Online Chess Classes for Kids (Ages 5–16)
Chess — Where Strategy Meets Fun
We don't just teach chess. We build thinkers, competitors, and confident kids — one move at a time. From absolute beginners who've never touched a pawn to 2000-rated competitors, LWS Chess Academy takes your child from their first game to their first tournament podium.
🎯 Find Your Child's Chess Level
Answer 6 quick questions and we'll match your child to the perfect starting level — no chess knowledge needed.
Takes less than 2 minutes
Where Does Your Child Fit?
Not sure which level is right? Here's our simple placement system.
| Level Name | Chess.com ELO | Lichess ELO | LWS Level | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Beginner | Unrated – 400 | Unrated – 700 | 🟢 Pawn | Learning the basics from scratch |
| Beginner | 400 – 800 | 700 – 1100 | 🔵 Knight | Building tactical awareness |
| Intermediate | 800 – 1200 | 1100 – 1500 | 🟣 Bishop | Strategic depth & self-analysis |
| Advanced | 1200 – 2000 | 1500 – 2000 | 🔴 Rook | Tournament-ready competitor |
Chess.com
Unrated – 400
Lichess
Unrated – 700
Learning the basics from scratch
Chess.com
400 – 800
Lichess
700 – 1100
Building tactical awareness
Chess.com
800 – 1200
Lichess
1100 – 1500
Strategic depth & self-analysis
Chess.com
1200 – 2000
Lichess
1500 – 2000
Tournament-ready competitor
Don't know your child's rating? No worries — book a free trial and our coach will assess their level in the first session.
Book a Free Assessment Trial →A Path for Every Grandmaster
Four structured levels — your child progresses at their own pace with clear milestones.
Pawn Level
The Adventure Begins
- ✓Piece movements, board setup, check & checkmate basics
- ✓Story-based learning — chess as adventure ("The King needs your help!")
- ✓Pattern recognition games & visual puzzles
- ✓Fun mini-games: Pawn Wars, King Hunt, Piece Capture Challenge
- ✓Introduction to sportsmanship & chess etiquette
"Your child will play their first complete game in 4 weeks."
Goal: 10 full games independently. Understands all piece movements and basic checkmate patterns.
Built on 279,148 games
How we teach openings, level by level
We studied what players at each rating actually meet on Lichess, Chess.com and over the board, and teach what your child will face next, not what a grandmaster plays.
Beginners (under 1000 online)
28%
of beginner games after 1.e4 e5 see an early queen or bishop attack.
So week one is the defence against Scholar's Mate, not opening theory.
Club players (1000–1600)
25%
of a 1000–1199 player's games include a big mistake in the first 10 moves.
So we drill safe development and castling before any long lines.
Tournament players (1600+)
37%
of replies to 1.e4 at 1600–1799 are the Sicilian, Caro-Kann or French.
So we build a small repertoire that is ready for all three, and for over-the-board main lines.
Look up your child's level or read the full study.
Real Results, Global Recognition
We don't stop at just teaching chess. We prepare students for FIDE Online Arena events, where they can earn FIDE Arena titles like AFM and ACM, and, when they're ready, for over-the-board USCF and FIDE-rated tournaments, which is where an official FIDE rating comes from.
Earning a FIDE Arena title or a first official rating is a milestone that looks exceptional on college applications, builds self-discipline, and gives kids a global community to belong to.
Awarded by FIDE for outstanding performance in Arena online tournaments.
The entry-level FIDE Arena title, earned through rated play on FIDE Online Arena.
Two students from our program have earned FIDE Online Arena titles, with FIDE Online Arena ratings to match.
Weekly & Monthly Tournaments — Not Just Learning, Competing!
This is what makes LWS different. We don't just teach — we give your child a stage to compete every single week. A free online tournament or chess event every Saturday or Sunday: the format rotates, and each week's day and time are shared in the LWS chess community. Open to all levels — players are paired by score, so beginners mostly meet opponents near their level.
Classical
Weekend event
Serious, rated-feel. Deep thinking. Practice real tournament conditions.
Chess960 / Rapid
Weekend event
No memorization — pure creativity & adaptability. Levels the playing field.
3-Check
Weekend event
Fast, wild, kids absolutely love it. Great for tactical sharpness.
Bughouse / King of the Hill
Monthly Special
Team fun, chaos, laughter. The highlight of every month.
What Winners Get
Our Tournament Track Record
Real tournaments. Real ratings. Every result is publicly verifiable on Lichess — no inflated claims.
85+
Tournaments Held
658+
Rated Games Played
148
Players So Far
Mar 2024
Running Since
Recent & Notable Tournaments
148 players so far · All results publicly verifiable
Bhaskar Gupta’s Tournament Legacy
85 tournaments organized since March 2024 (29 Swiss championships and 56 arenas), with 803 player entries.
85
Tournaments Organized
803
Player Entries
Ultra Bullet 3 Check Arena
Oct 18, 2026
Variant: Three-check • Players: 6 • Winner: kaur4chess
Rapid Arena
Oct 18, 2026
Variant: Standard • Players: 10 • Winner: SpeedySlashPlayer21
AntiChess Arena
Oct 10, 2026
Variant: Antichess • Players: 9 • Winner: shraddhabalaganesh14
Arena
Oct 4, 2026
Variant: Standard • Players: 10 • Winner: SpeedySlashPlayer21
3check Arena
Oct 3, 2026
Variant: Three-check • Players: 9 • Winner: SpeedySlashPlayer21
Rapid Arena
Oct 3, 2026
Variant: Standard • Players: 9 • Winner: kaur4chess
3 Check Arena
Sep 6, 2026
Variant: Three-check • Players: 5 • Winner: Dheeraj2014
Loved by Parents, Trusted Globally
Real reviews from families in our chess, maths, English and AI cohorts.
Trustpilot Trustscore · 5 verified reviews
LWSed is genuinely very good
"LWSed has genuinely been one of the most engaging and supportive chess learning platforms I have experienced. The sessions are interactive, well structured, and easy to follow whether you're a beginner or improving your strategy. A special mention to Bhaskar for creating such a positive learning environment patient, knowledgeable, and truly passionate about helping students grow. Every session feels motivating and valuable. I have not only improved my chess understanding but also started thinking more strategically and confidently during games. Highly recommend LWSed to anyone looking to learn chess in a fun, professional and encouraging way."
Nitika Gupta
India
I have had very positive experiences...
"I have had very positive experiences with LWSed so far. It's very well structured and focuses on real understanding rather than just memorizing. The instructor is knowledgeable, patient, and make learning enjoyable for kids. I also appreciate the balance between academics and skill development, especially with areas like chess and AI, which are not commonly offered together in a meaningful way. Overall, the experience has been pleasant and professional, organized, and valuable, and I've seen noticeable improvement in confidence and thinking ability in learning."
Rupesh Lad
United States
Delivered More Than They Charge For - Highly Recommended
"LWS has been a great experience so far. The team puts in genuine extra effort and making learning easy and engaging. They ensures students truly understand and absorb what they learn. I really appreciated how supportive and encouraging they has been throughout the journey. Their teaching approach helped even someone who is naturally on the introverted side open up, participate more confidently, and enjoy learning. I would happily recommend LWS. Keep up the great work, team! :)"
Janik
India
Website have simple but effective...
"Website have simple but effective interface. It is easy to understand and navigate through tabs. I had a great experience using it to book my slot for chess tournament."
Deepanshu Sharma
India
Excellent teacher with great patience...
"Excellent teacher with great patience. The lessons are highly interactive and customized to the child's learning pace. My kid has shown massive progress in logical thinking and confidence since joining."
Shweta Malik
United States
Choose the Format That Fits Your Child
Flexible plans for every family — all sessions run live on Zoom with a dedicated coach.
1-on-1 Sessions
Personalized coaching tailored to your child's exact goals, pace, and rating growth.
Small Group (4–6)
Learn with peers, develop healthy competition, and build lasting chess friendships.
Tournament Prep
Intensive competitive preparation — openings, clock management, and mindset coaching.
Custom plans for every family · Flexible schedules across IST, GST & EST/PST
Mentors Who Speak Your Child's Language
"Every class is taught by Bhaskar Gupta, our founder and head coach: a FIDE-rated player and computer science engineer. Our guest coaches, Dr. Bharat and Dr. Kaushal, both FIDE-rated, join for special sessions."
- ✓Every coach is FIDE-rated
- ✓Background-checked & trained in child-friendly pedagogy
- ✓Regular instructor development sessions
Bhaskar Gupta
Founder & Head Coach · FIDE Rated · B.E. in CSE
Dr. Bharat
Guest Coach · FIDE Rated
Dr. Kaushal
Guest Coach · FIDE Rated
🌍 Instructors available across IST, GST & EST/PST timezones
Chess FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore More LWS Programs
Combine subjects for a complete logic-first education.
Every chess master was once a beginner.
Let's start your child's journey — one move at a time.
Book a Free Chess Trial→No commitment · No credit card · Just learning