Is there a free trial for Russian Chess School?

Yes. Russian Chess School offers a 7-day free trial with no commitment. You can cancel anytime during or after the trial.

How much does Russian Chess School cost?

The adult program is $34 per month, or from $24 per month when billed yearly. The RCS KIDS program starts with a free onboarding call and no commitment, and you can cancel anytime.

What chess levels does Russian Chess School teach?

Russian Chess School teaches all levels from complete beginners (0 rating) to advanced club players (up to 2000 rating). Levels include Beginner (0-500), Improver (500-800), Intermediate (800-1200), Advanced (1200-1600), and Club Player (1600-2000).

Are classes online or in person?

All Russian Chess School classes are fully online. Students join live group sessions from anywhere in the world. There are no in-person classes.

Who teaches at Russian Chess School?

All coaches at Russian Chess School hold official FIDE titles. The team includes WGM Dina Belenkaya (founder), WIM Anna Gvanceladze, WFM Alexandra Samaganova, and WIM Alina Balaian.

What age is the KIDS program for?

The RCS KIDS program is designed for children ages 7 to 16. Classes are held in small groups of up to 6 students for personalized attention.

What does the subscription include?

The adult subscription includes weekly group classes by rating level, game reviews with Dina, 1-on-1 coaching, tournaments, a leaderboard, personalized plans, and access to 500+ hours of structured training material. It is hosted on the Skool community platform.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Yes. There is no long-term commitment. You can cancel your Russian Chess School subscription at any time.

What chess courses are available at Russian Chess School?

Russian Chess School offers standalone chess courses covering targeted skill areas including tactics, openings, endgames, strategy, and game analysis. These are structured video-based programs you can work through at your own pace alongside the live class program.

Are the chess courses suitable for beginners?

Yes. Courses are designed for players at all levels, from beginners learning the fundamentals to intermediate and advanced players working to fix specific weaknesses. Each course focuses on one area so you can target exactly what you need to improve.

How do the standalone courses differ from the live classes?

The standalone courses are self-paced video programs covering a specific chess topic. The live classes are weekly group sessions held in real time with a coach. Both are included in membership plans, and the courses complement the live instruction by letting you drill specific areas between classes.

Who created the chess courses at Russian Chess School?

The courses were created by the school's coaching team, led by WGM Dina Belenkaya, with contributions from WIM Anna Gvanceladze, WFM Alexandra Samaganova, and WIM Alina Balaian. All coaches hold official FIDE titles.

Do I need a membership to access the chess courses?

Most courses are included with a Russian Chess School membership. You can try the full program with a free 7-day trial before committing to a plan. Some specialized courses may be available separately — check the current course listings for details.

What age can kids start at Russian Chess School KIDS?

The KIDS program accepts students ages 7 to 16. Classes are grouped by skill level so children train alongside peers at the same stage, whether they are complete beginners or have been playing for a few years.

Is the KIDS program good for beginners with no chess experience?

Yes. The program starts from the very basics and is designed to be accessible for children who have never played chess before. The structured curriculum guides kids from the rules of the game through tactics, strategy, and competitive play at their own pace.

How are the online chess classes for kids structured?

Classes are live, online, and held in small groups of up to 6 students per session. Each class includes a lesson, practice exercises, and game review. Sessions are led by titled coaches including WIM Anna Gvanceladze, WFM Alexandra Samaganova, and WIM Alina Balaian.

Is there a free trial for the KIDS program?

Yes. New students can start a free 7-day trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full access to the KIDS program: live classes, course materials, and the coaching community.

Who are the coaches in the KIDS program?

The KIDS program is led by a team of titled female coaches: WIM Anna Gvanceladze, WFM Alexandra Samaganova, and WIM Alina Balaian, under the direction of founder WGM Dina Belenkaya. All coaches hold official FIDE titles and have extensive experience teaching young players.

Who are the coaches at Russian Chess School?

Russian Chess School is led by WGM (Woman Grandmaster) Dina Belenkaya, who founded the school. The coaching team includes WIM Anna Gvanceladze, WFM Alexandra Samaganova, and WIM Alina Balaian — all titled female chess players with official FIDE credentials.

Who is Dina Belenkaya?

Dina Belenkaya is a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) with over 25 years of competitive chess experience. She founded Russian Chess School to make high-quality, titled-coach instruction accessible online. She is also known for her work promoting chess through social media and content creation.

What qualifications do the coaches have?

All coaches at Russian Chess School hold official FIDE (World Chess Federation) titles: WGM Dina Belenkaya (Woman Grandmaster), WIM Anna Gvanceladze (Woman International Master), WFM Alexandra Samaganova (Woman FIDE Master), and WIM Alina Balaian (Woman International Master).

Is Russian Chess School an online-only program?

Yes. Russian Chess School is a fully online program. All live group classes, game reviews, and coaching sessions take place via video conference. Occasionally the school hosts in-person events such as masterclasses — these are announced separately.

How is the curriculum at Russian Chess School structured?

The curriculum is developed by the coaching team and covers all aspects of chess improvement: tactics, strategy, openings, endgames, and game analysis. Students are grouped by rating level (from 0 to 2000+) so instruction is always matched to their current ability.

How do I start learning chess online with Russian Chess School?

Start with a free 7-day trial — no credit card required. Once you join, you get immediate access to live group classes sorted by rating level, structured coursework, and game review sessions. You can attend class the same week you sign up.

Is Russian Chess School good for beginners?

Yes. The school accepts students from complete beginners (0 rating) through advanced players (2000+ rating). Classes are grouped by rating level so you are always training with peers at your level, and the curriculum starts from the fundamentals for lower-rated groups.

What is included in the free 7-day trial?

The free trial gives you full access to the school for 7 days: live group classes, the complete course library, game reviews, and the community. You need no credit card to start. At the end of the trial you can choose a membership plan to continue.

Who teaches at Russian Chess School?

The school was founded by WGM (Woman Grandmaster) Dina Belenkaya, who has over 25 years of competitive chess experience. The coaching team also includes WIM Anna Gvanceladze, WFM Alexandra Samaganova, and WIM Alina Balaian — all titled female players.

How much does Russian Chess School cost?

Adult memberships start at $24/month when billed yearly. Monthly plans are $34 (Standard), $59 (Premium) and $279 (VIP) per month. All plans include access to live classes and the course library. A free 7-day trial is available before committing to any plan.

Chess Lessons in Charlotte NC — Online and In-Person Options

Dina Belenkaya

Sep 23

3 min read

Charlotte is not the first city that comes to mind when you think of US chess, but it should be on your radar. The city has a real competitive chess scene anchored by the Charlotte Chess Center — a dedicated chess venue that runs rated tournaments throughout the year, including the Charlotte ALTO open, one of the strongest regional opens in the Southeast.

I have run two in-person chess camps at Charlotte Chess Center, and the quality of the players and the seriousness of the chess community there genuinely impressed me. If you are in Charlotte and want to improve at chess, you have more options than you might think.

Charlotte Chess Center: the anchor of the local scene

The Charlotte Chess Center is the hub of competitive chess in the region. It is a real chess club — not a lesson studio but an actual club with regular rated tournament play, club nights, and a community of players ranging from beginners to masters. If you are in Charlotte and you have any interest in playing over-the-board chess, this is where you start.

The CCC runs the Charlotte ALTO open rated tournament each year, which draws players from across the country. It is a real, competitive open tournament — a great first rated game experience if you are an adult improver who has been playing online but has not yet played OTB.

Online training: what Charlotte players are doing

Here is the practical reality for most adult chess players in Charlotte: the strongest coaches and the most structured programs are online, not in person. A local titled coach is great for in-person feedback, but the depth of curriculum, the range of coaches, and the consistent class schedule available through a dedicated online school is hard to match locally.

Russian Chess School has run two in-person camps at Charlotte Chess Center — in January 2025 and April 2025 — and the students who got the most out of those camps were the ones who had been doing structured online training beforehand. The camps were intensive, high-level work. Walking in without a base of structured study made it harder to absorb the instruction.

Our Charlotte camps

The January 2025 camp was our first-ever in-person training camp. Sixteen participants came from around the world. The coaches were GM Daniel Naroditsky, GM Ben Finegold, GM Kayden Troff, and FM Peter Giannatos — a seriously strong lineup for an adult improver camp.

We ran the April 2025 camp at the same venue, this time with the Charlotte ALTO open tournament running concurrently. Students could apply what they learned on day one and day two to a real rated game on the final day, with me there to support them during play. That is a very different experience from drilling at home.

How online and in-person work together

The ideal training path for a Charlotte chess player looks like this: structured online training for the foundation, regular OTB play at the CCC for competitive experience, and intensive in-person camps when they come around for concentrated improvement.

The online training gives you the curriculum: strategic thinking, tactics, endgame technique, game analysis. The OTB play at CCC gives you clock pressure and rated games. The in-person camps give you an immersive experience with other serious students. None of these are substitutes for each other.

Starting point

If you are in Charlotte and want to get serious about chess, I would suggest two things: get to Charlotte Chess Center and play some rated games, and try a structured online program to build your training foundation. Russian Chess School has a 7-day free trial — no commitment — so you can see if the approach works for you before paying anything.

The competitive scene in Charlotte is real. The question is whether your training is keeping up with it.