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
Echo Heming Fang — World Youth Bronze! 🥉🌍
Echo finished 3rd (tied for 2nd) in Girls U7 at the 2026 FIDE World Youth Championship in Spain with 8.5 / 11! ♟️✨ So proud of you, Echo! 👏
🎖️ 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
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 wha...
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 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 th...
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....
The best school to learn chess for any kind of levels!...
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 (p...
Vancouver Chess School is not just a chess school. It is a place where children foster many different skills such as decision making, adapting to a competitive environment, and an opportunity to give ...
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!...
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 ...
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 ...
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 staf...
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 me...
All the teachers are very talented and patient with kids. My kid excels at this school very fast. There are online and in person classes and tournaments that can accommodate everyone. I highly recomme...
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 patien...
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 gre...
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 le...
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....
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 can't express enough how much I appreciate Vancouver Chess School (VCS) for their incredible contributions to my son's chess journey. VCS stands out as the finest and most prestigious chess school i...
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...
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
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.
Celebrating students achievements
Echo Fang has been promoted to Rook level.
Travis Bleackley has been promoted to Pre-Rook level.
Julien Pattison has been promoted to Pre-Knight level.
Curtis Leung has been promoted to Pre-Knight level.
JACK XU has been promoted to Bishop level.
Julien Pattison has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.
William Lima has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.
Lucas Hsieh has been promoted to Pre-Knight level.
Raymond Sui has been promoted to Rook level.
Niko Chen has been promoted to Pre-Rook level.
