"My daughter tends towards being distracted if she's bored with an activity. It was surprising to see how much she zoomed right in on chess and stayed there for as long as my husband and I would let her. Phil insists this has everything to do with neurology and not much to do with him. He's a gentleman."
- Juliette, Mom of an 8 year old, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Private Chess Lessons for Kids in NYC
The Goal: Chess Literacy
Chess literacy means knowing the game well enough to carry its lessons beyond the chessboard—to think ahead, recognize patterns, make thoughtful decisions, and learn from our inaccuracies.
The Means: Personalized Instruction
The right pace, a safe space, and the freedom to make mistakes.
Three Reasons Parents Choose Private Lessons
- One-on-one instruction is built around your child’s chess level, learning style, strengths, and needs.
- The lesson moves at your child’s pace—not the pace of a classroom.
- Feeling free to ask questions that might seem silly, knowing it’s okay to be wrong, and having peer pressure of all kinds lifted from the equation, are invaluable.
Chess and Neurodiverse Learners
Chess can be an especially engaging subject for some children with ADHD and other neurodivergent learners. Learn more about our chess lessons for children with ADHD in NYC. Clear rules, constant problem-solving, immediate feedback, and recurring patterns can make the game a good fit for children who benefit from interest-driven, flexible instruction. Private lessons change the playing field: the right pace, a safe space, and the freedom to make mistakes.