Learn Chess in Singapore
If you want your child to learn chess in Singapore, the coach matters more than anything else. Coach Tigran has taught chess at some of Singapore's most competitive schools, including Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution, and Anglo-Chinese School.
Click here to Apply for CoachingOur students featured in:
The Difference a Proper Foundation Makes
When students learn chess the right way from the start, the results compound over time. Coach Tigran's students have gone on to become:
- Singapore’s youngest world chess champion (Derek Lim, U7, 2007)
- The youngest player in history to beat a Grandmaster in classical play (Ashwath Kaushik, age 8)
- A Grandmaster before age 15 (Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, coached from age 5 to 12)
- National, ASEAN, and European champions across Armenia and Singapore
None of these students started as prodigies. They started as children who were taught to think before they were taught to win. The method behind it is simpler than you think. And it starts in the very first lesson.
Is This the Right Fit?
Coach Tigran works with a small number of students at a time. He takes on:
- Complete beginners who want to learn chess properly from the start
- Children who’ve been in group classes and stopped improving
- Competitive juniors preparing for school, national, or international tournaments
- Adults learning for the first time or returning after a long break
- Students who want private 1-on-1 coaching, not a class of 10
Lessons are available in person in Singapore and online via Zoom.
Meet Coach Tigran
Tigran Gyozalyan
Chess Coach
There is a version of chess coaching that looks impressive on paper and produces little. Coach Tigran built his career around avoiding it.
He grew up playing chess seriously in Armenia. He competed at the national level, beat strong players, and kept running into the same ceiling. When he finally traced it back to its source, the answer was simple: no one had taught him to think correctly when he was young. By the time he understood this, it was too late to fix it for himself.
So he studied how to fix it for others. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in chess coaching and pedagogy from the Russian State University of Physical Education in Moscow, then completed a Master’s degree at the same institution. The curriculum covered child development, learning theory, and the structural methods behind the Soviet chess system, the tradition that produced more world champions than anywhere else in history.
He returned to coaching with that background. His approach centers on one question: what does this student need to build right now so that everything else can follow? Openings, tactics, and tournament preparation all come later. The thinking comes first.
Parents who come to Coach Tigran to help their children learn chess in Singapore often describe the same experience. The chess improves. Then something harder to name improves alongside it. The way a child handles a difficult problem. The patience to work through something instead of giving up. The confidence to make a decision and commit to it.
That is what a proper foundation does. It does not just make someone a better chess player.
Click here to Apply for CoachingLimited spots available · Application reviewed personally
Learning Chess: Common Questions
How much does it cost to learn chess in Singapore with Coach Tigran?
After you submit the short application, Coach Tigran will reach out through WhatsApp or email to discuss your child’s needs and share pricing options.
How will my child learn chess with Coach Tigran?
Your child will learn chess in private 1-on-1 lessons, either in person in Singapore or online via Zoom.
Group courses run during school holidays, but only students who have previously applied for coaching are notified. If you’re interested, mention it in your application or email us to join the waitlist.
Where can my child learn chess with Coach Tigran?
Most lessons are held online via Zoom or at students’ homes across Singapore, so your child can learn chess wherever is easiest. Some lessons take place at the Armenian Church.
How long is each lesson?
Each lesson typically runs 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the student’s age and level.
What age is best to learn chess?
Children can learn chess with Coach Tigran from age 4, and there’s no upper age limit. He also teaches teens and adults.
The key factor isn’t age, it’s genuine interest. Some of his most accomplished students, including Ashwath Kaushik (age 4) and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan (age 5), started to learn chess with him as young beginners.
My child has been learning chess for a while but isn’t improving. What’s different about Coach Tigran’s approach?
Most coaches answer a plateau with “more practice” or “study harder openings.” Coach Tigran first diagnoses how your child thinks and how they approach the game.
He identifies the specific weaknesses holding them back (gaps in foundation, thinking patterns that lead to mistakes, habits from previous coaches) as well as the strengths that are already there, and builds the training around both.
That’s why children who have stopped improving elsewhere in Singapore often see a shift once they learn chess with Coach Tigran. They don’t need to work harder. They need to work differently.
Can adults learn chess with Coach Tigran?
Yes. Adults can learn chess with Coach Tigran at any level, from complete beginners to competitive players working toward a rating goal. The same foundation-first approach applies.
Is it better to learn chess in private lessons or group classes?
To learn chess properly from the start, Coach Tigran recommends private 1-on-1 lessons. Every learner’s pace, strengths and gaps are different, and private coaching lets him adapt in real time.
Group classes are valuable for other things: peer learning, tournament practice and exposure to different playing styles. Some students do both. Coach Tigran will recommend the right path for your child’s age, level and goals during your consultation.
Can my child compete in tournaments while they learn chess?
Absolutely. Many of Coach Tigran’s students compete regularly in national and international tournaments. Tournament preparation and post-tournament game analysis are part of how they learn chess with him.
Why is there an application to learn chess with Coach Tigran?
Coach Tigran works with a limited number of students at a time. The application lets him give each student the individual attention his method requires, and check that his coaching is the right match for you or your child.
Coach Tigran keeps his student roster small by design. The first step is a short application so he understands your goals before you speak.
Limited spots available.
Application reviewed personally by Coach Tigran.