Private coaching, online worldwide
Chess coaching that
moves your rating.
One-to-one lessons for juniors and adult improvers, entirely online. Book and pay in under two minutes.
- National Master
- NM
- FIDE rating
- 2174
- Peak blitz · chess.com
- 2719
- Lessons worldwide
- Online
Meet James
James Dinham is a National Master who coaches online from Johannesburg. He plays at a FIDE rating of 2174, with a peak online blitz rating north of 2700.
He coaches juniors and adult improvers entirely online, building lessons around the games you are actually playing rather than a fixed syllabus.
- NM
- National Master
- 2174
- FIDE
- 2719
- Peak blitz
Coaching built around the player
No two students get the same lesson. Here is where most people start.
Beginner
You know how the pieces move, or you're about to learn. We build the patterns and habits that turn guessing into actually understanding a position.
- No experience needed
- Patterns first, not memorising
- An opening you can trust
Intermediate
You've been playing a while and keep losing to the same kinds of mistakes. We find the two or three habits actually costing you games and rebuild them.
- Honest review of your own games
- Tactics that hold up under pressure
- An opening you understand, not just play
Club
You play regularly and take your rating seriously. Coaching here closes the specific gaps between you and the players just above you.
- Targeted opening repertoire
- Practical middlegame planning
- Endgame technique that wins close games
Expert
Rated and hungry for results. Preparation built around your next event, your opponents, and the moments that actually decide rated games.
- Opponent scouting
- Sharp, personalised repertoire
- Time-pressure training
A method, not a magic bullet
We look at your real games
No generic curriculum. I go through games you have actually played and find the patterns that lose you points.
Fix the habits, not the symptoms
A blunder is a symptom. We work on the decision behind it so the same mistake stops happening.
Train the way you compete
Tactics under a clock, positions from your own openings, and the endgames that decide close games.
Book your first lesson
Pick a time and pay in one place. Your Google Meet link lands in your inbox the moment it is confirmed.
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If the booking form does not load, you can book directly by email — James will send you open times and a payment link.
Email James to bookPlayers who broke through
Real reviews from James's students, on what changed once the lessons started.
“James has been a great chess teacher! He has been giving me lessons for over 2 months now and I can see a massive improvement in my strategies. You won't go wrong with James as your chess tutor.”
Questions, answered
Anything else, email me directly and I will get back to you.
All lessons are online, over a Google Meet call built right into this site so you never have to leave the page. It works just as well down the road or across the world.
Your next rating starts with one lesson
Book a slot that suits you. If it is not the right fit, the first lesson tells you fast, and there is no obligation to continue.