CheckMate Kids
Little players, big thinkers —
from first moves to three steps ahead of you.
CheckMate Kids
Little players, big thinkers —
from first moves to three steps ahead of you.
Our Programme
Weekly Tuesday Club
An hour of small group coaching and friendly games at Battersea Labour Club. The easiest way to keep your child playing regularly.
View DetailsWeekly Thursday Club
After-school coaching and games in the Community Room at West Norwood Library. Beginners play in the first hour and improvers in the second, so every child plays at the right level.
View DetailsMonthly Sunday Club
Our premier chess experience. Riverside sessions with small group coaching, a friendly tournament, then fun chess to finish.
View DetailsLondon Bridge Saturdays
Small group classes at The Courtyard Café, London Bridge, from first moves to confident players. Six classes through the day, grouped by age and experience, so every child plays with others at a similar stage.
View DetailsOctober Half Term Camps
Full days of chess, games and puzzles, with sports and drama games to break up the day. Choose from Battersea (Hotel Rafayel) or Borough (London Christian School).
Meet the Team
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![A man with short, messy hair smiling while playing chess at a table, wearing a black t-shirt with a small white logo, sitting in front of a chessboard with yellow and brown pieces, against a plain light-colored wall.]()
Sam Walker
CO-FOUNDER, NATIONAL MASTER
My chess story: From learning the moves from Mum and Dad, to trying to play the best moves I could in World Junior Olympiads... chess has played a huge role in my life! I love trying to bring this joy to others.A chess moment I’ll never forget: Being British U14 Chess Champion way back in 2008 — and I have no shame in bringing it up in conversation.
Off the board: Anything history — from reading historical fiction to listening to a podcast on a long walk.
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![A man with curly dark hair and a beard playing chess on a wooden board while seated at a desk against a plain off-white wall.]()
Gabriel Barr
CO-FOUNDER
My chess story: My mum bought me a chess set at 5, my dad taught me the rules, and my local club did the rest. Over 25 years of chessing on, I’m doing more coaching than playing but still reckon I’ve got a shot at Grandmaster (the kids disagree).A chess moment I’ll never forget: Giving chess lessons to comedian Phil Wang. Turns out it’s possible to make chess even more fun!
Off the board: I can be found on 5-a-side pitches across South London.
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![A young woman with glasses and curly hair smiling while sitting at a chessboard with a game in progress. She is wearing a black T-shirt with a royal chess piece design. The background is plain white with a green label in the top right corner saying 'Checkmate Kids'.]()
Archi Agrawal
COACH
My chess story: My dad taught me how to play when I was 5, then I went on to playing international tournaments in my teens and eventually stopping because of covid and uni. Rediscovered my love for chess in London — and now I’m here!A chess moment I’ll never forget: People being scared of playing me as a child because I was “too strong to be unrated” at the time.
Off the board: You can find me reading a book or enjoying the sun these days.
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![A young man with brown hair and a beard, wearing a black T-shirt, concentrating while playing chess at a wooden chessboard. He is resting his head on his left hand and making a move with his right hand. The background is plain and light-colored. The image also features a logo that says 'CHECKMATE KIDS' in the top right corner.]()
Dashiell Shaw
COACH, NATIONAL MASTER
My chess story: I played a lot of chess as a kid after my dad taught me the game. I rediscovered my love for the game during covid and now play regular competitive chess.A chess moment I’ll never forget: Drawing my last round game to qualify for the England Junior squad.
Off the board: I also took up chessboxing and have done one bout.
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![A man with a beard and bald head playing chess, making a move on the chessboard.]()
Benedict Lewis
COACH
My chess story: My Dad taught me the rules when I was young; I played him and a few friends casually but never more than that. I didn’t play for years, but then took the game back up as an adult and have been hooked since!
A chess moment I’ll never forget: My team winning our division this year in the Central London League.
Off the board: If I’m not playing over the board, I’m on the court. I’m a big tennis fan — meeting Andy Murray at last year’s LCC was a personal highlight.
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![Young man playing chess on a green and white chessboard, smiling, wearing a black t-shirt, with a white background.]()
Dara Pirouznia
COACH
My chess story: This only really started when the pandemic hit, and my dad started challenging me to near-daily games. Determined to beat him, I got hooked, and over the years that obsession with online chess grew. It followed me to KCL, where I still play at the weekly chess club as a dental student.
A chess moment I'll never forget: a spontaneous South Bank trip turned into an outdoor chess tournament, where I won 7 blitz games in a row against strong locals. I can still picture some of the sacrifices!
Off the board: I can usually be found at the gym or on a tennis court, enjoying sports with my family and friends.
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![Portrait of a young man with light-colored hair, wearing a blue sweater and earrings, against a plain gray background.]()
Daniel Simons
My chess story: My love of chess started in primary school, thanks to an inspiring headteacher, and has never gone away. I now run my own chess club (Peckham Chess Club) and teach chess in prisons, schools, and with refugees.
A chess moment I'll never forget: My first loss while teaching at Brixton Prison. Picture the scene: a blunder, the prisoners ecstatic, me gutted, and my reputation in tatters.
Off the board: I have a PhD in philosophy, write poetry, read as much as I can, and am a keen bike tourer.
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![Teen boy smiling outdoors in a park, wearing a blue blazer and a white shirt, with blurred green trees in the background.]()
Aarav Gupta
ASSISTANT COACH
Aspiring coach and member of the National Chess Junior Squad (u16), with a passion for mentoring young players, to help them develop confidence, patience and enjoyment of the game.
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![A young man with curly black hair, a mustache, and a goatee, wearing a black shirt with a chess piece symbol, sitting at a chessboard with chess pieces arranged for a game, in front of a plain light-colored wall.]()
Alex Blanc
COACH
My chess story: I’ve played chess ever since I can remember. From casual family games, to representing Surrey as a teenager, it’s been a great journey. Nowadays, I play and coach alongside my main work as a tutor. It’s such a pleasure to share all the great things I’ve discovered with the next generation of players.
A chess moment I’ll never forget: Playing against International Master Adam Taylor at a Simultaneous Exhibition match.
Off the board: I’m a keen theatre director and playwright who’s put on plays at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Get in touch
Not sure which session fits your child, or enquiring about a bursary? Check the FAQs below — or send us a message and we'll help you find the right fit. You can also email us at coaching@checkmateexperiences.co.uk.
By submitting, you agree to us contacting you about your enquiry. Bookings are subject to our CheckMate Kids T&Cs, Privacy Notice and Safeguarding Policy.
FAQs
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Our sessions are for children aged 4 to 14. We group children by age and ability, so everyone is playing and learning at the right level. Our youngest players (from age 4) join us at London Bridge Saturdays, and most of our other clubs and camps are for ages 6 to 14. Each session lists its age range on the booking page. If your child is outside the range, get in touch and we'll help you find the right fit.
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Absolutely. Lots of our children start from scratch. Our free Saturday Club at Battersea Library is a great, no-commitment first step. Complete beginners are also welcome at London Bridge Saturdays and in the Newbies class at our Thursday club in West Norwood.
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Yes. We group children by level, and our coaches are former England junior players, so stronger players get properly stretched. For more competitive chess, our Monthly Sunday Club combines coaching with tournament games and prizes. We also offer private coaching for children who want a plan built around their game.
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Our weekly clubs run for an hour. There's usually a warm-up puzzle, a short lesson on a key idea, then plenty of games with coaches on hand to help. Our Monthly Sunday Club runs for three hours: an hour of coaching, a friendly tournament, then fun chess to finish.
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Tuesdays: Battersea Labour Club
Thursdays: Community Room, West Norwood Library
Saturdays: The Courtyard Café, London Bridge, plus our free club at Battersea Library
Monthly Sundays: Hotel Rafayel, Battersea
Holiday camps: Hotel Rafayel, Battersea, and London Christian School, Borough
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Each club has its own page with full details on our kids programme page. You can also email coaching@checkmateexperiences.co.uk, call or WhatsApp 07849 077058, or follow us on Instagram at @checkmate.kids.club.
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Book online through our booking page. Weekly clubs are £12.50 a session, or £40 for a package of 4 sessions (£10 each), which can be used at our Tuesday, Thursday or London Bridge Saturday clubs. Holiday camps are booked through our camp booking form.
Our free Saturday Club at Battersea Library doesn't need booking.
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Yes. All our coaches hold Enhanced DBS checks and have safeguarding training, and every session follows our Safeguarding Policy. We have a named Safeguarding Lead and hold public liability insurance.
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Nothing but enthusiasm. All chess sets and materials are provided. A water bottle is a good idea.
For holiday camps, please send a packed lunch, snacks and water. We run nut-free events.
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Parents are always welcome to stay at our weekly clubs. If you'd rather drop off, please collect promptly at the end. Children will only be released to the parent or guardian named on the booking, or an adult you've told us about in advance.
For holiday camps, drop-off is 9am at reception and pick-up is 4pm, with late pick-up available until 5pm for £5 a day.
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Single sessions: cancel more than 7 days before for a full refund. After that we can't refund, but get in touch and we'll do our best to move you to another session.
Packages: cancel at least 24 hours before and the session goes back into your package to use another week. Packages are valid for 3 months.
Holiday camps: these have their own terms, set out in our Holiday Camp T&Cs.
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Yes, both online and in person. Lessons are one to one, or shared with a sibling or friend, and built around your child's game, goals and schedule. Whether they're learning the rules or preparing for a junior tournament, we'll match them with the right coach and build a plan together.
Online: from £35 an hour, or £25 each for a pair
In person: from £50 an hour, at your home or a local venue in London, or £30 each for a pair
The first lesson is half price, and there's a discount on packages. All our coaches hold Enhanced DBS checks. See our private coaching page for more, or get in touch to find the right coach.