challenge 2021, the school offered special trainings for the BC team including chess tactics and practices as well as team spirits, my kid learned not only chess but also team work. Thanks a lot for the school and thanks a lot for the coach/organizer.

Jul 5, 2021 Leon Gong

I represented team BC at the 2019 Canadian Chess Challenge (CCC), where I won 1st place in the toughest section of the competition. This year, Gyan personally invited me to Captain Team BC at the 2022 CCC as I was both the highest rated (CFC 2241, CMA 2563) and the oldest (Grade 12). Overall, I highly approve of the extremely thorough training sessions conducted by Janak, Gyan, and Stephen. They covered excellent material, such as studying openings through pawn structures and their corresponding middle-game plans. The puzzle training really got your brain working and I even learned some things too. The level of dedication from the logistic team is amazing and doesn’t just include the training sessions. Behind the scenes, they were furiously working to ensure a smooth event. In addition, their wisdom, experience, and encouragement both inspired and motivated the team. As players, all we had to do was just focus on our games and deliver our best! On another note, VCS used to host many tournaments like the monthly Active and bi-monthly West Open tournaments, along with special events like the B.C. Active Chess Championship. These tournaments allowed me to gain experience as a junior by playing with stronger players; they were essential to my success today. Understandably, due to the Pandemic, these tournaments have not yet been held since. I truly hope that one day, these events will once again be reinstated for the betterment of young and new players. My time at VCS has been very positive. I’ve learned a lot and gained valuable tournament experience. All in all, I highly recommend VCS as a key stepping stone for youth and newcomers to be integrated into the wonderful world of fun and competitive Chess!...

Jun 19, 2022 Andrew Hemstapat

In Vancouver Chess School, there has a complete and systematic chess education system, rich and interesting practice resources, and tournaments for all levels players weekly and monthly. Most importantly, it has a team who love chess and are willing to spread chess. Highly recommended!

Jun 3, 2020 Crystal

The Vancouver Chess school took my son’s interest in chess and sparked an obsession. My son used to believe most things are “easy” or he would have difficulty with failures. However, this chess school has really taught him how to have a “growth” mindset learning about all aspects of failures and sportsmanship. He now sees challenges as an opportunity to grow!

Apr 22, 2021 Isabel R

The best chess school in Vancouver! My son has been leaning chess in VCS more than three years and he enjoys it very much. The VCS not only holds regular tournaments for different level chess players but some challenges with coaches.. I strongly recommend VCS. Ps.coaches are very nice and professional and the customer service Joyce also is a sweet and patient girl

Apr 15, 2021 Eugene Yu

Vancouver Chess School has given my 2 kids a fun, intellectual and safe space to hang out with other like-minded children. They have very competent and experienced instructors. Both their in-person (pre-Covid) and virtual (post-Covid) instruction are very engaging and enjoyable. Both my kids love every minute of their lessons and the in-house tournaments organized by the school. So great to be part of VCS community! Highly recommend the school to anyone who would like to train their minds or learn a new skill.

Mar 15, 2021 Khangmin Lee

I represented team BC at the 2021 Canadian Chess Challenge, tying for first place in my section. Gyan and Jeremy at VCS were incredibly professional, organizing countless training sessions for Team BC, with excellent material and helpful advice. Gyan's organization was amazing - he always stayed on top of everything. I never had to worry about any logistics, allowing me to focus 100% of my effort on playing my best.

Jul 6, 2021 Patrick Huang

VCS is a great chess school for kids! In year my son has made a huge progress! He has participated in many tournaments. A few months ago he also participated in School District Championship, where he represented his elementary school. My son got second place and brought the trophy for his school. He also was qualified for Interprovincial Championship where Team BC got first place!!! I want to say colossal thanks to all VCS teachers! Thank you for your deep knowledge, patience and high professionalism!!!

May 10, 2022 A M

Looking for a place to develop my son chess skills. Found Vancouver Chess School, Best choice ever. Great online class, Competitive chess event to keep things interesting for kids. If your kids like chess, VSC is definite place to go.

Apr 28, 2022 x g

Vancouver chess school is a top quality chess school in the lower mainland. It provides systematical training to students through excellent teachers. For only two years, my kid improves a lot and becomes a competent chess player for his grade level. We are very satisfied with this school!!

May 10, 2016 Holly Song

Vancouver Chess School is an outstanding institution for children’s chess education at any age. I was amazed how VCS team could maintain the tempo during the pandemic and continues to teach chess lessons, run online quads and organize regional events in this unprecedented time. Gyan is an awesome chess instructor and tournament director, and he always provide me feedback in my son’s performance and discuss home-based training plan. Most importantly, VCS’s online tool “ChessHero” is really helpful to drill tactics and endgames while keep chess fun and entertaining. I strongly recommend VCS to all parents and children who wish to give chess a try!...

Apr 25, 2021 Vincent Cui

Lots of amazing teachers and players here. My son got big progress and is really enjoying. I strongly recommend the chess school.

Mar 21, 2023 Freddy Lau

I feel that the Vancouver Chess School is a very educational place for chess. They have some of Canada's top players as coaches and I was taught by a few of them. I just think that this would be a great place for anyone wanting to learn chess.

Mar 21, 2023 Nancy Cao

Vancouver Chess School is a great platform for kids who love chess. My little girl enjoys the time learning and playing chess at VCS. The coaches are very experienced and patient with kids. The training program is well designed that suits chess learners of different levels. Online classes and on-site classes are both available for the parents to choose from, very flexible. There’s online homework, class material after each class, and kids can practice on the Chess Hero platform any time they want. Aside from the regular class, I also encourage my daughter to participate the tournaments, so she can challenge other chess players and have a lot of fun. Highly recommend!...

Oct 23, 2021 Jennifer Fu

We've been taking our daughter to Vancouver Chess School for the last 4 years or so. She loves chess and this school and its teachers are a large part of why. The teachers at this school take a personal approach to their lessons. Each class is small, social, and fun. The school hosts many tournaments that are open to students as well as to non-students. The school meets your child where they are. If they are beginners, they can help them learn chess. If they are already hooked on the game, then they offer serious coaching and ways to improve their game....

May 24, 2022 Andrew Eisenberg

My children enjoy the classes offered by Vancouver Chess School and have learned a lot in only a few weeks. The school’s online component is very easy and convenient to use for busy families as well. I would highly recommend their classes to new and experienced players that want to get involved with the chess community and learn with professionals.

May 18, 2022 Neill M

My 6 year kid tried the absolute beginner classes and enjoyed it very much. The teacher Amir is nice. Since my boy passed the mid-term test, he was promoted to a higher level class ahead of time, saving us time and money! Pretty pleasant experience!

May 20, 2022 Helen Yu

This is a fun place to start learning chess. The teacher is patient and experienced. Group classes gather same level players together and are interactive and engaging. There are regular tournaments that give players more chances to practice and progress. My son loves this chess school and I'm happy I have made a right choice for him.

Feb 28, 2023 Carol Cao

You guys are fantastic! So attuned to students and eager to help. It’s a pleasure to communicate with all members of your team. Robert enjoys his training so much and he feels motivated to learn more. You should see him watch videos, write down his personal notes, analyze his games and do many chess puzzles every day. He finds his concentration has improved so much and he is very motivated to finish his school homework so he can dedicate more time to studying and playing chess. We are glad to be able to attend such a world-class Chess School via the Internet....

Apr 30, 2022 Marjolaine S

Teachers at VCS are professional, caring and inspiring. It is a wonderful place to learn, compete and grow. Online classes & tournaments are very well organized during this trying time. My kid really enjoys her classes and she is super happy to be part of this excellent community. Students get to learn resilience & courage while improving their chess skills. Highly recommended if you are looking for a chess program for your kids.

May 11, 2021 Helen Chai

My son started his first chess lesson at Vancouver Chess School at age 5. Continuing on, now at age 9, chess is still his favorite subject among all. There are many good things about Vancouver Chess School. 1. Chess classes at school are organized by levels which enable students to improve in a systematic way. 2. The school organizes regular tournaments weekly that provide students many opportunities to practice in a real game setting. 3. The best part of Vancouver Chess School for us is that, it encourages students to compete in a very healthy and positive way. The school is like a warm community. Children are opponents and also friends. Even parents becomes friends.I believe this is one of the reason that keeps my son’s continue interests on chess. I am glad my son started his chess journey beginning at Vancouver Chess School. I highly recommend it....

Jun 6, 2021 Kate Tsai

We have proudly been with Vancouver Chess School since day one and we have always experienced high-quality and productive lessons from all the instructors here. Not only that, but the coaches are always there to provide constructive feedback on areas where the child needs their room for growth. Additionally, we love how the school has also smoothly adapted to an online-based earning platform; eager learners are even able to communicate and feel challenged with even more peers, seeking for both an enjoyable and experiential experience! We highly recommend this school for any students who have an enthusiastic mindset about learning how to enhance or better their knowledge of the wonders of chess!...

Mar 16, 2021 Sharon Zhang

Overall, VCS is a great school with amazing coaches at various levels. Highly recommended to all kids and adults interested in chess improvements. We taught our daughter the game of chess during the pandemic. Our original purpose was to reduce her screen time by playing some boardgames, without much expectation on the results. Over time, her interest in chess grew, and we started to send her to VCS for regular classes and tournaments. The weekly classes/lectures at VCS always have a focused topic and are mixed with fun activities, such as quizzes, mini-tournaments, and even live tournament analysis. With a group of 5-10 kids discussing chess moves and expressing their ideas under the guidance of chess coaches, the atmosphere of the classes is absolutely amazing. Despite so many ex-curriculum activities (sports, music instruments, languages, camps, etc.) for the kids nowadays, the VCS classes are always one of my daughter’s favorites. The weekly and monthly chess tournaments are also very well organized by VCS, and the small tokens offered by VCS after the tournaments like trophies and medals keep the kids motivated. It has been almost one year now, and we are amazed by the progress our daughter made over this period of time. The quality of her games has improved a lot, and she can even occasionally win some local tournaments in her age group. Outside chess, one side benefit of attending VCS is that our daughter started to (logically) express her opinions more often, in and out of school. We believe it is large contributed by the interactive chess classes at VCS. Thank you, Mr. G, Harry, Amir, Stephen, and all the other coaches that we have not met yet, for running this special school. We look forward to learning more from you in the coming years!...

Aug 5, 2022 H. Liang

My son has been with Vancouver Chess School for more than 1 year. He loved the classes, and the teachers there as well. The coaches are great, and they teach kids not only the techniques but also the chess spirits. The school provides many online tournaments and trainings during the pandemic period and turn out to be a huge bonus to those stay at home kids.

Jan 19, 2021 Vivian Cheng

This is a great place to let your child learn playing chess. The teachers are extremely friendly and experienced. The school is well organized with different levels and tournament opportunities, very professional. They have a computer system that allows kids to practice their skills or playing games with peers outside the class time all free. My son has been with VCS for more than a year and has greatly improved his skills. Back in March in Mr. Gyan's class, it happened to be my son's birthday, and he ended up receiving tons of birthday greeting messages from his classmates. It made his day, especially when no birthday party was possible due to Covid, he had the celebration in class! I would highly recommend VSC to everyone. Thank you so much....

Sep 2, 2021 Linda Shen

The best school ever! My daughter loves her chess classes about 3 years! Thanks for teacher

Feb 23, 2022 Eugenia Jacobs

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 that he would fall in love with chess after only a few lessons. For the past 4 years, he has learned and developed his chess skills at VCS, and has grown from a beginner to a leading chess player at his grade. VCS offers a variety of resources for young chess players to learn and develop. My son started with Chess in School program, and later moved to Group Classes. He started with a low level class and has been continuously promoting his chess levels. At present, he is at the highest level class taught by a Grandmaster. VCS offers a variety of CMA rated tournaments, from weekly and monthly tournaments to provincial level and national level challenges, for players to practice their skills, learn from each other, and build their confidence and resilience. VCS is not just a chess school but also a community where the players build their social connections, share their experiences and most importantly, have fun. Before the pandemic, VCS was a place my son visited most aside from his own school. Becoming a Grandmaster is a long journey that requires interest, passion and patience to become successful. I feel fortunate that my son had a great start at VCS, and thanks to the friendly environment, the experienced coaches and the supportive staff there, my son has enjoyed every step in his chess journey and he is still advancing himself here at VCS....

Jan 24, 2021 Jiyang Gao

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!

Oct 20, 2022 Pengcheng Fang

VCS is a very good school for all age chess learners. It provides a resourceful topics on chess and there are many tournaments that you might not even have time to play all of them!

Apr 29, 2021 Kadinho

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 attempts at a private lesson and some group lessons he became more and more motivated and immersed, in no small part to the quality and breadth of activity offered by the school including group lessons, private lessons, many tournaments and camps during the holidays and pro-D days (!!these are especially welcome!!). Nowadays, our son would probably do chess 12 hours a day if we would let him. All teachers we had contact with interacted very well with the children, keeping classes intereactive and fun, but clearly enabling them to learn -- our son is improving at an incredible pace. A special shout-out must go to Gyan who displays truly angelic patience during classes and tournament organisation. I wish I could display the same patience when I'm teaching my next calculus class tomorrow ...)...

Oct 5, 2021 Christoph Ortner

The best teacher, patience, my child learned here from 2017, not only learns to play chess, but also exercises how to deal with various challenges, how to judge the improvement of ability, so that now he is a volunteer and know how to encourage other children to study together. Don't give up when it is difficult.

Apr 16, 2021 Maggie Xu

Vancouver Chess School does a great job of sparking excitement for chess in kids. Their regular tournaments are very well organized, and they have gone the extra mile in making sure tournaments, events, and lessons have continued during COVID lockdowns. You can tell that the people who run the school are passionate about bringing chess to a new generation of children - Gyan and Stephen have both been extremely kind and supportive of my son's progress in Chess - and been a key part of why he's progressed as much as he has. I can't recommend this school highly enough!...

May 18, 2021 Roger Patterson

My Son started attending their online classes for the past 4 months. This has been an exciting and insightful experience learning the nuances of the game, strategies and new ways of approaching a problem. The instructors are great - helpful, knowledgeable, personable and sincere. Their approach to teaching kids, keeping them engaged online and motivating them is second to none. I am very happy and fully supportive of anyone who wants to enroll their kids in this program. Thumbs up/Top notch :)

Nov 22, 2021 DIVYA NARAYANAN

My daughter has been taking chess lessons with VCS for two years now. After trying out different activities, chess is the only one that she's enjoyed and kept going. The coaches are amazing and patient with kids, and there's weekly online tournament that she pushes herself to advance her skills. I would totally recommend VCS to anyone who wants to learn chess.

Feb 17, 2022 Cat Queen

My son has been learning chess in Vancouver Chess School since 2018. He also participated many tournaments organized by the school, off-line and on-line. VCS provides very high-quality and systematic chess courses to different level students. VCS's chess coaches are very nice, experienced and passionate in teaching chess to kids. In the past years, I have seen so many kids, including my son, really enjoyed their study and game plays at VCS. With VCS coaches' help, the kids made quick improvements in their chess level. VCS is definitely the best chess school I have ever seen....

Jan 3, 2021 Michael Ye

VCS is a great place. The teachers are very patients and caring. My son learned a lot and chess skills and made lots of friends.

May 14, 2021 Peter Chan

Vancouver Chess School is an amazing place for chess lovers. My son Ryder has learnt a lot both is summer camps and in group lessons and always had tons of fun. Highly recommended!!!

Oct 2, 2022 Flora Liu

My son has been attending classes and tournaments at Vancouver Chess School for several years, starting in-person at his school, then, as he became more advanced, classes at the VCS facility and more recently on-line. They are well organized, pleasant to deal with, and have talented coaches/teachers.

Dec 1, 2021 Andrew Brown

We are very happy to have found VCS. My Daughter (8 yr old) loves her classes and really looks forward to them, as well as spending time having fun and learning with the other kids that have an the same passion for the game as she does. The lessons , homework and the tournaments have been very instructive and its been amazing to watch her progress.

Sep 12, 2021 Dragon Draconian

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 practice and do chess homework. They can attend tournaments as well to play games with other players.

Oct 24, 2021 Sophie Wu

My son started learning chess at Vancouver Chess School, and he's been there for one and half year now. It is fun for him, and it teaches him important life lessons. For example, defeat helps you become stronger. When he got low scores in a tournament, he was motivated to learn from his mistakes which got him full marks in the next tournament. The coaches at VCS is inspiring, encouraging and supportive. This means a lot to a kid, and we really appreciate it. They have a variety of programs to meet individual needs, and the students can move to a higher level class whenever they meet the requirements. They also provide a plenty of opportunities for students to polish their skills, such as quads, monthly tournaments, online chess games and much more....

Jan 7, 2021 Alice Fan

My kids really love this school。The teacher are very professional, very Patient, very methodical. So that kids can go from not doing anything at first to now very like chess. And now with pandemic, the school network system is very sound. Also let kids have a very big interest.

Feb 18, 2022 Youlandy Liu

My kids enjoy learning and playing at Vancouver Chess School. Both the classes and tournaments are well-organized and the teachers are super friendly and patient. The kids are always encouraged to learn from their mistakes and inspired by the steady progress they made. The measurement to get promoted to a new level is strict, but it's a rewarding experience. We are very proud of them and appreciate for VCS' dedication.

Sep 4, 2021 Lin Lin

Vanchess has been really helping my son to stay focused and helping him to build confidence. So far I am really happy with my son's progress and looking forward to participating in their future camps and competitions.

Nov 10, 2021 Praveen Lazer

This is the best school ever

Jul 9, 2018 Alyssa Wang

My son is learning chess there from 5 years old. Teachers are amazing, VCS is great place for kids to learn chess, they can meet lots of chess lover and lots of chance to play chess. Mr G is my son’ coach, not only teaching him chess also guidance him for life skill. thanks Mr G

Feb 11, 2022 Nana Z

Son has been attending this school for about 1 year, and the development we have seen is incredible. He loves this school and is always excited for the next class and tournaments. Instructors are very helpful and help the child grow.

Mar 27, 2023 Pratik Thakare

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 passion for the game is infectious. They provide a structured and challenging curriculum that is tailored to the needs of each student, ensuring that everyone is able to learn at their own pace. The facilities are top-notch, with plenty of space and resources for students to practice and improve. The school also hosts regular tournaments and events, providing valuable opportunities for students to test their skills and meet other players from around the world. Overall, I have been extremely impressed with this school and the level of instruction they provide. It has been a privilege to study under such skilled and dedicated instructors, and I look forward to continuing my little son’s journey as a chess player with their guidance. If you're serious about improving your chess game, this is the school for you....

Mar 26, 2023 kana guo

Vancouver Chess school is best chess academy in Vancouver. They have very talented staff. The events are well organized. They have excellent virtual chess platform. I am glad that we enrolled our child in van chess.

Jun 6, 2022 Kalyani Labade

Vancouver Chess School has been an amazing learning experience for our child. He has learned while having fun at the same time. The school has immensely experienced and understanding teachers who ensure that kids have a solid grasp of concepts. They help review and analyze games and are very enthusiastic and encouraging.

May 19, 2022 Ruchika Bhatia

An excellent place to learn chess! The teachers are all very professional and eager to teach their students new material. My son had a lot of fun learning at this school.

Jan 26, 2023 Grateful li

vancouver chess school is a fun and interesting education experience for young chess fan, the teachers and instructors are well knowledge and responsible, the program is well developed ...

Jan 17, 2021 Gosha Wen

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 teaching online since the covid pandemic, although my son is looking forward to seeing his coaches and classmates again in person. In addition to weekly group classes, there are also private lessons, camps, workshops and frequent tournaments. VCS not only helps children to develop their chess skills, but it also helps them to develop greater skills in sportsmanship, goal setting and resilience....

May 16, 2021 Vania Cheng

Developing children’s intelligence is the original intention of learning chess, and there is a lot of harvest in its process. You have to work hard if you want to win, but you should always respect your opponent’s handshake no matter whether you win or lose. Even if you lose, chess is still left to the award link for the opponent applause congratulations! Chess also teaches people to think twice before making a decision so that there will be no regrets, and that cheating should not be allowed even if you want to win. Moreover, there may be many surprises waiting for you if you don’t give up easily, and stick to the end of a game of chess. I am so glad that I have met a good chess teacher at VCS. Even though he never told me what to do in the first place, he always asked me what I wanted to move next. Another thing is that my chess teacher developed my creativity in the process of learning chess instead of solidifying my thinking. My favorite piece in chess is the pawn, and this is because the pawn can only move forward, never backwards. What happens when the pawn reaches the end? It can become the most powerful piece- the queen. After learning chess in VCS, I can feel that my thinking has become more complex, and that sportsmanship has became one of my personalities. Moreover, my experience at VCS was unique, and the teachers there were very kind, professional, and inspiring. Gyan introduced me to Neuroscience, which is also my passion, a field I wish to further pursue, and through the medium of chess perhaps may one day, better understand the processing power of the human brain on how it naturally analyses information to reach logical decisions....

Jan 25, 2022 Not Cool

My son has been with Vancouver Chess School for a few years, where he gained great knowledge of chess techniques and strategies. with the guidance from experienced coaches in VCS, my son has successfully qualified himself for regional chess tournament. I highly recommend VCS to anyone who is interested in developing their chess skills.

Apr 29, 2022 Yanyan Yang

Great chess school! My son Sky loves learning and playing chess at VCS.

Apr 11, 2021 Vera Cui

Veronica learned a ton from all the teachers who were there teaching during the training sessions of the Canadian Chess Challenge. It was all incredibly useful and they provided many resources to help the students.

Jul 6, 2021 Veronica Guo

Vancouver Chess School is a highly professional chess school. The teachers in the school are approachable and dedicated on teaching, which provides kids a great milieu of learning chess. Many students who attended Vancouver Chess School have became the top players in their grade. In addition to why I prefer Vancouver Chess School is because there are lots of tournaments held every month in the school which quicken the improvement of a kid's chess skill, at the same time, it increase the kid's chess rating. Don't worry if you are good enough, because there are also tournaments where students could play against coaches. Plus, if one is a very strong player, there are also volunteer opportunity to teach the little kids. To me, my achievements in chess could not be without the help from Vancouver Chess School. It boost my chess skill from nearly zero to a hundred in a very short time, meanwhile, It is super fun and enjoyable. Overall, I highly recommend Vancouver Chess School, because it is the place where it makes a chess player professional...

Apr 22, 2021 Lily He

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 daughter and 7 year old son were immediately enamoured by the offerings at VCS, and their three cousins and two friends were soon inspired to join as well! I’m most grateful that my 13 year old daughter opened her mind to playing chess following gentle encouragement from Coach Gyan. The kids always look forward to the classes, camps and tournaments and have enjoyed sessions with Amir, Christian, Gyan, Tadas and Urna. In fact, they can’t seem to get enough of playing chess! Though I had some apprehensions about playing chess online rather than in person, I now feel that this is positive screen time that enhances social and emotional well-being. This is because VCS has created an inviting sense of community by maintaining a highly interactive environment. There are many opportunities for teamwork and group discussions which build confidence and leadership skills. Meanwhile, the kids are unwittingly learning many life lessons about winning and losing gracefully and about playing with integrity and good sportsmanship. Age is no bar - my kids in grades 2, 4 and 9 are all in the same Knight level class. There are assistant coaches of all ages, and the other day my 7 year old delighted in telling me “Mommy, I played a grade 12 in the tournament today!" Many thanks to all the coaches, and most especially to Coach Gyan, for all of these wonderful opportunities. We look forward to continuing at Vancouver Chess School for many years....

Jan 1, 2022 Sonya Varma

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. Absolutely amazing school for children who like chess!

Oct 14, 2022 Grace Liu

At the Vancouver Chess School, students learn much more than Chess!! It is a fun, inclusive and welcoming school, where students have the opportunity to compete at a high level, but more importantly they also learn life lessons. Learning how to win and lose graciously, set goals, have honour, get along with others, and most importantly have fun. Vancouver Chess School is our son's second home, and we feel so grateful for the mentorship and support he has received over the past three years. Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for Wesley!!!...

Jan 10, 2021 Jennifer Russel

Very good chess school; it provides many opportunities for kids to practice chess with others. My child made much progress there. Thanks a lot for teacher and school!

Apr 3, 2022 Kevin Zhou

I have been a student at this academy for many years now and has guided me to many achievements. The academy helped me with my university applications as I can put the awards I received and competitions I had done. The classes had even compelled me to write a research paper on chess and history. My teacher Mr. G kept me passionate for learning and competing in chess. I was able to have an amazing mentor throughout the years and my chess skills have immensely improved since I started here. Highly recommend as this academy was like a second academic home to me....

Oct 25, 2021 Antonia b

My son has learned chess for just half a year and has already participated in many competitions. We are very proud of him. Vancouver Chess School teaches every student with responsibility and is a great school for kids to have fun while learning something at!!

Mar 15, 2023 周淑霞

My son has been taking chess lessons with VCS for almost five years. He loves it and has been making big progress here. I would like to recommend VCS.

Feb 22, 2022 Ling Li Wu

Incredible chess centre! I grew up with this place and do not regret a second!!!

Aug 8, 2022 Matthew Du

Vancouver Chess School is fantastic! VCS is very well organized, structured, and provides learners of all levels with opportunities and support to improve their skills.. or to just have fun playing chess! As parents of a young chess fanatic, we've been looking for opportunities to feed our son's passion and make progress with his chess journey. We've tried a few local clubs and groups with mixed experiences. We're super glad to have found VCS and all the programs and tournaments that VCS hosts. Our experience with the coaches/instructors has been super positive. Gyan is patient and amazing at encouraging students. Tadas was also fantastic (teaching our son at a previous level). I'm sure the entire VCS team is encouraging and supportive to all students. The weekly lessons (offered in person / online) are well structured by introducing new concepts, tactics, positions, and reinforcing previous lessons. The approach to the lessons is wonderful at encouraging students to explore different concepts, translating the lessons into in-class tournaments, and building confidence (win or lose). Homework is assigned via the online platform. Each week, our son looks forward to the lessons and the homework! VCS also hosts regular online and in-person CMA-rated tournaments for students to compete in. These are well organized and provide students with opportunities to use their knowledge and challenge other students in a competitive setting, hopefully increasing their CMA ratings! I'd highly recommend Vancouver Chess School and the VCS team to anyone looking for a place to learn and improve at chess! VCS is an outstanding organization at keeping students excited and engaged with a great team of mentors, opportunities, and experiences....

Feb 26, 2023 Eric Chan

The Vancouver Chess School is a treasure! My family first become aware of them through their school programs years ago. These were were life savers and also let my kids explore chess in a structured and supporting environment. Vanchess managed the shift away from in person events nicely moving to Zoom a few years ago and we were grateful for the option to continue to engage. After taking a break for a few years one of my kids rediscovered an interest in chess in high school. We signed him up for a VanChess tournament and he did well enough to qualify for a second tournament. At this point the people at VanChess were there to offer intensive support leading up to the event. I am very impressed with these guys and would strongly recommend them to any parent with kids (K-12) looking from something outside of the standard after school activities....

Apr 26, 2022 Cyprien Lomas

Vancouver Chess School has been a blessing to our family and to the Chess Community. The instruction has been top notch and we love the fact that the school regularly has chess competitions. The school also has a very well built and functional internal chess platform which keeps children interested and facilitates online tournaments very smoothly. The school has adjusted well to Covid19 and have moved instruction and competition online. It's a great group of children and it's a well run school.

Jan 4, 2021 T Low

My son has been learning chess in VCS for three years, and he enjoyed classes/plays very well. The school has not only taught kids chess in classes, but also given them many opportunities to apply what they've learned in classes. The teachers concerned about each student's progress in various ways including communicating with parents, coaching players at provincial/national tournaments, and treating each child for her/his special needs. They did a lot of extra works out side of the classes. The kids not only learned chess knowledge and skills at VCS, but also learned how to behave in good manner in a team and as a player. Definitely, it's a fun place for children to learn and play....

Apr 12, 2016 Jenny Li

My son has been learning chess in VSC for more than two years. He gained a lot of chess strategies and practice opportunities there. The most important thing is that my son is inspired all the time to face the challenge and do his best. I feel my family is involved in all his tournaments and some special events, like year-end parties and beach picnics. Teachers are knowledgeable and patient. The login system is helpful and good to use. Especially during this Covid time, my son's group classes and school activities had been switched to online smoothly. Appreciate!...

Jun 18, 2020 Si Chen

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 Monthly Chess competition and other competitions. So far it has been going great, Vancouver Chess school has been great in teaching with some tactics and helping my son to improve, in the recent training he was given training from Grand Masters. I would highly recommend If someone wants to learn Chess from Basic or intermediate or advanced level as they have really good Coaches to help those who want to explore the Chess or in learning advanced tactics in Chess....

Dec 2, 2021 Aljo Thomas

Vancouver chess school is best chess school in Vancouver! My son starting private chess class with wonderful teacher Ms. Urna since 6 years old, right now he is 8 years old, chess is still his famous subject among all. He attended the weekly online tournament which let students practice in real game setting. In here, really thank you Mr. Gyan, he organized the online tournament every week, the tournament are super well organize. My son is quick player, sometime he made silly mistakes, sometime he was lazy to practice. Mr Gyan told him” practice the chess should be a habit like brushing your teeth “. The teacher not only teach the kids techniques but also the chess spirit. Highly recommended the school if you want to learn chess and want to challenge yourself....

Dec 21, 2021 Jiahe Zhang

My son wanted to take chess lessons last year before the lockdown, so I signed up for the spring term for him. I was concerned about the effectiveness of the online lessons, but it has turned out to be a great experience for my son. He learned and improved a lot during the past year. The school has a wonderful website for the students to practice and to learn through fun exercises. It also offers many tournaments for the students to play games with those who are same levels. Two good friends of my son also signed up and have had good experiences after they heard from our experiences. If you are interested in private lessons, the instructors have been good. A very organized online platform, would definitely recommend for all levels of chess players....

Apr 20, 2021 Miranda Li

Friendly and helpful teachers. They organized many tournament for different level chess players. Helped my kid improve chess skills!

Jun 17, 2022 Lian Bo

My son has been taking chess lessons at the Vancouver Chess School for at least 3 years now and he absolutely loves it! The instructors are great! The materials they cover always challenges him and there are endless opportunities to join chess tournaments to improve your game!

Dec 22, 2021 Aimee R

This Chess school is amazing for all different levels. You should join it to learn chess and have fun!

Mar 28, 2023 Beauty Wang

I love vanchess! It taught my brother endgame techniques that he never knew about and tactics. I appreciate vanchess for its effective teachings.

May 1, 2022 Pengcheng Fang

It is the de facto place to go for chess class in Vancouver. My kid got into chess after in-school chess class from VanChess, and has been going to their group and private classes for years. They have weekly tournaments as well as regular classes, which is awesome for on-going learning and building experience. It was also a chance for the kids to socialize as well, when they had the in-person classes. The virtual classes and tournaments have been pretty well run also. I am very happy that we have it in our community!

Sep 18, 2021 Mary Wong

My son really like this school, the coaches there are patient and professional, he's made a huge improvement during these two years.

Sep 10, 2021 An Xia

My son loves Vancouver Chess School, he had a lot fun and learned a lot.

Mar 22, 2023 crystal zhu

The Camps are very interesting, you get to do a lot of fun chess activities, like class games, puzzles, and learn new openings. There are also CMA rated tournaments on Fridays.

Oct 28, 2021 yan yang

The Vancouver Chess School is a great place for children to develop their critical thinking and math skills. Ever since my child has attended this school, he has developed great improvements in his confidence. The coaches are very professional and experienced.

Apr 4, 2022 Justin Ma

Our kid really enjoyed the chess classes. The classes/activities are well structured and the coaches are patient.

Jul 10, 2022 lisa y

我们强烈推介温哥华象棋学校,孩子在这个机构学习了一年多,进步非常大。 老师尽职尽责,不断激励孩子们坚持每天练习,完成习题,而且在这里能遇到很多热爱象棋的孩子,水平都很不错,有很多机会一起切磋进步。 非常感谢老师们的辛勤付出。

Mar 20, 2023 Serena Wang

It’s really good, it helped me achieve so much in just a couple months!

Feb 20, 2022 Ario Salari

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 difference now was the opening of online classes which seem perfect for chess -- this way all games can be recorded, replayed, and studied later. All the coaches are extremely patient and kind with the kids, while at the same time offering very rigorous chess education. My son made enormous progress within mere months of starting classes, and his interest in chess went from 'passing' to 'completely hooked'. Thank you, VanChess!...

Nov 9, 2021 Ken Janpon

This is an exceptional chess school that helped my child develop an incredible passion in the field of chess. The instructors are all engaging and helpful. There are many camps, tournaments, and other chess related activities for the kids to do. Also, the online website is very well developed in providing many exercises for the kids to practice at home. Overall, I'm glad that I decided to enroll my kid and will highly recommend this chess school.

Jul 8, 2021 Paul Du

My son started chess classes here from 5 years old. He told me it is a good place to learn chess. Actually, he has made big progress on it. He also said, his coach Uranchmeg is a really awesome teacher, who is patient, nice, inspiring and excellent at instructing techniques.

Apr 30, 2022 HOU LIBERTY

My son joined Vancouver Chess School this year and he loves it! I regretted not sending him earlier. The classes are well-structured, the programs are well-organized, and the teachers are all very nice. My son participated in in-person classes, online classes, and summer camps, and he loved them all! I highly recommend the school.

Oct 8, 2022 T Y

This school is fantastic! Both of my boys love it so much. Great website design with its own chess homework, practice games and online challenges. Many of chess events for kids to have opportunities to play with others. Great teachers, great school!

Oct 8, 2021 Lulu Ban

My son and daughter, aged 8 and 10, are members of VCS. They joined in 2019 April and since then they have enjoyed their lessons with Mr. G. VanChess has an online platform where chess puzzles, homeworks are regularly posted. Mr. G is an extremely dedicated chess teacher and also very responsive over emails. He is patient and caring towards his students. And I must add very impartial too. My children are still member of Vanchess and we continue to do so.

Mar 11, 2021 Preeti Jaiman

My son enjoys learning chess from this school and has been in this school more than 3 years. The teachers are very kind, respectful and professional. My son loves to attend the classes there. All the tournaments and different classes make learning chess a big fun for my son. We strongly recommend this school as this is the top chess school in BC.

Mar 19, 2021 Kelly Meng

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.

Apr 28, 2022 Winnie Li

Nice coaches and structure arrangement to guide the kids from beginners to experienced chess player. Regular chess competition can promote the interests of the kids to do better. When my boy got higher CMA, he was invited to be the teaching assistant in the online camp to teach the young beginners. That is very good to establish his mindset in taking care the novices. Moreover, the chess training can enhance his maths and logical thinking capabilities which are good for his further studies.

Sep 23, 2021 Tony Cheng

The school teaches professional chess technique and encourages sportsmanship. It meets where your child's level is whether it is beginner or advanced. It is an exciting journey for a child to keep improving and know that the coaches are always there to support their growth. The school hosts many CMA rated chess tournaments and organizes special functions to promote chess in the community. All events are super popular and always bring a good number of students and their families to join. It surely created lots of fond memories for us. We are happy that we have a world class chess school in Vancouver....

Dec 25, 2022 Gu Family

OUR ACTIVITIES

Discover chess your way

Group classes

Taught by our many experienced coaches, groups of children the same age and level will progress through our curriculum step-by-step to improve their game. Classes include lessons, games with other students and weekly online homework.

Private classes

With one-on-one coaching, students can progress more quickly through lessons tailored to their individual strengths and weaknesses. Our private lessons can be adapted for students of all ages and levels.

Tournaments

Our events range from evening events for beginners to training camps for national championships. All tournaments are run by our experienced team of tournament directors and arbiters and offer students opportunities to increase their rating and meet new friends.

IMPORTANT FACTS

3000 students and counting

Years

10+

Students

4K+

Tournaments

7K+

Lessons

15K+

Puzzles

5M+

Coaches

30+

News

Upcoming events and latest achievements of students

Apr 16th. National Preparation Program

Apr 03, 2022

LEARN NOW

FEATURED STUDENT: JAMES HONG

Apr 02, 2022

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Regional Qualifier #4 on Sunday, April 24th, 2022

Apr 01, 2022

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Regional Qualifier #3 on Sunday, March 6th, 2022

Feb 25, 2022

LEARN NOW
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Joaquin Strain

Joaquin Strain has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.

Crystal Zhou

Crystal Zhou has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.

Shawn Chen

Shawn Chen has been promoted to Knight level.

Oliver Wang

Oliver Wang has been promoted to Bishop level.

Erin Li

Erin Li has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.

Melody Song

Melody Song has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.

Ian Chen

Ian Chen has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.

Sam Zhao

Sam Zhao has been promoted to Knight level.

Curtis Lim

Curtis Lim has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.

Xinyuan Guo

Xinyuan Guo has been promoted to Pre-Bishop level.

OUR EVENTS

From beginner to advanced

Friday Quads (Jericho Shopping Center)

06:00 PM - 08:00 PM 312-2083, Alma st., Vancouver (Jericho Shopping Centre)

Register here

Sunday Chess Club

01:00 PM - 05:00 PM 312-2083, Alma st.,Vancouver (Jericho Shopping Centre)

Register here
Winner
King of the Hill
Queen of the Hill
Fire Streak King
Fire Streak Queen

Matthew Kan

King of the Hill

Tiffany-Trang Tran

Queen of the Hill

Nathan Chen

Fire Streak King

Sofia Vigurs

Fire Streak Queen