There are so many chess resources available online–the podcasts, the spaced repetition tactics ebooks, the YouTube videos, the analysis tools on the chess platforms, the “studies” in lichess–that it is tempting to think that you could teach yourself chess if you just applied yourself and took advantage of them in the right way. That will go a long way. But my experience has been that even while using a great tool, questions arise that only a human being can answer. For example, the analyzers are happy to tell you if you have made an inaccuracy, a mistake, or a blunder and what would have been the best move. But they don’t tell you why. And that is crucial. After I had accumulated more questions than I could tolerate, I decided to invest in private lessons. Yes, it’s an investment and you can enjoy and learn chess plenty without it. If you don’t feel you can make the investment now, there are still ways to get instruction. One is to seek out a local chess club. Most weren’t meeting during the pandemic, but they are starting up again. There you can use a time-honored way to learn the game that is largely ignored in the online world: asking your opponent to review the game with you after you play. Also there are people out there who will give low-cost or even free lessons if you ask. I’ve seen offers of the latter posted in the various Facebook groups dedicated to chess.
Actually, before I found my teacher, I found the marvelous group that she runs, the Casual Chess Cafe. Amanda Ross founded this as an in-person group in London in 2015. She moved it online when the pandemic hit, and that’s how I found it. In the online cafe, which is free and open to all, we chat on Zoom and play chess as a group for 90 minutes starting at 12:30 pm Eastern time on Fridays. Amanda creates a very relaxed and welcoming environment, complete with cat antics. From there I got to taking her wonderful women-only group classes. She records the classes on Zoom for you to watch if you can’t make it in real time, but it is much better to come to the classes live because at various points during the class you get to play online practice games, which she comments on. In addition, she also holds a separate practice session for the class on a different day, in which we play exclusively and get her feedback. Eventually I added private lessons with Amanda to my chess regime. She has been the perfect first coach for me and very gracefully weathered our first few lessons, when I besieged her with the zillion questions I had accumulated while struggling with chess on my own for a year or so.
Lauren Goodkind is a great example of a teacher that beginners can follow and learn from on YouTube. She frequently posts episodes that recap games between beginning players, to which she adds insightful commentary. There is a seemingly infinite amount of chess content on YouTube, of which I have barely scratched the surface. So far the series I have found most helpful is John Bartholomew’s Chess Fundamentals. Please leave a comment letting us know what chess videos you recommend.