Live online classes · Ages 3 to 18

Story Based Chess Classes That Build Focus, Confidence And Calm In Your Child

For kids 3 to 18 who struggle with focus, shyness, or screen time. In 8 weeks your child will know how to play chess and you will see them sit longer, think deeper, and speak up more.

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Sits for 40 minutesWithout being asked twice, and without a screen to hold them there.

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Says "let me think"Instead of "I can't." They learn to pause before they choose.

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Loses wellShakes hands, finds the mistake, and asks for one more game.

Free 1-on-1 orientation call
Chess set posted to your door
First month money back

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Sits for 40 minutesWithout being asked twice, and without a screen to hold them there.

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Says "let me think"Instead of "I can't." They pause before they choose.

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Every class ends with a storyA real person who struggled, kept going, and won.

Four kinds of children. One classroom.

Find Your Child Here

We do not run one class for everyone. Your child is placed by age, attention span and goal — then given the path that fits them.

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Early Learners

From 3 years old

Starts as young as 3, with stories instead of rules
Sits calmly through a full session by week four
Learns every piece by playing, not memorising

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Confidence & Focus

For the shy or distracted

Explains their plan out loud in every class
Handles losing without tears — reviews, not blames
Swaps scrolling for 30 minutes of real thinking

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Competitive Growth

Tournament ready

Rating IDs and event shortlist handled for you
Openings, endgames and drills at their exact level
A revision class before every tournament

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Value Development

Beyond the board

One true story every class, with a lesson to use
Patience, planning and honesty tracked monthly
Teachers notice first: calmer attention in class

Why we teach through stories

A Rule Is Forgotten By Friday. A Story Is Not.

Children do not remember instructions. They remember what happened to someone. So every concept arrives inside a story — and every class closes with one about a real person who was behind, kept turning up, and got there. Your child learns the move and the mindset in the same 40 minutes.

50+

illustrated stories in our library, written for children

One clear lesson per story, in words a five year old uses
Hand illustrated, read-aloud length — about six minutes
Sent home so you can read the same story at bedtime

Everything included

What Your Child Gets

One program. Every part of it built to answer the thing parents actually worry about.

The Core Program

Story Chess Classes

Weekly story based chess classes. Live, one concept per lesson, taught in language your child already understands — then sealed with a story they will retell at dinner.
Small groups with caring coaches. Age banded, kept small, so no child hides at the back. One click to join, board on the table, camera on the pieces.
Progress tracking for parents. Weekly wins after every class, a monthly review call, and a tracker that shows what changed — on the board and at home.

Every plan starts here All four bonuses included

Bedtime Chess Stories Library

Included

The same illustrated stories we use in class, sent to you as books. Real people who were told they were too young, too slow or too far behind — and what they did next.

Parent Coaching Huddles

Included

A monthly call where we show you exactly what to say when your child loses, stalls or wants to quit. You get the coach's script, not a report card.

Confidence Milestones Certificate Pack

Included

Printed certificates for the wins that are not trophies: first checkmate, first time explaining a plan, first graceful loss. Something real for the fridge door.

First Tournament Prep Session

Included

We pick the right first event, run a revision class before it, and send the checklist — registration, ID, rest, nerves. Their first trophy should not be a gamble.

Every part of this is included. Nothing here is an add-on or an upsell later. Your plan is built on the call

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The First Month Promise

If after the first month you do not see more focus and confidence at home, tell us and we will refund that month.

The soul behind our story

“I did not want to build another academy that only counts wins. I wanted a place where a child learns something on Tuesday and uses it at school on Wednesday.”

Every story in our library was written for that reason. A child who hears how someone else kept going does not need a lecture on perseverance — they already have a picture of it. That picture is what stays.

Ravi GillFounder & Head Coach

Words from the hearts that trust us

Parents, In Their Own Words

He used to leave the table after ten minutes. Now he sits for the whole class and tells me the story afterwards, move by move. His teacher asked what changed.

Parent of a 6 year oldStory Time batch

She was too shy to answer in class. In chess she has to explain her plan out loud every week. Three months later her school report used the word confident.

Parent of an 8 year oldConfidence & Focus track

We had no idea how tournaments worked. They picked the event, did the registration, and ran a revision class before it. He came home with his first trophy.

Parent of an 11 year oldCompetitive Growth track

How it works

Three Steps, Nothing Complicated

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Book a discovery call

Fifteen minutes with a coach. No sales script — we ask about your child, their attention, and what you want to see change.

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We meet your child and design their story path

A free orientation session sets the level, the class length, and the goals we will measure. You leave with the plan written down.

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They start classes and you get updates every week

Classes begin, the chess set arrives, and every week you get the wins in writing. A full review with you at the end of each month.

Register For A Discovery Call

Tell us about your child. We reply within one working day with two call times.

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Request Received

We will message you within one working day with two call times. Check your WhatsApp.

The Rook's story library

Every Story Ends With A Lesson

These are the books we read in class. Illustrated, about six minutes long, and each one leaves your child with a single idea they can use the next morning. Pick a title and we will send it to you.

Lesson · Resilience

The Boy Who Became the Toughest King of the World

Being the strongest is not about never falling. It is about who stands back up, and how many times.

Read this story →

Lesson · Sportsmanship

The Boy Who Learned to Smile When He Lost

Losing well is a skill, and it is the one that decides how far a child goes. Here is how he learned it.

Read this story →

Lesson · Curiosity

The Girls Who Found the Magic Key

Nobody handed them the answer. They asked one more question than everyone else — and the door opened.

Read this story →

Lesson · Patience

The Boy Who Played with the Moon

When there was nobody left to play with, he kept practising anyway. That is where the difference began.

Read this story →

Lesson · Courage

The Mountain Climber and the Voice of Light

The climb was steep and quitting was the easy option. A small voice kept them moving one step at a time.

Read this story →

Lesson · Confidence

Priyanka's Shield and the Sparkle of Home

She built something to protect what she loved most — and found her own voice while she was building it.

Read this story →

Take the library home

Buy The Story Books

Illustrated, print ready, and written to be read aloud. Parents use them at bedtime. Schools and academies use them as a values curriculum. Tell us which set you want and we will reply the same day with the files and the price.

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You picked — the buttons below are ready with your title.

Single Story

Any one title from the library, delivered as a print ready PDF you can read on any screen.

Email to buy

Starter Collection

All six stories on this page — resilience, sportsmanship, curiosity, patience, courage and confidence. One book a week for six weeks.

Email to buy

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Full Library & School Licence

Every story we have written, plus the lesson notes and discussion questions we use in class. For families, schools and academies.

Email to enquire

To order, email team@therookschessacademy.com with the set you want, or message us on WhatsApp. We reply the same day.

Email Us To Buy Stories

Before you book

Questions Parents Ask Us

What does it cost?

Most families invest between $199 and $499 per month, depending on your child's age, level, and whether they are in a small group or one to one.

We do not publish a single number because we do not run a single class. A four year old starting with stories and a twelve year old preparing for a rated event need different intensity, and it would be unfair to price them the same. On your discovery call we recommend the right path and share the exact tuition before you decide anything.

My child is only three or four. Is that too young?

No. Three is where many of our children start. At that age we are not teaching openings — we are teaching one piece at a time through a story, with movement games and short sessions built around a small attention span. The chess follows naturally once the child is comfortable.

Can chess really be taught online?

Yes, and for young children it often works better. Your child has a real board in front of them and physically moves the pieces during class, so it is hands-on rather than a screen exercise. There is no commute, no missed lesson because of traffic, and you can watch a session whenever you want.

We send a chess set to your door before the first class.

My child has never played. Do they need to know anything first?

Nothing at all. Most of our children arrive not knowing how a knight moves. We teach one idea per lesson, in language a five year old already uses, and practise it three ways before adding anything new.

How long is a class, and how often?

Between twenty and forty five minutes depending on age, once or twice a week. We set the length on the orientation call based on how long your child can genuinely stay engaged, then grow it as their attention improves rather than forcing it from day one.

What if my child does not enjoy it?

Then it is not right for them, and we would rather you know quickly. If after the first month you do not see more focus and confidence at home, tell us and we will refund that month.

What do I actually see as a parent?

Wins in writing after every class, a monthly review call, and the story your child was read that week so you can read it again at bedtime. You should not have to guess whether it is working.

Do you help with tournaments and ratings?

Yes, when your child is ready and only if you want that path. We shortlist the right first event, handle the registration and ID setup, run a revision class beforehand, and send a checklist covering everything from rest to nerves. Plenty of our families never enter a tournament and that is completely fine.

We already have a full week of activities. How does chess fit?

One session a week, at a time you choose, plus about thirty minutes of play at home that your child will usually ask for rather than resist. We pick the slot with you on the call, around school and everything else.

Still not sure? Ask us on the call. It is fifteen minutes and there is nothing to buy.

One conversation, no pressure

Ready To See If This Is Right For Your Child?

Book a free discovery call. Fifteen minutes, a real coach, and an honest answer about whether we are the right fit.

Book A Free Discovery Call

Story Books Book A Call