How ChessCoach Works

Find a coach, book a lesson, improve your game. That's it.

How a lesson works

1
Student books a slot
Pick a time from the coach's calendar (anywhere from a few minutes ahead up to 1 week out). The cost is reserved from your wallet.
2
Coach accepts
The coach has up to the lesson start (and at most 24h) to accept. If they decline or don't respond, your funds are released automatically.
3
Both confirm start
When it's time, both open the lesson page in the dashboard. The lesson runs in-app — chess board, chat, and (for call lessons) video. Both click "Confirm Start" to begin.
4
Have the lesson
Play, analyze positions, or review games together.
5
Auto-completion
24 hours after the scheduled end, payment moves to the coach automatically. If the student hits Report Issue in that window, the payment is frozen until an admin reviews it, no matter how much time passes.
6
Reviews
Rate each other 1–5 stars with an optional comment.

No-shows and refunds

If the coach doesn't show up: the lesson is cancelled and the student is fully refunded. The coach receives an ELO penalty.

If the student doesn't show up (or shows up late) but the coach is ready: the coach is paid in full. Your time matters.

Either party can cancel an accepted lesson before it starts and the student is fully refunded.

Free trials

Every new account gets up to 3 free trial lessons. Try different coaches before paying.

Same flow as paid lessons. You can leave reviews after a trial.
One pending free trial at a time, max one per hour.
Coaches must successfully complete at least one free trial before they can receive paid bookings.
To prevent spamming or misuse, if a coach declines your trial request, the trial is consumed, so pick coaches carefully.

Payments

Student wallet

Deposit via Stripe ($0.40 + 2% fee, up to $20 per deposit). Your balance is used across all coaches — no per-lesson payment friction. When you book, the cost is reserved until the lesson completes or is cancelled.

Coach payouts

When a lesson completes, earnings move to your pending balance. Withdraw any amount you like (minimum $5.00) — $0.40 + 2% fee per withdrawal.

For coaches

Anyone can coach. Set a chat or call price per 15 minutes and pick at least one teaching language in your profile. Verifying your chess.com account is optional and adds a badge. It does not gate coaching or payouts.

Your Coach ELO on the leaderboard is based on recent activity and earnings. Both decay over time if you go quiet (roughly a 7-day half-life for activity, 30 days for earnings). No-shows cost 50 ELO each.

Taxes:Coaching earnings paid via ChessCoach are yours to declare to your local tax authority. We don't withhold or remit taxes on your behalf.

FAQ

Do I need a chess.com account?

No. Neither students nor coaches need one to use ChessCoach. Coaches can optionally verify their chess.com account for a trust badge.

Can I be both a student and a coach?

Yes. Your dashboard has separate sections for coaching and learning.

What if a coach doesn't respond?

Pending requests expire automatically and your funds are released. You can also cancel anytime.

What if the lesson was bad?

Within 24 hours of the scheduled end, hit Report Issue on the lesson card. An admin reviews before any money moves.

Is my chess.com username shared?

No. Even if you verify, only a ✓ chess.com badge is shown publicly — never the username itself. We use it server-side to refresh your chess.com rating.

What happens if my account is suspended?

You can't book, accept, or deposit, and you won't appear in search. You can still withdraw any coach earnings. Email support to appeal.