Chess Masters

What Chess Masters does

Chess Masters is an Australian chess coaching business founded in 1992 by Irina Berezina-Feldman and Vladimir Feldman, both International Chess Masters originally from Ukraine. The company operates as a private coaching service offering one-on-one lessons (in-person or online) and group coaching sessions delivered via Zoom alongside the chesskid.com practice platform, with group classes priced at $170 per term. The active coaching roster comprises three to four titled professionals, including the two founder IMs and FIDE Master Victor Berezin at a 2370 rating.

The firm serves three customer segments: individual students taking private lessons, school cohorts at four named NSW institutions (The Scots College, Sydney Boys High, Kambala, and Moriah College), and club members at the East Sydney Chess Club (for adults) and the Junior Chess Club. As of the most recent disclosures, both chess clubs are temporarily suspended — the adult club is seeking a new venue and the junior club has paused operations — leaving school programs and private 1-on-1 coaching as the active revenue streams. The company also maintains affiliation relationships with FIDE, ACF, NSWCA, NSWJCL, and the Oceania Chess Confederation, which underpin credibility and provide tournament pathways for students.

Chess Masters' underlying technology stack is minimal: Zoom for synchronous delivery and chesskid.com as the practice surface, with no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI component. Headcount is reported as 11–50 employees, though the evidence indicates the active coaching core is three to four people. The business is privately held and founder-owned, with no external funding, institutional investors, or acquisition activity disclosed.

Name

Chess Masters

Legal name

Chess Masters

Website

https://chessmasters.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chess Masters is an Australian chess coaching business founded in 1992 by two International Chess Masters, offering private lessons, online group coaching via Zoom, and school programs at four Sydney institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bondi

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Private Coaching: One-on-one chess lessons conducted in-person or online for individual students of all ages and skill levels.
2. Group Coaching (Online Classes): Online chess classes offered per term ($170 per term), using Zoom lessons and chesskid.com platform.
3. School Chess Programs: Coaching and organization of Chess programs at partnered schools including The Scots College, Sydney Boys High, Kambala, and Moriah College.
4. Chess Club and Tournaments: Easts Chess Club providing coaching and competitions for adults. Junior Chess Club currently closed but seeking new venue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chess Masters is a professional chess coaching business providing private and group lessons for all ages and skill levels, in-school chess programs at partner schools, and chess club operations including tournaments. Coaching is delivered in-person at the North Bondi headquarters and online via Zoom combined with chesskid.com for gameplay. Founded in 1992 by International Chess Masters Irina Berezina-Feldman and Vladimir Feldman, the company has served the Australian market for over 30 years and positions itself as Australia's only professional and qualified chess coaching business.

Product overview

Chess Masters is a professional chess coaching business offering private and group lessons, school chess programs, and operates the East Sydney Chess Club (for adults) and East Sydney Junior Chess Club. The company also provides online instruction through Chess Masters Online via Zoom and chesskid.com. Key coaching staff include International Chess Masters Vladimir Feldman and Irina Berezina-Feldman, and FIDE Master Victor Berezin. Services are delivered through physical locations at partner schools (The Scots College, Sydney Boys High, Kambala, Moriah College) and the Easts Chess Club venue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Chess Coaching One-on-one chess instruction for individual students of all ages and skill levels, delivered in-person at the North Bondi headquarters or online via Zoom.
• Group Chess Coaching Group-based chess lessons for multiple participants, available for all age groups and experience levels.
• School Chess Programs Coaching and organization of chess programs delivered at partner schools including The Scots College, Sydney Boys High, Kambala, and Moriah College, with password-protected student resources and inter-school competition support.
• Chess Masters Online (Online Chess Classes) Term-based online group chess classes conducted via Zoom with gameplay on chesskid.com, targeting junior learners and offered per school term.
• East Sydney Chess Club (Adults) Adult chess club providing coaching, tournaments, and competitions (including Autumn, Summer, and Spring Chess Challenges). Currently seeking a new venue after previous operations were suspended.
• East Sydney Junior Chess Club Junior chess club for children, offering coaching and competition including online tournaments (e.g., 18 October 2020 and 15 November 2020). Temporarily closed and seeking a new venue.
• Chess Tournaments Various chess challenges and tournaments organized throughout the year, including Autumn, Summer, and Spring Chess Challenges at the Easts Chess Club.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• i-shop worldwideminorOthersWeb design and technical assistance provider for chessmasters.com.au website. Listed as one of Chess Masters' most important partners for maintaining their online presence.
• NSW Junior Chess LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level junior chess federation providing competition structure and interschool tournaments for young chess players.
• Australian Chess FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational chess governing body that organizes Australian chess competitions and represents Australian players internationally.
• NSW Chess AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level chess association supporting chess development in New South Wales.
• FIDEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Chess Federation (FIDE) - the international governing body for chess that awards titles and organizes world championships.
• Oceania Chess ConfederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chess confederation covering Oceania that organizes continental competitions including the Oceania Chess Calendar.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• ChessBase: ChessBase is the leading chess database and analysis software company, publishing instructional content and powering the Playchess online platform. It is an adjacent enabler to chess coaching, providing tools and curricula that Chess Masters coaches rely on for instruction and preparation.

Direct peers

• Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis: The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is a major chess hub offering private coaching, group classes, school programs, and tournaments for players of all ages. It is comparable to Chess Masters as a comprehensive elite coach-led chess education and competition organization.
• Susan Polgar Chess Center: The Susan Polgar Chess Center is a chess education and training organization founded by a former Women's World Chess Champion. It offers private and group coaching, school programs, and online instruction, closely mirroring Chess Masters' model of elite-titled coach-led chess education.

Emerging players

• ChessKid (by Chess.com): ChessKid.com is Chess.com's dedicated platform for children's chess learning, offering online classes and coaching. It directly overlaps with Chess Masters' junior and online group coaching offerings, and is even an active technology partner of Chess Masters.
• Outschool: Outschool is an online marketplace for live video classes for kids, including a meaningful chess coaching category. It is comparable to Chess Masters' online group classes as a discovery and payment platform for parents seeking structured chess instruction outside the school system.
• TakeLessons: TakeLessons is an online tutoring marketplace that connects students with private instructors across subjects, including chess. It is comparable to Chess Masters as a private lesson provider, though operating at a national/multi-country scale via a marketplace model.
• Superprof: Superprof is a global tutoring marketplace that lists private chess tutors in Australia and worldwide. It is comparable to Chess Masters as a competing channel for parents seeking private and group chess instruction, though it competes primarily on price and tutor variety rather than elite credentials.

Broad incumbents

• Lichess: Lichess is a major free, open-source online chess platform offering lessons, puzzles, and study tools. While it does not offer live coaching, it competes with Chess Masters' online curriculum by providing free structured learning content globally, including for junior players.
• Chess.com: Chess.com is the world's largest online chess platform, offering lessons, courses, and live coaching in addition to gameplay. It is comparable as a chess education provider serving the same end customers (learners and parents) globally, while Chess Masters is a regional, in-person credentialed alternative. Chess.com also owns ChessKid.com, which Chess Masters currently uses as a delivery platform.

Regional players

• Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC): Chess in Schools and Communities is a UK-based charity that delivers chess coaching in schools and runs community programs. It is comparable to Chess Masters as a school-focused chess education provider, though operating in a different geography (UK vs. Australia).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chess-masters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chess Masters