Private online lessons · adults
Chess coaching for adults
Structured one-on-one chess lessons for adults, built around your own games and a clear plan, taught online worldwide by Slaven Pastar, an International Master and FIDE Instructor. Beginner or club player, you work on what is actually holding you back.
International Master · FIDE Instructor · Active player
Who it's for
- Adult beginners
- Returning players
- Club players
- Tournament players
Is it too late?
You can still get good at chess as an adult
It is a common worry that real improvement is only for children. It isn't. Adults bring focus, patience and the ability to follow a plan, and those are exactly what progress is built on. What changes the result is direction, not age. If you already play in rated tournaments, there is also coaching for competitive players.
Method beats hours
Most adults plateau not from lack of effort but from spreading it thin. A plan built around your games points your time at what is actually costing you rating.
Built around your games
Slaven previews the games you play and walks you through the turning points, so you stop repeating the same mistakes instead of studying in the abstract.
Progress you can measure
Sharper decisions, results against stronger opposition, a rising rating. The aim is concrete improvement you can see, not vague advice.
Learn from an active player
A coach who still competes
Slaven is an International Master who still plays competitive chess, so the ideas in your lessons come from someone tested in real games, not only teaching from a book. You work on the same things that decide his own games: preparation, calculation and converting the position in front of you. For what to weigh up in a coach more generally, here is how to choose a chess coach.
International Master · FIDE 14402718
What we work on
Every part of your game
Lessons cover the whole game and go where your results say they should. A typical path moves through these areas, in the order that helps you most.
Openings
A practical repertoire you understand, not memorised lines that collapse the moment your opponent leaves the book.
Strategy and positional play
Reading a position, making plans, and knowing which pieces and squares matter, so you always have something to do.
Tactics
Spotting and calculating combinations reliably, and not handing them to your opponent, with training matched to your level.
Calculation
Looking ahead clearly and choosing candidate moves with method, so you trust your decisions under the clock.
Endgames
The technique that converts winning positions and saves lost ones, the part most adults are quietly losing points in.
Your own games
Every game analysed together in depth, turning your real mistakes into the plan for the next lesson.
How it works
Online lessons, one-on-one
Coaching is delivered live and one-on-one over video, with the board shared on screen. Online works as well as in person for chess, and it means you can learn from a titled coach wherever you are. All you need is a computer and an internet connection.
Live video, just the two of you
Each lesson is a live call with Slaven, paced to you and set out in a plan you can follow between sessions.
Your games, shared on screen
The board and your games are shown on chess.com or Lichess, with ChessBase for deeper analysis and opening work.
Homework between lessons
You leave with games to play and ideas to study, so each session builds on the last instead of starting over.
From adult students
What adult students say
A coach is only as good as the progress students make. Here is what two adult students say in their own words.
I had the pleasure of being a student to Slaven for the last four years. He is an extremely versatile teacher, who can easily adapt to a pupil’s individual needs and can teach beginners as well as aspiring amateurs and club players. He has a structured approach, a clear way of explaining and great flexibility in his lessons, so even at days where I just was not able to give my 100%, he always came up with creative ways to make the lesson nevertheless worthwhile. We spent lots of time on in-depth opening studies, general chess principles and important endgame ideas, and I am happy to say that I significantly improved in all these areas thanks to Slaven. He speaks excellent English and has a great sense of humor — you should definitely give him a try.
Getting started
Starting is simple
It takes one short call to begin. Here is exactly how it goes.
Book a free intro call
A no-obligation 15-minute call. It takes a minute to book and costs nothing.
Talk through your chess
Slaven gets to know your level, your games and what you want to improve, and answers any questions.
Agree a plan
Together you settle on a focus, a lesson length and a schedule that fits around your life.
Start improving
Lessons begin, live online, each one built on your games and the plan you set.
Pricing
Online chess rates
One-on-one lessons and training games, priced per hour. Packages are available upon enquiry, just ask during your free introductory call. For more on what shapes the price, see what online chess lessons cost.
One-on-one lesson
Most start here$45/ hour
A personalized lesson built around your own games, where we tailor the training to meet you and your specific needs.
- Study plan tailored to your games
- Focused work on what holds you back
- Homework to work on after each session
Training game
$30/ hour
Training games against Slaven, then a analysis together afterwards.
- Choose the tempo and number of games
- Pick up an opening
- Move-by-move analysis after
Lesson packages
Available Upon Enquiry
Secure a block of lessons at a tailored rate, designed for real continuity from one session to the next. Let's discuss options during your free introductory call.
- Discounted per-hour rate
- Continuity across every session
- Priority on the schedule
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can adults really improve at chess?
Yes. Adults improve at chess at every level, and the limit is almost never age. What changes the result is having direction: a plan built around your own games, focused work on the gaps that actually cost you points, and analysis of where each game slipped. Slaven has coached adults from beginner up to 2100 FIDE using that structured method.
Am I too old to get better at chess?
No. There is no age at which improvement stops. Adults bring focus, patience and the ability to follow a study plan, which are exactly the traits that progress is built on. Whether you are returning to the game after years away or starting in your forties or beyond, lessons are paced to you and built around where you are now.
I'm a complete beginner as an adult. Can you teach me?
Yes. Adult beginners are welcome, and learning the game properly from the start means real understanding rather than bad habits to unlearn later. Slaven teaches the rules, the ideas behind them and how to think over the board, at a pace that suits you, so you build a foundation you can keep improving on.
How do online chess lessons for adults work?
Lessons are one-on-one and delivered live over Microsoft Teams or Zoom, with the board shown on chess.com or Lichess and ChessBase used for analysis and opening preparation. Each lesson follows a plan tailored to your level and goals, and Slaven previews the games you play beforehand so the time goes to exactly what will help. All you need is a computer and an internet connection.
Does online coaching work as well as in person?
For chess, yes. The board, your games and the analysis are all shared on screen, so nothing is lost compared with sitting at the same table, and you can learn from a titled coach wherever you are in the world. The structured method, a per-lesson plan, game previews and homework, is what drives improvement, online or in person.
How much do chess lessons for adults cost?
One-on-one lessons with Slaven are $45 per hour and training games are $30 per hour, in US dollars. Lesson packages over a block of lessons are available on enquiry. You can ask about packages on the free intro call.
How long until I see improvement?
It depends on where you start and how much you play and study between lessons, so no honest coach can promise a number. What you can expect is a clear plan, specific things to work on, and your own games reviewed each lesson, so you can see concrete progress in your decisions and results rather than just hoping it comes.
How do I get started?
Book a free 15-minute intro call. Slaven will talk through your level, your games and what you want to improve, answer your questions and see if it is a good fit, with no obligation. After that, you agree a focus and a schedule that fits your life, and the lessons begin.
Ready to improve your chess?
Book a free 15-minute intro call. Tell Slaven your goals, ask anything, and see if it's a good fit, no obligation.