Vancouver Chess School
Chess background

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?

3
World
Champions
Titles
3
FIDE masters
16+
Years of
Experience
5K+
Students
9K+
Tournaments
17K+
Lessons
170+
Five-star
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.

Curriculum illustration

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.

Student success illustration

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.

Chess platform illustration

What parents are saying

Wendy Yuan
Apr 20, 2023
Google 5 stars

Our son has spent his last two years in VCS. It is first time we’ve seen our son become so dedicated and passionate about something. We can tell he loves chess and he is improving himself on all asp...

Jane Huang
Mar 24, 2021
Google 5 stars

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...

Neill M
May 18, 2022
Google 5 stars

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...

Christopher Bissonnette
Apr 3, 2025
Google 5 stars

Great teachers and a wonderful environment for kids to learn chess and practice in tournaments - has been an exceptional experience for our daughter....

Sher
May 22, 2023
Google 5 stars

As a volunteer assistant coach of the chess camps, I felt the genuine trust and support from the teachers! The instructors gave every assistant coach some time every camp to teach the class some conce...

周淑霞
Mar 15, 2023
Google 5 stars

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 gre...

Khangmin Lee
Mar 15, 2021
Google 5 stars

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...

Jenny Li
Apr 12, 2016
Google 5 stars

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...

Michael Ye
Jan 3, 2021
Google 5 stars

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 ...

Z. Eddie Ning
Nov 28, 2024
Google 5 stars

This is a great place if your kid is interested in chess, or you want them to develop their interests. It’s not just a school, but feels more like a community. My son loves Sunday chess club. He get...

DIVYA NARAYANAN
Nov 22, 2021
Google 5 stars

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 pro...

Tia
Oct 18, 2023
Google 5 stars

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...

Grace Liu
Oct 14, 2022
Google 5 stars

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. ...

Eugenia Jacobs
Feb 23, 2022
Google 5 stars

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

Pengcheng Fang
Oct 20, 2022
Google 5 stars

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!...

Linda Shen
Jul 1, 2023
Google 5 stars

My son joined Van Chess three years ago and now he is in grade 3. He has learned so much here and has grown from a beginner player to Bishop level already. He loved all his lessons and also playing ch...

Paul Du
Jul 8, 2021
Google 5 stars

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...

Cristian Grecu
Mar 25, 2021
Google 5 stars

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...

Bo Mi Kim
Sep 11, 2024
Google 5 stars

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...

Andrew Eisenberg
May 24, 2022
Google 5 stars

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 person...

All reviews

5 stars

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Explore our programs for every
young chess player

Group Lessons

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

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

Tournaments

From beginners to national contenders - our rated events help kids sharpen skills and boost confidence in a fun, supportive setting.

Join a Tournament

Start your chess journey
in 4 easy steps

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Take the test

Find your child's level with our free online assessment.

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Register

Create your student account in our secure platform.

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Try a lesson

Book a free trial class to get started.

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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.

Assessment

Not sure which program
is right for you?

Take our quick free online test

Take the test

Our level system

Absolute
Beginner
Beginner
Advanced
Beginner
Pre-Knigt
Knight
Pre-Bishop
Bishop
Pre-Rook
Rook
Pre-Queen
Queen
King
Chess teaches

What chess teaches your child -
on and off the board

Test icon

Take the test

Find your child's level with our free online assessment.

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Focus, memory & concentration

By remembering strategies and analyzing opponents, kids sharpen focus and build memory - essential for school success.

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Academic performance

Studies show chess improves math, reading, logic, and critical thinking - all leading to stronger academic outcomes.

Test icon

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

Chess Heroes is more than a game —
it's a powerful learning tool.
Through fun challenges, quests, and battles, students sharpen their critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic planning skills — all while staying engaged and motivated.
With unlimited practice in tactics, positional play, and endgames, every move helps them grow — both as chess players and thinkers.
A smart, safe, and enriching way for kids to build real skills while having fun.
Your Strength, Your Journey –
Make It Legendary

Top performers

Celebrating the achievements of our rising stars - students who've stood out in recent tournaments and events.

King of the Hill

KevinTaikai Liu

King of the Hill

Queen of the Hill

Dasha Doroshenko

Queen of the Hill

Fire Streak King

Raymond Sui

Fire Streak King

Fire Streak Queen

Melody Song

Fire Streak Queen

Celebrating students achievements

Quinton Tang

Quinton Tang has been promoted to Pre-Knight level.

Lucas Hsieh

Lucas Hsieh has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.

Rahm Wolpin

Rahm Wolpin has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.

Camilla Kawashita

Camilla Kawashita has been promoted to Advanced Beginner level.

Yaroslav Nyshpor

Yaroslav Nyshpor has been promoted to Bishop level.

Charissa Yeung

Charissa Yeung has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.

Kaira Kaur

Kaira Kaur has been promoted to Pre-Knight level.

Luna Chen

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

Naveed Nemati

Naveed Nemati has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.

Will Shi

Will Shi has been promoted to Beginners with some knowledge level.

Our events

Play. Improve. Repeat.

05Mar
Prime Time Battle

05Mar
Over the Board. Real Battles.

06Mar
Best starting tournament!

07Mar
Your Journey to the Top!

07Mar
⭐ Daily Puzzles