A city guide to chess life in Kemerovo
Chess schools, clubs and chess lessons in Kemerovo
A big guide to chess in Kemerovo: where to learn, how to find a coach, a chess club, a tournament or simply somewhere to play. We have gathered verified addresses of schools, clubs and the Kuzbass Chess Federation, along with information about coaches, tournaments and the history of chess in the city.
Useful for parents looking for a school for a child and for adults thinking about returning to the board.
Siberia's coal capital, with a rich chess history
Kemerovo has the Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school (which brought up grandmasters Chigaev and Filippov), the free Naydov City Chess Club with GM Nevostruev as coach, several municipal and private schools, and the Kuzbass Chess Federation, founded in 1991.
Kuzbass gave the chess world grandmasters Pigusov, Chigaev, Filippov, Nevostruev, Dolmatov and Kuzmin. In 1999 the Kemerovo team won gold at the world team championship for cities. In parallel the amateur Vibe Chess format is developing in the city - short tournaments in cafes for people who want to play without sporting pressure.
Chess schools and clubs in Kemerovo
The chess addresses of Kemerovo: the state sports school, the municipal clubs and the private centres. Every card is a working organisation with public contact details.
Where there is chess near you
The chess addresses of Kemerovo by administrative district - where to look for a school or a club nearer home or work.
- The Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school (Tukhachevskogo 19)
- Triumf (Stroiteley 16)
- Evrika (Stroiteley 25G)
- InPro (Stroiteley 46B)
- The Naydov club (Sobornaya 5a)
- Voskhod (Svobody 6B)
- The Zenit municipal centre (S. Tyulenina 15)
- Children's sports school No. 5 (Initsiativnaya 90)
- Children's sports school No. 5, branch (Bagrationa 15a)
- Kirovets (Ushakova 2)
- BeHappy (Tereshkovoy 18)
- InPro (Sovetsky Ave. 48a)
- InPro (Nogradskaya 15)
- Olimp (Shakhtyorov Ave. 59)
- Pifagorka (Pritomsky Drive 35 bldg 2)
When to start a child, and what to choose
In Kemerovo you can start from pre-school age - the private centres BeHappy and Pifagorka take children from 5-6 in a playful format. The municipal clubs and children's sports school No. 5 assume a later start. The Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school offers sports training for selected pupils.
What parents should look at before signing up: the age and level of the group, the coach, the district, the timetable, whether there is tournament practice, how many children are in the group and what the atmosphere is like.
What chess gives a child
- ConcentrationA game is thirty to sixty minutes in a single focus. That is a skill in its own right, and it pays off at school.
- Understanding consequencesIn chess you cannot say «oops, that was an accident». Every move changes something, and a child learns to think a move ahead.
- Losing calmlyArguably more important than the wins. A child learns not to fall apart after a defeat and to try again.
- A communityThe child gets a circle of peers outside school and the courtyard, with its own atmosphere and rules.
- Tournament experienceTravel, regulations, playing on the clock - all of it feeds a growing independence.
You can start from scratch - and nobody will laugh
The Naydov City Chess Club, Voskhod, Olimp and Evrika work with adults at any level. The Naydov club on Sobornaya is free. There is also the city amateur format Vibe Chess, where you can turn up knowing only the rules.
You do not need a rating or a rank. You do not have to join a group either - you can study individually or simply come to club meetups and amateur tournaments. Competitive chess and the amateur format are two different worlds; in the amateur one what is judged is not the result but the fact that you came at all.
A group at a school
Regular lessons, a programme, a coach - if you want it systematic.
An individual coach
Fast progress and a flexible schedule. It costs more.
Club meetings
Casual games, company, city tournaments rated and unrated.
Vibe Chess
City amateur tournaments in cafes and bars. No rating requirements, open to everybody.
An online school
If travelling is awkward, coaches all over Russia take pupils online.
Studying on your own
Books, lichess or chess.com, going over your games. A useful supplement to lessons.
How to look for a coach in Kemerovo
We deliberately do not compile a «top coaches» list - there is no objective source for such a ranking, and subjective selections often do harm. Better to give the criteria to choose by.
In Kemerovo you can find coaches with a range of qualifications and prices. The serious coaches work at the schools listed above and can be contacted directly through their websites or VK. At the Naydov City Club the coach is grandmaster Vladimir Nevostruev.
Experience with children
A child needs not the strongest player but the one who can explain. Ask how many children of that age the coach has taught.
Sporting title
Candidate master, master, international master are a guide but not a guarantee. What matters is the title combined with teaching experience.
Experience preparing for tournaments
If the aim is to travel for norms, you need a coach who has taken pupils to tournaments and understands the regulations.
Reviews and recommendations
Real reviews from parents or adult pupils are better than an online rating. Ask people you know and look in VK groups.
District and format
For a child the journey is a big factor. Sometimes a good coach «right across town» works out worse than an average one round the corner. The alternative is online lessons.
Price
Prices vary: from 500-800 roubles an hour with beginning teachers to 1,500-2,500 an hour with coaches whose pupils have serious results.
An individual approach
At a trial lesson the coach should be asking questions about the pupil rather than switching straight into «the programme». If that is missing, be wary.
Communication with parents
With a sensible coach it is clear what you are doing, why, and how progress is going. Answers along the lines of «all fine, keep going» are a bad sign.
A trial lesson
Never buy a season ticket off a photo and a description. One or two trial lessons are standard.
A guide to chess tuition prices
The price depends on the school, the coach's level and the format. Below is a guide to the main formats of chess tuition in Kemerovo.
The Naydov City Club
A municipal venue at Sobornaya St. 5a. Grandmaster Nevostruev coaches there. Entry is free.
BeHappy
A private education centre. Central district, Tereshkovoy St. 18, office 504.
The Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school and children's sports school No. 5
Sports training for those who pass the selection. It brought up grandmasters Chigaev and Filippov.
A private coach, a beginning teacher
Suitable for a first encounter with chess.
A private coach, candidate master / master
The mid-range in Kemerovo in 2025-2026.
Vibe Chess
City chess evenings in cafes. Registration in the Telegram bot.
The Kuzbass Chess Federation
The region has one accredited structure, the Kuzbass federation. It coordinates competitions, the regional teams and liaison with the Chess Federation of Russia.
Chess tournaments in Kemerovo
The regional calendar is published by the Kuzbass federation. The key tournaments are the Kuzbass championship, the Reshchikov Memorial and the age-group championships. The national calendar is at ruchess.ru.
What the formats are
Vibe chess in Kemerovo
Vibe Chess runs city chess evenings in the cafes and bars of Kemerovo. Short games, different opponents, real conversation between rounds. It suits anyone who wants to come back to chess without the atmosphere of an exam or the pressure of competition.
It is not a replacement for the classical schools but an addition to them. After a working week you do not want to sweat over the board - you want a good evening with a game and some interesting people. Vibe Chess has a page of its own for Kemerovo with all the rules of the format.
What a «vibe tournament» means
- Short games: 3+2 or 5+3.
- Several rounds in an evening, with different opponents.
- The levels vary - nobody has to be strong.
- Between games you can talk and order a coffee or a drink.
- You can come on your own - that is the normal way of it.
- Registration and announcements are in the Telegram bot.
The history of chess in Kemerovo
Verifiable events in the chess life of Kemerovo and Kuzbass.
The Kemerovo Region is formed. The region's first chess championship is held, won by A. Barashkov.
The Kemerovo Region's first chess master is V. Skotorenko.
Siberia's first regional chess club opens in Kemerovo.
A «Masters' Tournament» is held in the towns of Kuzbass - one of the first major high-level regional competitions.
Evgeny Pigusov receives the title of international grandmaster - the first grandmaster in the history of Kuzbass.
The Kuzbass Chess Federation is created. Its first chair is Mikhail Ivanovich Naydov.
The first chess festival dedicated to Miners' Day.
The Kemerovo team wins the world team championship for cities, with grandmasters Pigusov and Filippov in the line-up.
Valery Filippov becomes world student champion (Varna, Bulgaria).
On 10 August the M. I. Naydov City Chess Club opens at Sobornaya St. 5a. Grandmaster Vladimir Nevostruev is appointed coach.
Notable chess players connected with Kemerovo and Kuzbass
Only confirmed names, with the nature of the connection stated: «born», «a product of the school», «works in the city». The sources are in the cards.
A checklist for choosing a chess school
For parents
- The age and level of the group - will the child land somewhere interesting for them.
- The coach - do they have experience with children of that age, and do they ask about your child.
- The district - can you realistically make the journey regularly. If not, online is better.
- The group's level - is the average level even, or will the child be «the weakest of all».
- Tournament practice - is there a plan to enter local events.
- The atmosphere - after the trial lesson the child wants to go again.
- Price and package - what is included, what is not, and whether there is a trial lesson.
- The timetable - does it fit around school and other activities.
- Reviews - real ones are better, from parents and pupils you know.
For adults
- Whether there are adult groups, not only children's.
- Whether you can come from scratch - literally knowing only the rules.
- Whether there is a casual-play format, not only lessons.
- An evening timetable - can you get there after work.
- Whether the competitive pressure is heavier than you want.
- Whether there are amateur tournaments - for your own motivation.
- Whether the format suits you: a group, one-to-one, online or a club.
School, club, coach or tournament - the differences
Frequently asked questions about chess in Kemerovo
Where can you learn chess in Kemerovo?›
The city has the state Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school (Tukhachevskogo St. 19), the municipal Naydov City Chess Club (Sobornaya St. 5a), children's sports school No. 5 (Kirovsky district), the private centres BeHappy, InPro and Pifagorka, and the specialist clubs Triumf, Evrika, Kirovets, Voskhod and Olimp. The tournament calendar and the federation's contacts are at kuzbass-chess.ucoz.ru.
Which chess schools are there in Kemerovo?›
State: the Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school (which trained GMs Chigaev and Filippov). Municipal: the Naydov club with GM Nevostruev as coach (Zavodsky) and children's sports school No. 5 (Kirovsky). Private: BeHappy (Central), InPro (three venues) and Pifagorka (Rudnichny). Specialist clubs: Triumf, Evrika, Kirovets, Voskhod and Olimp.
Where can I find a chess club near home in Kemerovo?›
In Leninsky there is the Olympic-reserve school (Tukhachevskogo 19), Triumf (Stroiteley 16), Evrika (Stroiteley 25G) and InPro (Stroiteley 46B). In Zavodsky, the Naydov club (Sobornaya 5a), Voskhod (Svobody 6B) and the Zenit centre (S. Tyulenina 15). In Kirovsky, children's sports school No. 5 (Initsiativnaya 90; Bagrationa 15a) and Kirovets (Ushakova 2). In Central, BeHappy (Tereshkovoy 18), InPro (Sovetsky Ave. 48a and Nogradskaya 15) and Olimp (Shakhtyorov 59). In Rudnichny, Pifagorka (Pritomsky Drive 35 bldg 2).
Where should I send my child for chess in Kemerovo?›
You can enrol a child at the private centres (BeHappy, Pifagorka) - they take pre-school children, usually from 5-6 in a playful format. At children's sports school No. 5 and the Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school sports training begins later, after an initial selection. The municipal Naydov club takes children of various ages.
Can an adult start playing chess from scratch in Kemerovo?›
Yes. The Naydov City Chess Club (Sobornaya St. 5a) is open to everyone and admission is free. The clubs Voskhod, Olimp and Evrika work with adult amateurs. There is also Vibe Chess - city chess evenings in cafes that people come to at any level.
How much does a chess coach cost in Kemerovo?›
The prices for lessons and coaches are as follows. BeHappy: from 500 roubles a lesson. The Naydov City Club: admission is free. The Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school and children's sports school No. 5: free for pupils who pass the selection. Private coaches: from 500-800 roubles an hour with beginning teachers to 1,500-2,500 an hour with coaches with serious results.
Are there free chess sections in Kemerovo?›
Yes. The Naydov City Chess Club (Sobornaya St. 5a) is free for everyone. The Kuzbass Olympic-reserve school and children's sports school No. 5 provide free sports training for selected pupils.
Where can I see the calendar of chess tournaments in Kemerovo?›
The regional calendar is published by the Kuzbass Chess Federation at kuzbass-chess.ucoz.ru. City announcements are at the Naydov club and on the social media of Kemerovo's clubs. The national calendar is at ruchess.ru.
What is the Kuzbass Chess Federation?›
A regional public organisation founded in 1991. Address: Tukhachevskogo St. 19, Kemerovo. Telephone: +7 (3842) 45-23-02. Site: kuzbass-chess.ucoz.ru. The president is Maxim Petrovich Ivakhin. It coordinates the region's competitions, the regional teams and liaison with the Russian federation.
Who are the best-known chess players from Kemerovo?›
Evgeny Pigusov (b. 1961) is the first grandmaster of Kuzbass (1987) and a winner of the 1999 world team championship for cities. Maxim Chigaev (b. 1996) is a GM and champion of the U16 Olympiad (2012). Valery Filippov is world student champion (Varna, 2000). The region also produced GM Dolmatov (Kiselyovsk) and GM Kuzmin (Mariinsk).
What is the Reshchikov Memorial?›
It is an annual chess tournament in Kemerovo run by the Kuzbass Chess Federation. One of the notable regional competitions, drawing players from across Siberia. The schedule is at kuzbass-chess.ucoz.ru.
Are there tournaments for beginners in Kemerovo?›
The Naydov club and the private clubs hold open meetups and internal tournaments with no strict rating requirements. Vibe Chess runs unrated city chess evenings for all levels. For official tournaments with rank norms, go through the Kuzbass federation.
How does a chess school differ from a chess club in Kemerovo?›
A school is a system: a programme, a coach, regular lessons, an assessment of level and preparation for tournaments. A club is a place for practice and company; there may be teaching there, but not necessarily. The Naydov club combines both formats - it has lessons with a coach and open meetups.
Do you need a rating to enter a tournament in Kemerovo?›
No. The amateur Vibe Chess meetups are unrated. The Naydov City Club holds open meetups with no strict requirements. A rating is needed only for official competitions rated by the Russian federation, entered through the Kuzbass federation.
Can I come to a chess club in Kemerovo alone, without company?›
Yes. At the Naydov club and at the Vibe Chess meetups most people come without company - the format connects you through the games. It is the standard scenario and everyone is used to it.
Solve a chess puzzle
Mate in one - a real position from a chess database. Solve it and see if you're a fit for us.
Anyone can be the organizer
There are no club or arbiter roles in the app: the create button is available to everyone. You can announce a tournament in Kemerovo today and run it this weekend.
when there are more than ten players and nobody should be knocked out
when the field is small and fairness matters most
when you simply want to get together and play
- 1Create the event, open sign-up, share the link
- 2Start the tournament - the app announces the pairing
- 3Record results as the evening goes
- 4Show the final standings and export the TRF report
More about chess in Kemerovo and in other cities
Besides the schools and sections, Kemerovo hosts the informal Vibe Chess evenings - short games and new acquaintances in cafes and bars, where you can turn up knowing only the rules. And below are guides to learning in neighbouring cities and a catalogue of openings for practice on your own.