Chess tutors

Chess tutors are judged on playing strength and coaching record. The English Chess Federation's Certificate of Excellence is the nearest thing to a graded ladder: the Bronze and Silver tests cover notation, openings, basic tactics and simple endgames before Gold and Diamond. Competitive juniors are usually measured by their ECF rating, published on an Elo-comparable scale since 2020, and by results at events like the Delancey UK Schools' Chess Challenge, which groups entrants by age from Under-8 to Under-18. Tutoring helps most where self-study stalls: going through a student's own losses with them, and building an opening repertoire that suits the way they actually play. Ask what rating range a tutor usually coaches and whether they teach over the board or online.