What this Leicester class is
ChessWize is a live online chess class for children aged 5–15, offered to families in Leicester. A named coach teaches on a video call and shared digital board; this is not an in-person branch.
ChessWize is online only and has no local centre in Leicester.
Who the format fits
It fits families with a beginner through a rated player who can keep a weekly class with the same coach, want a group capped at six or a one-to-one lesson, and want one regular coach. It does not fit a family that needs a walk-in classroom in Leicester.
Why Leicester parents choose live chess at home
Leicester families should not have to take whatever chess coaching sits nearest their door. ChessWize teaches children aged 5-15 live online, in skill-matched batches of 4-6 students or one-to-one, always with a named coach who stays with your child week after week. From those weekend lessons, Leicester juniors have a genuine route into English Chess Federation (ECF) rated competition and the mass-entry UK Chess Challenge.
Every batch is led by a named coach: Hrdyansh Pandey, Tarun Gupta or Aryan Pal. Your child's coach is fixed: the same person takes every session, so there is no rotation and nothing gets re-explained from scratch each week. One mother says in her video that 'Hrdyansh Sir is paying attention towards each child', describing the attention she values in the lessons. Small batches make that attention possible: 12-week synchronized groups of 4-6 similarly-rated children, or full one-to-one work.
You can measure whether it is working. 'Weekly WhatsApp report for every student' is the promise made in writing, so you see what was taught even in the weeks you cannot watch. That approach has reached 1000 students coached and 1500 parents across the programme, with Google reviews sitting at 5.0 from 21 reviews. The starter pack costs ≈ £19.65 for 8 classes. Regular plans afterwards run from ≈ £2.95 to ≈ £7.86 per class, depending on the plan. And the first step stays free: 'Complimentary 30-min level check before you commit.'.
Chess in Leicester: Saturday play and county junior events
Leicestershire Junior Chess meets most Saturday afternoons for two hours at The Oak Centre in Braunstone, grouping children as knights, rooks and kings. Leicestershire and Rutland Chess Association is the ECF-recognised body for chess in the city of Leicester and the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The Leicestershire Junior Chess Championships were held on 22 November 2025 at Holywell Primary School, Berkeley Road, Loughborough, as a five-round rapidplay with a 20+5 time control, ECF rated, in U9, U11, U14 and U18 sections.
Who runs junior chess here
- Leicestershire & Rutland Chess Association. The ECF recognises this association as the body for chess in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. [1]
Events a child from Leicester can enter
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Leicestershire Junior Chess Championships
Held on 22 November 2025 · Holywell Primary School, Berkeley Road, Loughborough, LE11 3SJ
The ECF-rated five-round rapidplay used a 20+5 time control and U9, U11, U14 and U18 sections, with entry restricted by residence, school attendance or club membership in Leicestershire. 57 children took part. [2][5]
Where to play
- The Oak Centre. Leicestershire Junior Chess meets here in Braunstone for two hours on most Saturday afternoons, in groups called knights, rooks and kings. [3]
- Wigston Chess Club. The club includes around 10 juniors among around 25 adults, and meets at Wigston Liberal Club, Bull Head Street and Kelmarsh Avenue, Leicester LE18 1PA. [4]
From online class to a first tournament
- Ask Leicestershire Junior Chess about a Saturday visit to The Oak Centre and which group, knights, rooks or kings, would suit your child.
- Balance online exercises with complete games against someone across a physical board.
- Ask Leicestershire and Rutland Chess Association about a later county junior championship, using the 2025 residence, school or club criteria as questions to ask.
- Confirm the event time control and practise with that clock setting, remembering the 2025 championships used 20+5.
Good to know
- After the clocks go back, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time, and Europe/London then uses UTC+00:00.
Sources (checked 2026-09-28)
Class times for Leicester
Families in Leicester book classes in their own time zone, during their local working day. The exact time is chosen when you book the free demo.
Leicester uses UK time, British Summer Time in the summer and GMT in the winter. The change between British Summer Time and GMT moves the coach's clock by an hour. The hour you book stays on UK time.
What Leicester parents pay
Regular classes run from ≈ £2.95 to ≈ £7.86 per live class. The starter pack is ≈ £19.65 for 8 classes.
Our prices are set in Indian rupees. If you pay from outside India, checkout shows and charges the amount in your local currency; local figures on this page are estimates as of 2026-09-29.
The coaching roster parents can check
No coach is assigned to Leicester merely because this is a city page. These are the national roster details published in the coaching data; the demo confirms the actual match for a child.
Hrdyansh Pandey
Ages 5–15 · Foundation, tactical, and tournament-prep tracks
Languages: English, Hindi
Tarun Gupta
All ages · Curriculum design + senior cohort coaching
Languages: English, Hindi
Aryan Pal
Ages 5–10 · Beginner foundations
Languages: English, Hindi
What the curriculum covers
Four phases: learn the board and legal moves; finish a complete game; use opening principles; find basic tactics and endings.
Recorded programme results
As of 2026-07-13, the trust record lists 1,000 students coached and 1,500 parents, with 4 district finishers in a cohort of 12 and an average of 4 months to a first tournament. These are past records, not a promise for one child.
How classes run
Your child keeps the same coach in a supervised small group, and a parent can sit in on any lesson. Read the full policy on the child safety page.
At home you need a laptop or tablet with a webcam and stable internet. Classes run in the browser. Setup details are on the online chess classes page.
The first meeting is a free 30-minute level check. Paid classes start only after you enrol and agree a recurring time.
The four published commitments
- Same coach every session — no rotation
- Full refund within 48 hours of enrolling on a monthly plan
- Complimentary 30-min level check before you commit
- Weekly WhatsApp report for every student
Refund wording is on the refund policy.
Eleven checks to make before enrolling
Each answer below is tied to the section that carries its proof, so a parent can verify the detail rather than rely on a slogan.
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Check 1
Who teaches my child, and are they rated?
Classes are taught by named coaches: Hrdyansh Pandey, Tarun Gupta and Aryan Pal. Your child keeps the same coach every session, so there is no weekly rotation and the coach knows exactly where last week's lesson left off.
See coaches -
Check 2
How many children share the coach?
Group classes hold 4-6 students, all placed at a similar working level so practice partners are evenly matched, and 12-week batches move through the material together. Families who want full attention can choose one-to-one coaching under our 1:1 Analyst Protocol instead, with no other child sharing the coach.
See class size -
Check 3
Is there a real curriculum from beginner to rated play?
There is a written ladder from first moves to rated play: beginner, intermediate and advanced tracks plus age routes for 5-8, 9-12 and 13-15, tournament preparation and rating improvement. A beginner, for example, learns the board and legal moves, finishes complete games, then moves on to opening principles and basic tactics.
See the curriculum -
Check 4
How will I know it is working?
Every student receives a written progress report on WhatsApp each week, so you can see what was covered and what comes next even if you never play yourself. The coach's notes build into a running picture, and the weekly update tells you plainly whether the plan is moving your child forward.
See progress reports -
Check 5
Is it safe, and can I see the classes?
Sessions are live video classes in a closed setting: one-to-one or a group of at most six, always with the same named coach and without an open public chat. You are welcome to sit in beside your child, and a family-facing update follows after the session so nothing stays hidden.
Read safety policy -
Check 6
Can we try before paying?
The coach uses the check to place your child at the right working level before any money changes hands.
See the level check -
Check 7
What if we stop?
Leicester monthly plans still pay a full refund if you stop within 48 hours of enrolling; after that and before the 3rd session, the return is pro-rated minus classes attended. That is when the current month stays billed and only later charges end if you cancel. The weekly written reports still let you judge the fit as the weeks pass.
See refund terms -
Check 8
Will the timings fit our week?
Leicester follows the clock named in the schedule note on this page. The weekly time is agreed at the free demo, and the same coach holds that agreement.
See class times -
Check 9
What does it cost, exactly?
You start with the starter pack, ≈ £19.65 for 8 classes. Afterwards, regular plans run from ≈ £2.95 to ≈ £7.86 per class depending on the plan. The price list a Leicester family sees is set in Indian rupees.
See fees -
Check 10
Is there a path to tournaments?
On average, students reach a first tournament in about four months here. Leicestershire and Rutland Chess Association is the ECF-recognised body for the city. The Leicestershire Junior Chess Championships were held on 22 November 2025 at Holywell Primary School in Loughborough, as a five-round rapidplay in U9, U11, U14 and U18 sections. Ask that association about later play, and look at the chosen event's requirements.
See results -
Check 11
What do I have to do at home?
Your job at home is small: a few minutes of puzzles or one slow game between classes, and saving that game so the coach can review it. Younger children do better with short, cheerful practice that stops while they are still interested. Everything else, including the weekly plan, stays with the coach.
See home setup
Watch family videos
Poster, title, speaker, and a one-line summary from the testimonial record. Each card links to its review page.
See every class, not just the fee
Every ChessWize class runs on ChessCore, so you always know what your child is learning.
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Your own parent dashboard
A private page for each child: next class, attendance, homework and progress, in one place.
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Progress you can read
Puzzle accuracy and a rating trend once your child has played enough games, explained in plain words.
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Notes from the coach
After classes the coach shares what your child worked on and what to practise next.
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Attendance and makeups
Every class is logged. If your child misses one, you can see the makeup credit and book it yourself.
No screen recording, keystroke logging or device-location access · classes recorded only with your consent. How we handle your child’s data →
Written reviews from parents
Two parent reviews for this page, with a Leicester-tagged record first when the source has one.
★★★★★
Honestly, I was skeptical about online chess coaching.
“Aadvik hated sitting still for anything, and I thought a Zoom class would last two weeks max. It's been six months. Last Sunday his class teacher called just to ask what changed — his attention in maths has jumped. He now does his puzzles before I'm up. Coach Arjun has the patience I don't.”
Rupali Sharma
Mother of Aadvik (9) · Lucknow
March 2026
★★★★★
The resilience piece was unexpected — and the real win.
“We signed up for chess. What Ishita got was emotional self-regulation. Month one was all about learning to lose without falling apart. By month three she was analysing her own games after tournaments, pointing out where she'd blundered, calmly. Her results followed. But honestly, the composure is what I'll remember.”
Anjana Rao
Mother of Ishita (10) · Mumbai
January 2026
Google reviews from ChessWize parents
Google rating 5.0 from 21 reviews; the stored set was pulled 2026-07-08.
Anisha
June 2026
★★★★★
Coach Ankit has been amazing for my 8-year-old. He’s super friendly and explains chess rules in a way kids actually get. My son looks forward to every Chesswize class now. He motivates him to do better without any pressure, and I’ve seen fast improvement in both his game and confidence. Highly recommend Ankit for young beginners!
Read on Google →Ayushi
June 2026
★★★★★
We are very happy with the coaching at Chesswize, especially with our son’s teacher, Ankit Rajoriya. Ankit sir is a wonderful coach especially for younger kids.He knows the game deeply but also teaches with patience, encouragement, and real passion. He explains ideas in a clear and easy way, so children can understand and use them in their games. His classes are well-planned, fun, and motivating. Since our son started learning with Ankit sir, we have seen big improvements in his chess skills, thinking ability, focus, and confidence. He creates a friendly environment where kids feel comfortable asking questions and are inspired to keep getting better. We truly value his dedication and care for each student. We strongly recommend Chesswize and Ankit Rajoriya sir to any parent who wants quality chess coaching for their child.
Read on Google →Rajeev
November 2025
★★★★★
I am extremely happy with ChessWize Chess Academy. The coaching is very structured, child-friendly, and delivered with amazing patience. Each session is interactive and helps kids build strong fundamentals along with confidence. The best part is the personal attention given to every student, which truly makes a big difference in their progress. The academy also celebrates students’ achievements, motivating them even more. I strongly recommend ChessWize to anyone looking for quality chess training.
Read on Google →Why the online format fits Leicester
Leicester has the strongest large-city Indian concentration in the UK launch research: 126,421 residents, or 34.3% of the city, identified as Indian in the 2021 Census. It is the only launch city outside London and merits its own Midlands page on evidence, not borrowed capital-city context.
A citywide online class lets Leicester families choose coaching without narrowing the search to one side of the city.
Local chess context
Leicester juniors can progress from regular training into the English Chess Federation’s ECF-rated event structure, while the school-based UK Chess Challenge offers a mass-entry national competition. That gives the city’s large family community practical outlets for the skills built in a weekend online lesson.
Online and nearby offline choices
Leicester families with a strong nearby club or school coach can sensibly keep that in-person setting. ChessWize does not operate a Leicester centre; it provides a fixed online experienced coach when specialist fit, small groups or avoiding another journey matters more.
See class details, fees and safety information below.
Questions from parents in Leicester
Did children have to live in Leicestershire to enter the county championships?
Residence was one of the routes into the 2025 Leicestershire Junior Chess Championships. Children could also enter by attending a school in Leicestershire or belonging to a Leicestershire-based chess club. The event was held on 22 November 2025 at Holywell Primary School in Loughborough, with U9, U11, U14 and U18 sections, as a five-round rapidplay at 20+5, ECF rated. 57 children took part.
Is there a daytime club option rather than an evening meeting?
Leicestershire Junior Chess meets most Saturday afternoons for two hours at The Oak Centre in Braunstone. The club groups children as knights, rooks and kings. Ask which group would fit your child and confirm the session date before setting out, because the listing says most Saturdays rather than every Saturday.
Does Wigston Chess Club include juniors?
Wigston Chess Club includes around 10 juniors among around 25 adults. It meets at Wigston Liberal Club, Bull Head Street and Kelmarsh Avenue, Wigston, Leicester LE18 1PA. Ask the club which sessions suit a child. Saturday afternoons at The Oak Centre remain the junior club listing.
Is the Leicester class connected to the English Chess Federation?
ChessWize coaching is an independent online service, not an ECF programme. The ECF is linked as England’s governing body and runs the rating and event structure in which children may separately choose to compete.
How does a family in Leicester choose the weekly class time?
You choose the weekly time when you book the free demo, and the same coach keeps it. You can move it when school terms or travel change the week.
What does a Leicester family pay for the first session?
The 30-minute demo and level check is complimentary. If you continue, plans use the single INR price list from ₹2,500 for 8 classes, and your card is charged in GBP at checkout. Checkout shows and charges the currency of the country you pay from.
What happens in the free demo for a Leicester child?
The demo doubles as the level check. The coach spends the half hour with your child, works out where their chess actually stands, and then tells you which group or one-to-one track fits best. You meet the coach who would teach each week and can ask anything about the batch. No payment details are needed to book, and there is no obligation afterwards.
Will my child keep the same coach every week?
They do. The coach remembers which endings unsettled your child and builds each new lesson on the last one. Groups stay fixed inside a 12-week batch as well, so your child trains alongside the same small set of peers each weekend.
How do payments work from a UK bank card?
ChessWize holds one internal price list, and your card is simply charged the equivalent in pounds at checkout, so there is no separate or inflated overseas rate for Leicester families. The charge follows the live exchange rate on the day, which is why the per-class figures shift slightly over time. Nothing extra is added on for billing from the United Kingdom.
Which ages and levels do the Leicester groups cover?
Coaching runs for children aged 5 to 15. The structure has routes for ages 5-8, 9-12 and 13-15 as well as skill tracks from beginner through advanced, plus dedicated tournament preparation and rating improvement groups. Placement is by working level rather than age alone, so the batch your child joins reflects the chess they actually play.
Are you connected to the English Chess Federation?
No, coaching with ChessWize is an independent online service rather than an ECF programme. The ECF matters to Leicester families as England's governing body: it runs the rating list and the rated events your child can enter separately as they improve. We prepare children for rated play, and taking part in ECF events is a separate choice your family makes.
Can I sit in on my child's online lesson?
Yes, and many Leicester parents do at first. Classes happen live on video in a small, closed setting, and having an adult nearby changes nothing about how the coach runs the session. If you watch, you will see the shared board work and the feedback as it happens. Even when you cannot attend, the written weekly report keeps you in the loop on what was taught.
Does my child need to know how to play before joining?
Not at all. Absolute beginners start on the board itself: how pieces move, what check means, and playing a full game from start to finish. The beginner roadmap assumes no prior knowledge, while separate tracks carry children through intermediate and advanced material once they are ready. The free level check confirms which starting point suits your child, so nobody is dropped into a group that is too advanced.
How quickly will we see improvement in my child's play?
Every child moves at their own pace, so we avoid promising a rating by a fixed date. What we can point to is the pattern: weekly reports you can compare week on week, an error log that shrinks on repeated themes, and a preparation track that gets children event-ready in about four months on average. If the reports stall, the coach adjusts the plan rather than repeating it.
Can we try a class before enrolling?
Yes. Every family can start with a complimentary 30-minute demo and level check, with no payment details required.
Are the UK classes live or recorded?
They are live video classes. The coach watches your child play, gives feedback during the session and teaches on a shared digital board; the programme is not a library of recorded lessons.
How are online sessions kept safe for children?
Classes are one-to-one or in a small group of no more than six with a named coach, without an open public chat. Parents may sit in, and the family receives a progress update after the session.