A city guide to chess life in Novosibirsk
Chess schools, clubs and lessons in Novosibirsk
A full guide to chess in Novosibirsk: where to learn, how to find a coach, a chess club, a tournament or simply somewhere to play. Verified addresses of schools and clubs in the centre, in Akademgorodok and elsewhere, plus the regional federation, 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.
The chess capital of Siberia
Novosibirsk has everything for systematic learning: the state chess sports school (Dusi Kovalchuk 1), the Pavel Maletin chess school at NSTU (K. Marksa 20), the historic chess club at the House of Scientists in Akademgorodok (Morskoy Ave. 23) and five Garde branches. The regional federation works at the Spartak stadium.
Among the city's modern players Pavel Maletin stands out: an international grandmaster since 2007, president of the regional federation since 2015 and captain of the Sibir club, which in its very first year became Russian champions and won the European Club Cup.
Chess schools and clubs in Novosibirsk
The chess addresses of Novosibirsk: the state sports school, the school at NSTU, the historic House of Scientists in Akademgorodok, the private Garde network and the city clubs. Every card is a working organisation with public contact details.
Where there is chess near you
The chess addresses of Novosibirsk by administrative district - where to look for a school or a club nearer home or work.
- The regional federation - Michurina St. 10 (Spartak stadium)
- The state chess sports school - Dusi Kovalchuk St. 1
- Garde - Oktyabrskaya St. 42
- Garde - Gogolya St. 15
- House of Scientists - Morskoy Ave. 23 (the chess club)
- Youth sports school of technical, extreme and intellectual sport - Akademika Lavrentyeva Ave. 6
- Garde - Ivanova St. 31/1
- Garde - Arbuzova St. 6
- The Pavel Maletin chess school at NSTU - K. Marksa Ave. 20, block 8a
- Garde - Alexandra Nevskogo St. 7
- Novosibirsk chess club - Zalesskogo St. 5/1
When to start a child, and what to choose
Under the rules of most Novosibirsk schools, chess can start at four or five. The Garde network takes children from three - a playful introduction to the rules rather than a sport proper. Competitive training - the state sports school and the youth sports school of technical, extreme and intellectual sport - comes later, after an initial assessment of level and interest. The NSTU school and the House of Scientists club take school-age children.
What parents should look at: 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 at the trial lesson.
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 nothing happens «by accident». 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 an atmosphere of its own.
- Tournament experienceTravel, regulations, playing on the clock - all of it feeds a growing independence.
You can start from scratch, and nobody will laugh
The Garde network works with adults, from individual lessons to groups. The House of Scientists in Akademgorodok and the Novosibirsk chess club are open to amateurs: people come there to play and meet the city's chess community. The regional federation runs both amateur and serious competitions. 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. Nor do you have to join a group - you can work one-to-one, or simply come to club meetups and amateur tournaments. Competitive chess and the amateur format are two different worlds; in the amateur one what counts is not the result but the fact that you turned up.
Lessons at a club or a school
Regular lessons, a programme, a coach - if you want it systematic.
An individual coach
The fastest progress and a flexible timetable. 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.
Online lessons
If travelling is awkward, there are online schools not tied to a city.
Studying on your own
Books, lichess or chess.com, going over your games - alongside the lessons.
How to look for a coach in Novosibirsk
We deliberately do not compile a «top coaches in Novosibirsk». There is no objective data for a ranking, and subjective selections are often misleading. Criteria for choosing are more use.
The coaches work at the schools and clubs listed above and can be contacted directly through their websites. There is also a pool of coaches at the regional federation and in the Garde network.
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
A live word from parents or adult pupils beats a rating on an aggregator site. Ask friends and the 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 widely: from around 700 roubles an hour with a beginning teacher to 3,000-4,000 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».
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» 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 in Novosibirsk
The price depends on the school, the format and the coach's title. Below is a guide to the main formats of chess tuition in Novosibirsk.
A group at Garde
The starting price of a lesson package at the Novosibirsk network Garde. The particular package, the number of lessons and the price depend on the programme chosen.
A state sports school
The regional chess sports school and the youth sports school of technical, extreme and intellectual sport are sports schools. The basic programme for selected children is subsidised or free.
The NSTU chess school
The school in the Lyshchinsky Research Library at NSTU. Groups and individual lessons - the details are at dolgovchess.ru.
An individual coach, a beginning teacher
The budget option for individual lessons. Suitable for a first look at the game.
An individual coach, candidate master or master
The mid-range for coaches with a confirmed sporting title.
A Vibe Chess amateur tournament
City chess evenings in cafes and bars. Registration in the Telegram bot.
The chess federation of the Novosibirsk Region
In Novosibirsk the official functions belong to the regional federation. Under its aegis run the main regional tournaments, the «Chess Novosibirsk» series and the regional championships.
Chess tournaments in Novosibirsk
The calendar lives in several places at once. City and regional events are at novosibirskchess.ru. The big festivals are the «Chess Novosibirsk» series, the Koltsovo science-town stage (part of the national festival «Intellectuals of Siberia») and the NSTU Cup. All rated tournaments can be filtered at ratings.ruchess.ru by region 54.
What the formats are
Vibe chess in Novosibirsk
Vibe Chess runs city chess evenings in the cafes and bars of Novosibirsk. Short games, a variety of opponents, real conversation between rounds. It suits anybody who wants to come back to chess without the atmosphere of an exam and the competitive pressure.
It is not a replacement for the classical schools but an addition. After a working week you do not want to sweat over a board, you want to spend a good evening over a game and meet interesting people. Vibe Chess has its own Novosibirsk page 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 Novosibirsk
From the Akademgorodok House of Scientists in 1962 to the modern club Sibir - the main milestones of Novosibirsk chess.
Akademgorodok is founded in Novosibirsk - the future centre of science and culture that would house the House of Scientists chess club and other chess venues.
The House of Scientists in Akademgorodok is established by decree of the RSFSR Council of Ministers. From its earliest years its club programme includes a chess club (Morskoy Ave. 23).
The Garde chess school is founded - it would later grow into a network of five branches across the Kalininsky, Central and Sovetsky districts of Novosibirsk.
Pavel Maletin is born in Novosibirsk - the future international grandmaster and president of the regional federation.
Pavel Maletin is awarded the international grandmaster title - one of the notable Novosibirsk chess achievements of the twenty-first century.
Maletin is elected president of the Chess Federation of the Novosibirsk Region. In the same year the super-club Sibir becomes Russian champions and wins the European Club Cup in its first year of existence.
The NSTU chess school is founded in the Lyshchinsky Research Library.
The NSTU alumni association opens the chess school of international grandmaster Pavel Maletin in the same building.
Well-known chess players connected with Novosibirsk
Names with a confirmed connection to Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk Region. Every card links to a source for the biography.
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 - live ones are better, not only from an aggregator.
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
Common questions about chess in Novosibirsk
Where to learn chess in Novosibirsk?›
The city's main addresses are the state chess sports school (Dusi Kovalchuk 1), the Pavel Maletin chess school at NSTU (K. Marksa 20), the House of Scientists chess club in Akademgorodok (Morskoy Ave. 23), the Garde network with its five branches, and the Novosibirsk chess club (Zalesskogo 5/1). The regional federation is on Michurina St. 10.
Which chess schools are there in Novosibirsk?›
The choice is fairly wide. On the state side there are the regional chess sports school and the NSTU chess school; on the municipal side, the youth sports school of technical, extreme and intellectual sport in Akademgorodok. For playing and training in a club format there are the House of Scientists and the Novosibirsk chess club, while the private Garde network covers lessons for children and adults across five branches.
Where do I find a chess club near me?›
In the Central district: the regional federation on Michurina, the state sports school on Dusi Kovalchuk, and Garde on Oktyabrskaya and Gogolya. In Sovetsky (Akademgorodok): the House of Scientists on Morskoy Avenue, the youth sports school on Lavrentyeva, and Garde on Ivanova and Arbuzova. In Leninsky: the NSTU school. In Kalininsky: Garde on A. Nevskogo. In Zaeltsovsky: the Novosibirsk chess club.
Where should I send my child for chess in Novosibirsk?›
It depends on the age. Garde takes children from three - a playful introduction to the rules. The state sports schools take them from six or seven, after an initial assessment and a look at their interest in the competitive side. The NSTU school takes them from school age.
Can an adult start playing chess from scratch?›
Yes. Garde works with adults, on group and individual programmes. The House of Scientists and the Novosibirsk chess club take amateurs to club meetups and amateur tournaments. The gentlest way in is the Vibe Chess city chess evenings in cafes and bars.
How much does a chess coach cost in Novosibirsk?›
The price depends on the format and the coach's title. At the Garde network season tickets start at around 6,500 roubles. Individual lessons run from around 700-1,000 roubles an hour with a beginning teacher up to 2,500-4,000 an hour with coaches holding serious titles. It is worth comparing two or three options before signing up.
Are there tournaments for beginners?›
Yes. The city series «Chess Novosibirsk» is open to everybody, from pre-schoolers to grandmasters. The Koltsovo science-town stage is part of the national festival «Intellectuals of Siberia». The NSTU Cup is held in the autumn. For amateur meetups with no rating requirements there is the Vibe Chess format in cafes and bars.
Where are the official chess competitions held?›
The main venues are the Spartak stadium (the regional federation's Thursday evening club), the Maestro chess centre (the Novosibirsk Region championship), the House of Scientists in Akademgorodok and NSTU (the NSTU Cup). The calendar and registration are at novosibirskchess.ru.
What is the Chess Federation of the Novosibirsk Region?›
A regional public organisation responsible for developing chess in the region. Its site is novosibirskchess.ru. The address is Michurina St. 10, second floor, Novosibirsk (Spartak stadium). Telephone +7 (383) 363-10-51, email info@novosibirskchess.ru. The president is Pavel Maletin (since 2015).
What is the difference between a chess school and a chess club?›
A school is a system: a programme, a coach, regular lessons, an assessment and a route to tournaments. A club is a place to play, run into other players and get to local tournaments. In Novosibirsk that role is filled by Garde, the Akademgorodok House of Scientists and the Novosibirsk chess club.
Do I need a rating to play in a tournament?›
Amateur meetups are unrated and you can turn up from scratch. Tournaments rated by the Russian federation require the player to be registered in the system, through a club or the regional federation. Competitive events with norms need a confirmed rank or a permit.
Where can I play chess without the competitive pressure?›
Vibe Chess Novosibirsk runs city chess evenings in cafes and restaurants. The games are short (3+2 or 5+3), the levels vary, and nobody judges you after every mistake. It suits people coming back to the game or starting from scratch. Announcements and registration are in the Telegram bot.
Can I come to chess on my own?›
Yes, to all of the formats. Most people come to city chess meetups without company - the format connects you through the games. And coming to a school on your own is standard.
How do I tell whether a coach suits my child?›
Three signs. First, after a few lessons the child wants to go rather than digging their heels in. Second, between lessons they play by themselves, online or with their parents. Third, the coach talks to you as adults: sets out a plan and explains what is being done and why. Two out of three is already a decent sign.
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.
A tournament without a paper crosstable
Everything people usually keep in a spreadsheet is already in the app: pairings, points, tie-breaks, round order. Free, with no subscriptions and no cap on the number of players.
many players, one evening: four or five rounds are enough
the fairest format for six to ten players
not a tournament, just an evening of chess - who is free and who is playing is visible in the app
- 1Set up the event: date, venue, time control
- 2Send the link - players register themselves
- 3Pair each round with one tap and enter the results
- 4Standings and the TRF export are produced automatically
More about chess in Novosibirsk and other cities
Besides the schools and sections, Novosibirsk has the informal Vibe Chess evenings - short games and introductions in cafes and bars, where you can turn up knowing only the rules. And below are guides to learning in nearby cities plus the openings catalogue for practising on your own.