A city guide to chess life in Saint Petersburg
Chess schools, clubs and lessons in Saint Petersburg
A full guide to chess in Saint Petersburg: where to learn, how to find a coach, a chess club, a tournament or simply somewhere to play. Verified addresses of schools and clubs by district, plus the city federation, coaches, the Chigorin Memorial and the history of chess in the city.
Useful both for parents choosing a school for a child and for adults thinking about sitting down at a board again.
Russia's chess capital, with a century and a half of history
In 1853 it was in Saint Petersburg, in the palace of Count Kushelev-Bezborodko, that the first chess club in the Russian Empire opened - the Society of Chess Lovers. Since 1937 the city's main chess address has been Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25, home today to the Chigorin Chess Club and the Saint Petersburg Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts. The club was named after Chigorin in November 1958. Alexander Khalifman's Medny Vsadnik school works at Sapyorny Lane 10, and the Boris Spassky club at Basseynaya 57. Across the districts there are the T-CHESS network (3 branches), V. Kostrov's school, NaStoyashchee, the school on the Petrogradskaya Side, Sovremennik, the Nobel Club, Petrovskaya Ladya and the Kirovsky district chess centre.
Saint Petersburg and Leningrad are bound up with the names of Mikhail Chigorin (founder of the Russian school), Mikhail Botvinnik (who studied in Leningrad), Viktor Korchnoi and Boris Spassky (born in Leningrad, pupils of Vladimir Zak), Alexander Khalifman (the 14th FIDE world champion), Peter Svidler (eight-time Russian champion), Nikita Vitiugov, Kirill Alekseenko and the coach Andrey Lukin.
Chess schools and clubs in Saint Petersburg
The chess addresses of Saint Petersburg: the historic building of the Chigorin club and the Olympic-reserve school at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25, Khalifman's Medny Vsadnik school, the Spassky club, the T-CHESS network, V. Kostrov's club and schools across the districts. Every card is a working organisation with public contact details.
Where there is chess near you
Saint Petersburg has 18 administrative districts. Below are the chess addresses in the districts where there are confirmed venues.
- Chigorin Chess Club - Bolshaya Konyushennaya St. 25
- Saint Petersburg Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts - Bolshaya Konyushennaya St. 25
- Medny Vsadnik (with A. Khalifman) - Sapyorny Lane 10
- T-CHESS - Radishcheva St. 35
- V. Kostrov's club - Nekrasova St. 60
- SPb Chess Federation (the federation office) - Ordinarnaya St. 16
- Chess school on the Petrogradskaya Side
- T-CHESS (preLAB) - Vyborgskoye Highway 13
- NaStoyashchee chess school
- Nobel Club - by Vyborgskaya metro
- T-CHESS - Korablestroiteley St. 30/9
- Boris Spassky Club (at the Moskovsky district palace of youth creativity) - Basseynaya St. 57
- Sovremennik chess club - Kupchinskaya St. 32/1
- Kirovsky district chess centre - Tramvayny Ave. 20
- Petrovskaya Ladya
What age to start a child, and where
Under the rules of most Petersburg schools, chess can start at four or five. At Medny Vsadnik, T-CHESS, Kostrov's club and NaStoyashchee the standard start is pre-school age. Competitive training at the state Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts (Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25) comes later, after an initial assessment of level and interest.
Parents should look at several things at once: the age and level of the group, who takes the lessons, which district it is in, how the timetable fits, whether the children are taken to tournaments, how many are in the group and what the atmosphere is like at the trial lesson.
What chess gives a child
- ConcentrationA game holds the attention for thirty to sixty minutes at a stretch. That is a skill in its own right, and it pays off at school later.
- Understanding consequencesIn chess nothing happens «by itself». A child gets used to calculating a move ahead and answering for their decisions.
- Losing calmlyArguably worth more than the wins. After a defeat a child learns not to fall apart but to sit down calmly for the next game.
- A communityA circle of peers forms around the board, separate from the classroom and the courtyard, with its own quiet excitement.
- Tournament experienceTravel, regulations, a clock beside the board. All of it slowly builds independence.
You can start from scratch - and nobody will laugh
Alexander Khalifman's Medny Vsadnik works with adults - group and individual lessons two or three times a week, with a season ticket at 6,000 roubles a month. T-CHESS and Kostrov's school take adults as well. The club formats are the Chigorin club at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25 and the Spassky club at Basseynaya 57. The city's amateur format, Vibe Chess, is somewhere you can turn up knowing only the rules.
Neither a rating nor a rank is needed to start. Nor do you have to join a group: you can work one-to-one, or simply go to club meetings and amateur tournaments. Competitive chess and the vibe format live on different planes, and in the second what is valued is not the result but the fact that you got out of the house for an evening at a board.
Lessons at a club or a school
A timetable, a programme and a coach on hand, when you want to work systematically.
An individual coach
The fastest progress and a flexible timetable. It costs more than a group.
Club meetings
Casual games, conversation, and city tournaments both rated and not.
Vibe Chess
City amateur tournaments in cafes and bars, with no rating thresholds at all.
Online lessons
When travelling across the city is awkward, online schools help - they do not care which district you live in.
Studying on your own
Books, lichess or chess.com, going over your own games. A good supplement to lessons.
How to look for a coach in Saint Petersburg
We deliberately do not compile a «top coaches in Saint Petersburg». There is no objective data for a ranking, and subjective lists 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. Medny Vsadnik has a pool that includes Alexander Khalifman, international grandmaster Alexey Lugovoy, FM Elizaveta Dorokhina and IM Alexey Savelyev. The Chigorin club and the Olympic-reserve school have the state pool of coaches. V. Kostrov has his own method for younger ages.
Experience with children
What matters to a child is not the most decorated player but the one who explains things clearly. Ask how many children of that age the coach has already taught.
Sporting title
Candidate master, master, international master are a guide but not a guarantee. What matters more is that the title comes with the ability to teach.
Experience preparing for tournaments
If the goal is a norm for a sports category, look for a coach who has taken pupils to tournaments and knows the regulations from the inside.
Reviews and recommendations
A word from other parents or adult pupils is more reliable than stars on an aggregator site. Ask around among friends and in the relevant VK groups.
District and format
Petersburg is a long city, and 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 1,000 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 a good coach asks about the pupil first and only then gets to the «programme».
Communication with parents
With a sensible coach it is always clear what you are doing, why, and how the progress is going. A routine «everything's fine» in reply should put you on your guard.
A trial lesson
Do not buy a season ticket off a photograph and a nice description. One or two trial lessons are perfectly normal.
A guide to chess tuition prices in Saint Petersburg
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 Saint Petersburg for 2025-2026.
Medny Vsadnik - a group season ticket
Alexander Khalifman's school at Sapyorny Lane 10. Group lessons two or three times a week. The first trial lesson is free.
Medny Vsadnik - paid six months at a time
A discount for paying for a six-month season ticket.
The Saint Petersburg Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts
The state regional sports school at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25. The basic programme is free.
The T-CHESS network
A school with three branches across Saint Petersburg (Radishcheva, Vyborgskoye Highway, Korablestroiteley). Prices depend on booking and format.
An individual coach
Private one-to-one lessons. A good way to get to know a coach.
A Vibe Chess amateur tournament
City chess evenings in Petersburg cafes and bars. Sign up through the Telegram bot.
The Saint Petersburg Chess Sports Federation
In Saint Petersburg the official functions belong to the city chess federation. Under its aegis run the city championships, the Saint Petersburg Cup, the Chigorin Memorial, and rated and junior tournaments.
Chess tournaments in Saint Petersburg
The calendar lives in several places at once. The city one is on the federation site (totalchess.org/turniryi) and the portal spbchesstournaments.com. The main international event is the Chigorin Memorial, in 2025 a stage of the FONBET Russian Cup (24 October - 3 November). All rated tournaments can be filtered at ratings.ruchess.ru by region 78.
What the formats are
Vibe chess in Saint Petersburg
Vibe Chess runs city chess evenings in the cafes and bars of Saint Petersburg. 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 Saint Petersburg 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, and a new opponent each time.
- Players of all levels at the tables; nobody has to be strong.
- Between games there is time to talk and get a coffee or a glass of something.
- Coming on your own is completely normal here.
- Sign-ups and announcements of the evenings live in the Telegram bot.
The history of chess in Saint Petersburg
The key dates of Petersburg chess - from the first chess club in the Russian Empire in 1853 to the 2025 Chigorin Memorial in the modern city.
In Saint Petersburg, in the palace of Count Grigory Kushelev-Bezborodko, the Society of Chess Lovers opens - the first chess club in the Russian Empire. The society's statutes were written chiefly by Carl Jaenisch.
Mikhail Chigorin, the founder of the Russian chess school and twice a challenger for the world championship, is active in Petersburg.
Saint Petersburg hosts a major international tournament in memory of Mikhail Chigorin.
Petersburg hosts the famous international tournament - the first meeting over the board between Emanuel Lasker and Jose Raul Capablanca. Lasker won, Capablanca was second and Alexander Alekhine third.
The Leningrad Chess Club is founded - the future Chigorin Club.
The Leningrad Chess Club moves into the building at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25 - the city's main chess address for decades to come.
The Leningrad Chess Club is named after Mikhail Chigorin.
In 1994 the Saint Petersburg specialist youth sports school for chess and draughts is established. In 1997 it is granted Olympic-reserve status.
Saint Petersburg hosts the 31st Chigorin Memorial, a stage of the FONBET Russian Cup. One of the country's oldest regular international opens.
Well-known chess players connected with Saint Petersburg
Names with a confirmed connection to Saint Petersburg and Leningrad - born there, lived there, worked there or represented the city. Every card links to a source for the biography.
What to look at when choosing a chess school
For parents
- The age and level of the group: will the child land among people the work is within reach of and interesting alongside.
- The coach: have they taught children of that age, and do they ask about your child before the lessons start.
- The district: can you realistically make the journey regularly. In Petersburg, getting from the outer districts into the centre often settles everything.
- An even match in strength: is the group's average level close enough that the child is not «the weakest of all».
- Tournament practice: does the group get taken to city events.
- The atmosphere: after the trial lesson the child asks to come back.
- Price and package: what the season ticket includes, what it does not, and whether there is a trial lesson.
- The timetable: does it fit between school and the other activities.
- Reviews: a word from other parents is more reliable than stars on an aggregator site.
For adults
- Whether they take adults into groups, not only children.
- Whether they will take you from scratch, with nothing behind you but the rules.
- Whether there is room for casual play, not only for lessons.
- Evening lessons you can get to after work.
- Whether the competitive push is heavier than you would like.
- Whether they run amateur tournaments, so there is something to work towards.
- Whether the format suits you: a group, one-to-one lessons, online or a club.
School, club, coach and tournament: the differences
Common questions about chess in Saint Petersburg
Where to learn chess in Saint Petersburg?›
The city's main chess addresses are the Chigorin Chess Club and the Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25 (Central district), Alexander Khalifman's Medny Vsadnik school at Sapyorny Lane 10, the Boris Spassky club at Basseynaya 57 (Moskovsky), the T-CHESS network (3 branches) and V. Kostrov's club at Nekrasova St. 60. The city federation is the SPb Chess Federation (totalchess.org).
Which chess schools are there in Saint Petersburg?›
The state sector is the Saint Petersburg Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25. The city clubs are the Chigorin club (at the same address) and the Spassky club at the Moskovsky district palace of youth creativity. The private schools are Khalifman's Medny Vsadnik, T-CHESS, Kostrov's club, NaStoyashchee, the school on the Petrogradskaya Side, Sovremennik, the Nobel Club, Petrovskaya Ladya and the Kirovsky district chess centre.
Where do I find a chess club in Saint Petersburg near me?›
In the Central district: the Chigorin club and the Olympic-reserve school (Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25), Medny Vsadnik (Sapyorny Lane 10), T-CHESS (Radishcheva 35), Kostrov's club (Nekrasova 60). In Petrogradsky: the school on the Petrogradskaya Side and the federation office (Ordinarnaya 16). In Vyborgsky: T-CHESS (Vyborgskoye Highway 13), NaStoyashchee, the Nobel Club. In Vasileostrovsky: T-CHESS (Korablestroiteley 30/9). In Moskovsky: the Spassky club (Basseynaya 57). In Frunzensky: Sovremennik (Kupchinskaya 32/1). In Kirovsky: the chess centre (Tramvayny Ave. 20). In Petrodvortsovy: Petrovskaya Ladya.
Where should I send my child for chess in Saint Petersburg?›
There is plenty of choice: Khalifman's Medny Vsadnik with programmes for children and adults, the T-CHESS network, V. Kostrov's club and the NaStoyashchee school; on the state side, the Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25. Most private schools in Saint Petersburg start children at four or five. T-CHESS, Kostrov's club and NaStoyashchee take pre-schoolers too. The state Olympic-reserve school takes children later, after an initial assessment of level and of their interest in the competitive side.
Can an adult start playing chess from scratch?›
Yes. Medny Vsadnik works with adults - group and individual lessons two or three times a week. T-CHESS and Kostrov's school take adults as well. The Chigorin club is the main venue for casual games and city tournaments. The Vibe Chess city evenings in cafes and bars are the gentlest way in.
How much does a chess coach cost in Saint Petersburg?›
Confirmed 2025 prices: Medny Vsadnik charges 6,000 roubles for a month of group lessons, or 5,500 if paid for six months at a time, with a free first trial lesson. The state Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts is free for the children selected for the department. Prices for T-CHESS and the other private schools are on their websites.
Where do I find the tournament calendar for Saint Petersburg?›
The city calendar is on the SPb Chess Federation site (totalchess.org/turniryi) and the portal spbchesstournaments.com. The main international event is the Chigorin Memorial, held annually - in 2025 it was a stage of the FONBET Russian Cup, from 24 October to 3 November. The national calendar is at ruchess.ru.
Where are the official chess competitions in Saint Petersburg held?›
The main venues are the Chigorin Chess Club and the Olympic-reserve school for chess and draughts at Bolshaya Konyushennaya 25, and the Spassky club at Basseynaya 57. Most official events under the city federation take place at Bolshaya Konyushennaya.
What is the Saint Petersburg Chess Sports Federation?›
A regional public organisation responsible for the city's tournaments, ratings and the work of the chess schools. Its site is totalchess.org, its information portal totalchess.spb.ru, and its junior committee runs шахдети.рф. The office is at Ordinarnaya St. 16 (Petrogradsky district), telephone +7 (901) 308-01-72.
What is the Chigorin Memorial?›
One of the oldest regular international opens in Russia, hosted every year by Saint Petersburg. In 2024 it was the 30th edition; in 2025 it ran as a stage of the FONBET Russian Cup, from 24 October to 3 November. Anybody can play, from club amateur to grandmaster.
What is the difference between a chess school and a chess club?›
A school has a timetable, a programme and a coach who takes you from the first rules to tournaments and keeps an eye on your progress. A club is simpler: you turn up, sit down at a board and play whoever came that day. In Petersburg the two roles often live under one roof: at Bolshaya Konyushennaya the Chigorin club shares the building with the Olympic-reserve school, and at Khalifman's the school and the club play run side by side.
Do I need a rating to play in a tournament?›
It depends where you are going. Amateur evenings and Vibe Chess do not ask about ratings - you sit down and play from zero. For events rated by the Russian federation, a player is first registered in the system through a club or the city federation. And where norms for a sports category are at stake, you will be asked for a confirmed rank or a permit.
Where can I play chess without the competitive pressure?›
There is Vibe Chess Saint Petersburg, the city chess evenings in cafes and bars. The games are short (3+2 or 5+3), the people at the next table are of all levels, and nobody stands over you after a mistake. If you want the quiet of a club instead, the Chigorin club is open for casual games, and the district clubs run too. Announcements and sign-ups for Vibe Chess live in the Telegram bot.
Can I come to chess on my own?›
Yes, to any of the formats. Almost everybody comes to the city evenings alone, and the games do the introductions. Signing up for a school on your own is perfectly normal too - nobody expects you to bring company.
How do I tell whether a coach suits my child?›
Three signs. First: after a few lessons the child goes to chess willingly rather than under duress. Second: between lessons they sit down and play by themselves, online or with you at home. Third: the coach talks to the parents as adults, shows a plan and explains what it is all for. If two of the three are true, you are on the right track.
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.
The app instead of arbiter software
Pairings are computed by bbpPairings, an open-source engine implementing the Dutch system by FIDE rules: score groups, floats on an odd field, colour alternation. Free to use.
- 1The event is created in the app in a minute
- 2Players register themselves through the link
- 3The engine pairs every round, not the organizer
- 4The finished tournament exports as a TRF file that arbiter software accepts
- Swiss system. proper rounds with correct pairings, not random matchups
- Round robin. a full circle, with the round count derived from the field
- Free meetup. a light format with no tournament machinery
More about chess in Saint Petersburg and other cities
Besides the schools and sections, Saint Petersburg 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.