Chess is how a child learns to think.
Private chess lessons in Montecito and Santa Barbara for children at any stage of their chess journey, with a former National Scholastic Champion. Your child learns to listen to their instincts, get curious, and enjoy figuring things out.
Your child’s lessons are molded to them, and so is the practice in between. The lab is designed to be a custom playground for learning, unique to every child, and I use what it shows me to plan the next lesson. See the practice lab
Book a lessonHow lessons work- USCF ExpertNationally rated tournament player
- National K-6 Blitz ChampionAs a student
- Washington State K-6 ChampionAs a student
- 25 rated tournaments directedImmediate Past President, Santa Barbara County Chess Club
Four things a good chess lesson teaches
Learn from every moment
Children learn to get curious and ask questions, turning tough games into information, then growth.
Ask good questions
The answers are on the board, in a game with more possibilities than there are grains of sand on earth. Kyle teaches children what's worth asking in a sea of options.
Trust yourself
Every move is your child's own. Their instincts get sharper by being tested. When the board says otherwise, they ask why, problem-solve their way to a better idea, and go again.
Joy
Lessons are games first. A child who learns to love learning will practise on their own, in chess and well beyond it.
Taught by someone who has won it, and has run it
I started playing at nine, won state and national titles as a student, and have spent over a decade teaching and organizing chess in Santa Barbara.
I know what it takes to get good, and I know what it feels like to be a beginner. With every student that means patience, humor, and lessons that move at the child's pace. I explain ideas in plain words, and we play a lot.
Structure gives children something solid to stand on, and within it I encourage them to explore their own ideas. When an idea is a known dead end, I step in with feedback, so they're free to experiment without getting lost. When a child is stuck, I add structure. When they're flowing, I step back and let them explore.
What a lesson is like
We start with play.Children learn by playing, at their own level, through small games and puzzles, not by memorizing rules.
One idea at a time.Each lesson has a single clear idea, such as protecting a piece or controlling the center, and the child uses it straight away.
Parents are kept in the loop.After each lesson you get a short note on what we covered and what to try at home.
The practice lab
Practice that fits your child, today
Between lessons, your child has a lab of their own: a place to try ideas, see what happens, and get feedback that adjusts specifically for them.
A gentle opponent
The computer starts out easy and adapts after every game, for your child alone: a little stronger after a win, a little easier after a loss.
Puzzles from their own games
Each puzzle comes from a moment on your child's own board, so every child's practice is different.
Kyle sees where they are
A parent can send Kyle progress with one tap, so every lesson starts from where your child is now.
For experienced kids, teens and adults, the full practice lab and Student Corner are ready now. Families of newer players get a code from Kyle for the kids lab.
Lessons
Coaching for teens and adults
Tournament players and adult improvers get the same personal attention, with a different flavor catered to them: more strategy, more calculation, and a plan built around their games and goals.
Give your child a game that lasts a lifetime
Tell me a little about your child, and I'll suggest where to begin.
Get in touchGet in touch
Ready to start? Book a lesson. Have a question first? Send a message and I'll reply by email.