We run coaching sessions for beginner chess players and improvers. Both of these are social, friendly, non-competitive sessions where you will meet others of a similar standard and have an opportunity to practise the skills you have learned. They take place on Monday evenings alongside the other chess activities that we offer.

If you would like to attend, or you have any questions, please email us at info@guildfordchessclub.com.

These sessions are intended for people who are new to the game of chess, or who may have played a long time ago and need a refresher. The content is still developing but the topics include:

• the rules of the game
• how the pieces move
• basic checkmates
• writing down the moves using chess notation
• solving simple puzzles to demonstrate tactical themes.

These sessions include teaching by a professional chess coach (IM Andrew Martin) and some experienced members of the club. They are intended for people who already know how to play and who may already have some experience of competitive chess. The coaching is aimed at players with a rating of up to 1600, although players above this rating are still likely to benefit. Confirmed dates for the sessions are shown on the Calendar page.

The content of the training sessions varies from week to week but all the sessions are designed to help you improve as a player and give you more confidence. It is a natural step from here to playing in one of the Guildford teams in the local chess leagues.