Top 10 Best Online Chess Classes In 2024 [Free + Paid]

If you are looking to learn chess and master the ultimate game of strategy, this is the place for you!

In this guide, I cover some of the best online chess classes and lessons in 2024 that are perfect for complete beginners, or those looking to dominate their opponents.

As an added bonus, I have also included a wide range of classes from free to premium lessons taught by world chess champions. Let’s begin!

Table of Contents

Top 10+ Best Online Chess Classes & Training 2024

1. Garry Kasparov Teaches Chess (MasterClass)

First on my list is an outstanding beginner-level chess course that is taught by one of the best chess players in history. You will learn insights into the game that will help develop your own skills and lead you to a better understanding of chess.

Your instructor for this class is multiple-time world chess champion player Garry Kasparov, who at the age of 22 became the youngest ever to win the world championship in chess. Since that time, he has won six total championships, surpassed Bobby Fischer’s peak rating, and developed a skill and mastery of the game like few people have in history.

In total, there are over 7 hours of on-demand videos separated into 29 individual modules that include an introduction to the fundamentals of chess, double attacks, pins, winning trades, interference, openings, end games, using computers, and several case studies of actual games.

Courses from MasterClass online learning platform are accessible across multiple platforms, including phones, tablets, computers, and TV. You will also receive a detailed workbook, a periodic newsletter, and access to a large online community of teachers and students. Highly recommended!

Beginner to Advanced level
7 ¼ hours
Taught by world champion Garry Kasparov
Access on various devices
Detailed workbook included
Online community

Visit Masterclass.com

2. I Will Teach You How To Play Chess! (Skillshare)

If you feel like you never have the time to learn chess, this course will show you how to make the game less complicated and more fun, plus give you the knowledge of how to win consistently.

Taught by enthusiast chess player Arne Kähler who has years of experience in playing strategic chess, he will guide you through this 3-hour class which is engaging and surprisingly quite fun!

Video lessons cover the board and pieces, in-depth looks at the king, queen, bishop, rook, knight, and pawn, plus specialty moves such as pawn promotion, en passant, and castling, and even how to play to a draw. There are also 12 included chess puzzles to solve and an explanation of the solutions.

Being hosted on Skillshare, new users can take this chess class for free when taking advantage of their 1-month free trial! Users can also take all lessons at their own pace and across multiple devices. Overall, a great course!

Beginner level
3 hours
Taught by an advanced chess player
Class projects
Student discussions
Lots of quizzes

Activate FREE Skillshare Trial

3. Chess 101: Learn how to play chess for newbies (Skillshare)

Next on my list is another great chess class that is aimed at complete beginners that want to get familiar with the board, the pieces, and the game itself. If you have never played chess before and don’t even know how to set up the board, this is a great place to start!

Taught by internet business guru and creative professional Sergey Kasimov, this class is designed to bring you into the game of chess for the first time which is broken down step-by-step.

In total, this 1-hour beginner level class is split up into 11 micro lessons which include setting up the board, basics of the king, queen, rooks, knights, bishops, castle, and pawns. Once completed, students can then move on to playing AI chess games which vary for all skill levels.

Again, being hosted on Skillshare, new users can take this class, plus all the other chess lessons on this list for free when utilizing their 1-month free trial!

Beginner level
46 minutes
Taught by a fun player
Class projects
Class discussions
Part of a collection of fun courses

FREE Skillshare Trial

4. Chess For Everyone! (Udemy)

Moving onto my next pick is a great lesson for beginners and intermediate-level players who want to strengthen their game, have a deeper understanding of chess tactics, and develop strategic thinking.

Robert Gummerlock is your instructor for the course, who has been a player of the game for decades and has become a teacher in the past 3 years for kids and adults. During this time, he has helped 3,000 students to better understand the game of chess.

During the 2.5-hour training, you will become familiar with chess basics, how to open properly, strengthen your middle game, and how to close out games with a checkmate. There are also extra class modules of setting up the board, special moves, how to castle, double attack, pins, skewers, pawn promotion, mating various pieces, and ends with a quiz.

With all Udemy courses, students get lifetime access to course content, certificate of completion, and access to desktop/ mobile video lessons. Overall, a great course for those who have some prior experience in the game.

Beginner to Intermediate level
2.5 hours
Taught by highly rated chess instructor
Lifetime access
Extra resources
Certificate of completion

Visit Udemy.com

5. I Will Teach You How To Play Chess – Openings (Beginners) (Skillshare)

For those that are looking to learn the best openings in chess such as the Queen’s Gambit, Ruy Lopez, Bishop’s Opening, or the Blackmar Diemer Gambit, this is the class for you!

Taught by Arne Kähler, a lover of chess and a very lively instructor, you will be able to immerse yourself in the game with the insight and skills taught here.

There is a lot to cover in the 7 ¾ hours of course modules which include strategies and tactics, values and combos, attack and defense, gambits, sacrifice, tournament play, a personality test, and several case studies played out for your instruction. Overall, this is a great course that dives deep into many aspects of the game!

Being hosted on Skillshare, new students can take this lesson and all others mentioned in this list for free with the 1-month free trial.

Beginner level
7 ¾ hours on-demand video
Taught by an advanced chess player
Class projects
Class discussions
Lots of case studies

Activate FREE Skillshare Trial

6. Chess – How to become a Chess Master (Udemy)

This course takes you step-by-step through the basics of chess and will also teach you how to prepare for casual chess games and tournaments. Plus how to win them. In total, there are 33 hours of video lessons, so this course is not for those who want a quick overview of the game.

Instructors are provided by the Academy of Film Fashion and Design, making the course very visually appealing while still focusing on valuable and actionable course content.

The 33 hours of instruction are divided into 114 lectures, covering such subjects as how the pieces move, specialty moves, check and checkmate, fundamental tactics, guidelines for openings, chess combinations, traps in the game, finishing without major pieces, developing strategies, and several chess exercises.

Overall, this is an in-depth dive into chess that will result in students having a great understanding of the game.

Beginner level
33 hours
Various instructors
Downloadable resources
Practice tests
Certificate of completion

Visit Udemy.com

7. Chess: Learn to Play the French Defense Like a Master (Skillshare)

The French Defense is one of the most popular openings in chess, leading to many possible middle and end game variations. In this course, you will examine the key pieces, moves, and strategies.

It’s taught by Gary Vanderford, an instructor with a good reputation in business, language, and chess-playing classes.

This course is an intermediate level and 2 ¼ hours of on-demand video. Course modules include an introduction to the French Defense, the advanced variation, the Tarrasch variation, pawn exchange, and a how-to meld it all together.

There are class projects and discussion groups available, plus downloads of 10 different game variations to test yourself with and practice.

Intermediate level
2 ¼ hours
Concentrates on the French Defense
Taught by highly rated instructor
Downloadable resources
Practice games

Activate FREE Skillshare Trial

8. Chess Tactics Essentials (Udemy)

Learn the most frequently used and most effective tactics so you can use them in your own games and also recognize when they’re being used against you by the other player. After this beginner-level course, students will be well prepared to enter tournament play and advance their game to a higher level.

Taught by tournament player and chess instructor Brendon J. Norman, owner of a chess teaching website and a professional chess coach for over 10 years.

Course modules teach the value of pieces, pins, forks, skewers, discoveries, removing the guard, and several illustrative games to enjoy and learn from.

Beginner level
2 ½ hours
Professional chess coach as the instructor
33 downloadable resources
Several illustrative and practice tests
Certificate of completion

Visit Udemy.com

9. Chess Strategies: Learn Geometrical Tactical Chess Maneuvers (Udemy)

Improve your tactical skills with this course that teaches geometrical tactical strikes and how to make the entire board work for your winning strategy. It includes case studies of real games between chess masters and an analysis of what happened and tests afterward.

Taught by chess coaches Mark Eremenko and Viktor Neustroev. They are civil engineers and financial traders who have a hobby of playing competitive chess, bringing their expertise from their work into their coaching.

Course modules include blockade, opening a file, clearing the space, damming, and x-raying and concludes with several bonus lectures.

It’s 2 hours of intermediate-level instruction with online resources, full lifetime access, and a certificate of completion.

Intermediate level
2 hours
Taught by chess coaches
Downloadable resources
Lifetime access
Certificate of completion

Visit Udemy.com

10. Learn to Play Chess: from a Novice to a Fierce Competitor (Udemy)

In this beginner-level course, you will go from an absolute beginner to a chess player who regularly wins decisively by checkmate.

Taught by Dr. Alex Davidovic, International Chess Master, who played professionally for 5 years and competed in two Chess Olympiads, this course also takes advantage of his Chess Mates Companion computer software for complete training as a competitive player.

The 2 ¼ hours of on-demand video course modules include setting up the board, how the pieces move and interact, promoting pawns, checkmate strategies, and opening the games.

It comes with downloadable resources, lifetime access, and a certificate of completion. If you are looking to further your skills, check out some of our other online courses and lessons you can try.