Reviews

Reviewed by Vadym from Amsterdam, Netherlands for Artiom

I am an adult improver and felt as I am on plateau; my chess progress was moving slowly. Artiom correctly identified some of my weaknesses and gave me advises how to improve them. Thanks to his advises I can confidently say that my game was considerably improved. For example my rating in solving tactical puzzels went from 1800 to 2400 in just 2 months, even though I was stucked on ~1800 for almost a year! I like structure of the lessons and homework. I plan for a long term work together.

Thu Mar 5, 2026

Reviewed by pehanna from Raleigh, North Carolina for Artiom

Artiom Tsepotan is an exceptional chess coach who carefully reviews all my games with me, even the wins. He points out better strategic and tactical moves and helps me improve with every game. He also helps me set realistic short-term and long-term goals, giving my training clear direction and purpose. His guidance has made a real difference in my progress.

Sun May 18, 2025

Reviewed by FranZac from Gubbio, Italy for Artiom

With Maestro Artiom, I’ve made significant improvements because he truly understands your playing style, your preferred openings, and tailors his advice and corrections accordingly. He doesn’t try to change your natural style. Moreover, he is very practical and doesn’t get lost in complicated analysis: he knows exactly how to help you improve. Also, he is extremely flexible and reliable with scheduling. Francesco Zaccagni – Italy

Sun May 11, 2025

Reviewed by bnd3 from Portland, Oregon for Artiom

I’m 58, and I’ve been playing over the board for a little more than a year. Artiom nevertheless took me on as a student. I’ve learned so much from him in just a few weeks; I now have fresh things to think about during my games. He is especially skilled at expressing ideas in a pithy way that makes them stick. I expect it will take some time to fully assimilate these new ideas, but Artiom’s influence is already starting to yield results. For example, I tied for first in the under-1800 section of the US Senior Open, despite starting the tournament with a rating of 1655.

Thu Jul 20, 2024

Reviewed by MrShaw from London, England for Artiom

Amazing Teacher. I believe I am currently Artiom’s longest serving student. I have had lessons off Artiom for well over 10 years with the intention of getting my chess rating up to 2000. I was stuck at around the 1900 mark for many years and there have been many times where i thought i would never reach 2000.

Today I finally reached a rating of 2000 on chess.com arguably the toughest online platform. I feel confident I can achieve the same with my over the board rating next year too.

I have had lessons off other teachers before working with Artiom and while some of them were excellent communicators and amazing players none of them have artiom’s level of patience or emotionless focus on what is important. Artiom teaches in a very principled way which i have come to understand is an essential part to improving at chess. He is always optimistic and never negative. In all these years despite my own lack of punctuality Artiom has never been late for a lesson. He takes every lesson seriously and i always end the lesson feeling it has been time well spent. Anyone who is serious about achieving their real potential in chess should not delay in working with Artiom. In my experience he is the best teacher you could hope for. I hope you read this review and are inspired to work with Artiom and have as positive and rewarding an experience as I have.

Sun Jun 16, 2024

Reviewed by StukaDiveBomber from Hong Kong for Artiom

Coach Artiom has really helped me improve my game! He is patient and understanding, and uncovers the key weaknesses of my game. The goals he sets with me are attainable but challenging, and it motivates me to improve. His homework is quite hard, but I enjoy it because it makes me think deeply and develops my tactical prowess. I’ve recently gotten 1st place in the HK Junior Championships, and a huge part of that is thanks to Artiom’s coaching. Definitely worth it!

* Eric became the 2023 Hong Kong Junior Rapid Champion scoring 6.5/7

Mon Oct 16, 2023

Reviewed by jack0904 from San Jose, California for Artiom

Artiom is the real deal, and has been by far the best coach that I’ve worked with. I’m an adult improver without a ton of time to devote to chess, and when I started with Artiom I was 1159 on chess.com rapid, and my highest rating to date is 1645 in around a year and a half of lessons, and I am continuing to see and feel improvement in my games.

He knows how to develop the student’s ability to think over the board, in all positions. He coaches all aspects of the game when he reviews your games, so you learn how to think in the opening, middle game, and end game, which leads to better moves, and saved time on the clock. What’s more is that you learn more about how the game works, which made the game a lot more fun for me. He specifically focuses on the concepts and training that will make you a better player the fastest based on your level, and this differentiates Artiom from other coaches.

I highly recommend Artiom.

Wed Aug 30, 2023

Reviewed by Simon from Germany for Artiom

Hello Artiom! It has been a while since I took lessons from you, but I wanted to thank you for your good work and the help that you gave me. Your personalized studies and the analysis of my games with a focus on conclusions helped me a lot. Almost 2 years ago you gave me lessons where my goal was to get to 1700 in chess.com rapid. I have now crossed 2000 and plan on improving more over the board. 🙂

Wed Jan 25, 2023

Reviewed by jakulanko from New York for Artiom

Artiom is patient, kind, and most importantly knows how to develop his students chess skills. I am a 26 year old adult chess learner. When I started taking lessons a year and a half ago, I was rated a little over 1000 on chess.com. Now I am 1900 and continuing to see improvement.

* In 2023, Jake crossed the 2000 rating mark on chess.com and continues his improvement.

Thu Nov 10, 2022

Reviewed by DTan from Southern California, Orange County for Artiom

My son is 8 years old and Coach Artiom is his first chess coach. He is patience with my son and very accommodating with our schedules. My son has different sport activities and we need many adjustments of our schedules and coach Artiom always willing to help. He is excellent in providing productive and helpful exercises that my son can work from home till our next meeting with him. All in all if you are looking for a coach who will put effort on your kids to help them do well in chess and improve their skills, coach Artiom will be the right coach to you.

Wed Jul 20, 2022

Reviewed by RadBlur from Japan for Artiom

Artiom understands that having a goal is important for students to aim towards an ascertainable and measurable line to surpass. His difficult homework improved my tactical awareness and I learned many interesting chess ideas via it and our in-class practice. His advice is selective and instructive, so as not to overload the student with too many points to focus on between every lesson. In this way, by making incremental but steady progress, I am sure his students see improvement as I have.

Artiom’s method is best suited to people who are serious about improving and willing to put in the effort. You will get what you put in and Artiom will be your guide and support. I felt that Artiom’s instruction was very beneficial for me and I could add useful knowledge to my chess arsenal, and I could have gained even more if I had chosen to take on more homework and rated games per week.

If there were any negative for me, however small, I would say that I would liked Artiom to prepare a few key positions from my games in the lichess study before every lesson started. Although Artiom can do this easily and immediately, the feeling of awe when a teacher seems to have spent time thoroughly preparing before the lesson even starts is a feeling that should not be underestimated. As a language and philosophy teacher myself who has taught thousands of lessons, I have seen firsthand how preparing materials, themes, and a very brief introduction for students can really set a very positive and focused pace. Though, it’s just as easy for me to do it on the spot after having done so many lessons – as I am sure Artiom has. This is the same point, but what we call “getting student buy-in” is also an effective method to set the pace of the lesson: the teacher says, ‘today we are going to do A, B, and C. Through these contents you will learn W and X, and improve Y and Z. Are you ready to begin?’ The student then knows exactly how the lesson will flow, and what key knowledge, points, or tactics will be covered, all ahead of time. And, though deceptively so, the student feels more in control because they have ‘bought into’ the proposed lesson contents by saying “Yes!” to the teacher’s ‘are you ready’ question. Of course Artiom has the lesson flow already planned out, but vocalizing it and getting the student’s buy-in at the start of every lesson is just a small point that I hope can fire up his students’ motivation over and over.

Having said all of that, as a teacher myself and, more importantly, a person whose role over the last several years has included interviewing, hiring, and training teachers, I give Artiom 5 stars. Artiom has a solid grasp on educational theory (MA in Education), an exceptional tactical eye and knowledge of chess fundamentals, common ideas, and so on – to the point where I was surprised he was an IM and not a GM, and he has – I’m sure – tens of thousands of hours of teaching experience. If you are unsure whether you should take Artiom’s lessons because he is not a GM – I would ask you this: was every teacher you had in school and in college extremely skilled in their discipline AND an exceptional teacher? No. Some professors are brilliant researchers but awful teachers. And as a student, it is better to have someone who actually knows how to teach and has a tremendous amount of experience doing it. If you’re serious about improving your chess or having an excellent teacher for your child, I recommend Artiom.

Sat Apr 2, 2022

Reviewed by striveone from New Jersey for Artiom

My two daughters (9 and 12 years old) had weekly chess lessons with Artiom for amount half a year. Artiom is a great chess coach. He is very patient, punctual, knowledgeable and skillful at teaching. His lesson is always very inspiring and well tailored to students’ need. He not only teaches his students the correct chess moves, but also teaching them how to think in playing chess. Instead of giving students the correct answer quickly, he likes to give students enough time to think of a problem on their own and ask students to explain why they pick a certain move. His teaching is great at developing students’ analytical thinking skills and building their confidence in tackling challenging problems.

Artiom’s lesson is always well structured and documented. His annotation of students’ games is usually very concise, but to the point. He likes summarize the key takeaway messages for his students after each lesson and highlight the importance of repetition for chess improvement. My two daughters benefited a lot from Artiom’s coaching. Strongly recommend to consider Artiom if you are looking for a coach who can provide tailored and effective chess coaching.

Thu Mar 17, 2022

Reviewed by Asher0514 from Kansas for Artiom

Artiom is a super amazing person and coach. Asher, my 7 year old son has taken 10 wonderful lessons from Artiom. Artiom is very passionate and effective coach. His homework is challenging, but Asher benefited a lot from it. Artiom’s training on Asher’s own games was also very helpful.

One thing Artiom does really well is give the student time to look for best challenging moves without jumping in and giving away the answers. Asher’s rating went up 400 points in just 10 lessons.

Fri Mar 4, 2022

Reviewed by apocryph4l from California for Artiom

Having recently gotten into chess I can say with certainty that choosing to take lessons with IM Artiom was the best decision I could have made. The way that the lessons are structured helps me not only understand where my weaknesses are but also how to improve my game.

The lessons are very flexible and IM Artiom is very understanding of any issue. He is able to guide my play in the right direction and I come out of every lesson feeling as though I understand the game a little bit better. I have been surprised at how much I have been able to improve, especially with the homework being so instructive and fun.

I would recommend these lessons for anyone who is either stuck at a rating or has a specific goal in mind and I am sure after a lesson or two you will be a much better player.

Thu May 20, 2021

Reviewed by pumly from Oxford, England for Artiom

Only one session so far, but I enjoyed it and Artiom has given me plenty to be learning.

Thu Apr 1, 2021

Reviewed by master2021 from Kansas for Artiom

My son at the age of 10 got stuck at around 1600 for about two years studying chess on his own. Thanks to IM Artion coaching, he has become an expert (2000+ rating) in a relatively short time. His lessons involved homework and going over his games. He learned a lot from the homework and the mistakes in his games after each lesson. If you really want to improve, I would highly recommend IM Artiom.

Sat Mar 13, 2021

Reviewed by brycecrabb from Louisville, Kentucky for Artiom

I am a 27yo in the states that was pretty serious in HS and played competitive chess constantly. I ended high school with a rating of 1366 USCF and didn’t play chess through college. I began playing seriously again 5 years ago and kept hitting a wall in my rating OTB. I took 6 one-hour lessons with Artiom. I was nervous because I had a (cheap) chess instructor through ICC 2 years ago and saw no improvements. Artiom had great reviews, and was much more expensive (trust me, he’s absolutely worth it), so I went with him.

When I began lessons with Artiom, I was rated 1659 USCF, had a lichess puzzle rating of 2062, and had a lichess classical rating of 1893. My primary purpose for the lessons was to get better at classical OTB games. 6 weeks later, and 2 OTB tournaments (in one I won my section, in the other came in 2nd) I am 1704 USCF, have a lichess puzzle rating of 2400, and a lichess classical rating of 2102.

I am SHOCKED at how quickly I improved. I’ve thrown money at chess DVDs and nearly every chess YouTube video you can find; and 6 weeks with Artiom has tripled their success in way less time. He gave me a schedule of 5 puzzles to solve per day and 2 classical games. After games, I review for mistakes without an engine and write notes on what I was thinking and where I thought I may have messed up.

As you’ll read in his reviews, Artiom also gives VERY hard homework. It would take me sometimes upwards of 45 mins to find the correct solution to puzzles he sent weekly. These puzzles had themes that helped and stretched my mental muscle to build stronger calculation ability in games. He is flexible and very nice. He is very understandable and does not have much difficulty at all with English.

I spent several hundred dollars with Artiom, and I am not a very affluent person, so I really wanted to get my money’s worth. I am pleased to say that I certainly got my money’s worth and a whole lot more. Artiom is worth the higher rate. He is a fantastic coach.

Tue Jul 7, 2020

Reviewed by EricCheng-131 from New York for Artiom

My son took lessons from Coach Artiom for about half a year. Coach Artiom is very professional, flexible (in terms of scheduling), and patient. What I liked most about him is that he is very good at guiding the student through the thinking/analyzing process step by step by asking good questions instead of just telling the student what to do. My son learned a lot from him.

Sat May 23, 2020

Reviewed by ournumber9 from London, England for Artiom

I had a series of lessons with Artiom. He was very professional and I learnt a lot. He was friendly and the lessons were good fun. The homework was interesting and I think I learnt a lot from going through it with him afterwards. He also gave good advice and how to manage playing chess on line.

Thu May 21, 2020

Reviewed by wangyao98 from Calgary, Canada for Artiom

My daughter has learned chess with IM Artiom for half a year. He is patient and pays attention to details. I guess that’s where his Master degree in Education plays a big part in the chess teaching. His homework is at the right amount and level and keeps adjusted according to the improvement of my daughter puzzle solving skills.

He uses her games as real tactics training tool to encourage her develop tactic habit. He is very accommodating on the teaching schedule that works best for us in Canada. My daughter feel more confident about her thinking and always looking forward to the next lesson.

Sun May 10, 2020

Reviewed by tinafidaire20 from Plano, Texas for Artiom

I highly recommend Artiom as an online chess coach. My daughter has been under his coaching for more than a year now taking weekly lessons. Artiom had proven to be very professional and also flexible considering that we are on different time zones. These qualities of dependability and reliability are what I am looking for the most for an online chess coach. Artiom exemplifies those qualities.

As for his teaching style, my daughter enjoys her hour lessons with him. She learns from Artiom reviewing her games. They also answer a lot of puzzles. My daughter only speaks English and language was not a barrier in her communication with Artiom. She discusses freely her insights of chess positions, they can respond back and forth with each other easily.

The technology is also a breeze for both of them to use that they can facilitate an online chess lesson closely resembling an in-person coaching. To add, for those that are not beginners in chess but are still looking for a coach- I can definitely vouch for Artiom.

Besides my daughter, I also took lessons from Artiom and I am an experienced chess player. Artiom had tremendously helped me come back to start playing again in tournaments with great results. I hope to continue our chess lessons with Artiom as long as our circumstances allow it. We are grateful to have found our online chess coach in Artiom!

Sun May 3, 2020

Reviewed by humandb from Taipei, Taiwan for Artiom

My child always looks forward to lessons with IM Artiom. IM Artiom has been patient, warm, punctual and professional. IM Artiom’s lessons are well structured. His approach of reviewing the student’s own games has proved to be very effective.

My child’s rating has improved by several hundred points. Following each lesson, IM Artiom would give homework that is of the right amount and level of difficulty. I have no doubt my child will continue to have chess lessons with IM Artiom.

Tue Apr 28, 2020

Reviewed by Pidrama from London, England for Artiom

I have been impressed by Artiom’s ability to work out exactly what my son needed in terms of encouragement and focused study. It is clear that he has teacher training from his manner and organised approach. I like the fact that he sets targeted homework and that this is gone through before moving on. Artiom is always happy to answer my questions and provide guidance. Thank you Artiom your help and support has been a real boon to my son’s chess!

Artiom proved to be a great coach – diligent and well prepared. Artiom was very good at trying to understand the student’s motivation and tapping into that.Thank you…

Mon Mar 4, 2019

Reviewed by hamsterdish0917 from Taipei, Taiwan for Artiom

My son has been with IM Artiom for one year. He has made firm and steady progress since then. I can see he’s become more and more confident in tournaments and gradually defeated opponents whom were impossible for him to win before.

Artiom is highly efficient and organized. So, every lecture he gives is solid and serious. Homework targeted at weak points from his systematic puzzles library will be followed suit. Also, he will make comments, conclusions or reminders in email to keep me informed of my son’s learning.

Artiom is responsible and responsive. He is on time as scheduled. When I ask extra questions about chess, he can always gives me satisfying answers in exact words when he can.

Finally but not the least, Artiom is good at encouraging kids which suits well with my son’s personality. On the other hand, he will tell me honestly and mildly to seek proper solving way if he’s found something wrong with my son. I think it’s important and precious for a good coach.

Anyway, your kid will be in good hands if you choose IM Artiom!

Sat Dec 15, 2018

Reviewed by perugia from San Francisco, California for Artiom

My daughter started chess lectures with coach Artiom. We are happy with her progress. Artiom is very responsible and well prepared the class. He can identify my kid’s weakness and target that problem and training her. We are happy with her progress.

Wed Aug 29, 2018

Reviewed by legochess from Georgia for Artiom

I have taken lessons with Artiom for years!! He is very knowledgeable, very professional and an extremely patient teacher… I could not ask for a better instructor.

Wed Aug 29, 2018

Reviewed by Liranzhou from New York City for Artiom

A great teacher. My kid learned a lot of puzzles and have enjoyed classes with Artiom. Artiom is a serious coach, has assignments for kids all the time. His coaching online is a big plus to Liran’s success in his chess career.* Thank you.

* “Following our online coaching between April 2015 and January 2017, Liran became the youngest ever national master in US history in August 2017 at the age of 9 years, 3 months, and 22 days. Later the same month he won the World Chess Cadet Championship in the U10 outright with 9.5/11” – Artiom Tsepotan

Mon Sep 18, 2017

Reviewed by AKS1509 from Delhi, India for Artiom

So very patient, tackles individual problems with dexterity. Awesome. Our son says he is the best teacher he has ever had! Artiom takes care to improve the lines the student plays. He has improved our sons calculations by giving puzzles and working on his blunders. We are happy to have him coach our son.

Wed Aug 23, 2017

Reviewed by checkomatic from Seattle, Washington for Artiom

Artiom has been helping me for a number of years now to go from 1400+ to 2000+ on ICC. Over the years, Artiom has been willing and able to use different methods to fit the way that I learn best. He has also been very patient, has been clear with his explanations, and has politely explained something over again if I need to hear it again.

In other words, Artiom not only has the mind of a good chess player, he also has the heart of a good chess teacher.

Tue Aug 22, 2017

Reviewed by movements from Nassau, Bahamas for Artiom

IM Artiom has been coaching our son for over a year now. The first thing that sparked my interest was that he had a Master’s degree in Education. This was particularly important to us because we have learned that just because you have a title and a high rating, it doesn’t mean that you can impart knowledge. Our young son is an international junior champion, and Artiom has helped him to achieve many successes during the short period that he has been with him. Most notably, Artiom coached our son to win gold for our country in a 2016 international tournament. His FIDE rating has improved, and he is excited about his accomplishments. Artiom is punctual, patient, and highly efficient. He provides a comprehensive chess training program, with thorough preparation for chess tournaments, as well as support throughout tournaments.

You will not be disappointed if you choose Artiom as a coach!

Sun Jul 16, 2017

Reviewed by iamjadetulip from Lacey, Washington for Artiom

Within the first few months of coaching my daughter’s USCF rating jumped up by several hundred points and has been increasing since then. He has corrected and asked her to work on good habits and skills for playing chess. He spends each lesson regularly reviews games and homework with her. The homework is challenging but very instructive. Her online rating is now around 1750+.

On top of all this, he is kind, patient and very well prepared. He is always on time for lessons. I can tell that he is always thinking about his students and how to improve their chess understanding.

I am very thankful for Artiom and his guidance. I would highly recommend him. He is a wonderful chess coach!

Thu Jul 13, 2017

Reviewed by fastturle from Los Angeles, California for Artiom

My son Vlad has worked with IM Artiom for several months. And I have already seen a steady improvement in Vlad`s chess skills. Artiom is giving not only chess tactics but also helps improving my child`s confidence which is crucial for tournaments. Before the tournaments he gives a bunch of useful advice. His motivation is always there when you need it.

I am extremely glad I made the good choice to have Artiom as my son’s coach. I would recommend him to anybody who is looking for a responsible chess coach with the efficient teaching method.

Tue Jul 5, 2016

Reviewed by tigeriz from Calgary, Canada for Artiom

An awesome chess coach! I have studied chess with Artiom for over three years and have learned a lot from him. I especially like the way he analyzes games. With Artiom’s training method, I quickly improved my rating to 1700. When I need help, he prepares me very well and gives me opening lines to play. His analysis of games is superior: he matches the engine’s suggestion almost every time. Also, his schedule is very flexible, and we never have any problems rescheduling a lesson.

I highly recommend him if you want to rapidly improve your chess knowledge and rating.

Fri Jun 17, 2016

Reviewed by NeuronChess from Minneapolis, Minnesota for Artiom

Artiom is a very good coach and helped me move up 300 rating points. He gave me different kinds of puzzles for homework according to what I needed or asked about. He analyzed my games with me. He’s very nice and patient.

I would recommend him for anyone who wishes to improve their game. Thanks to Artiom, a great coach!

Thu May 5, 2016

Reviewed by arjunshenoyk from Sacramento, California for Artiom

When I started my lessons with IM Artiom Tsepotan around April 2014 my rating was in early 1800s. In just about a span of 5 months I was/am consistently able to beat the 2000-2100 rated guys and jumped up almost around 200 points since then.

As a coach, his lessons were impressively structured for my rating range. He used to analyze my games and accordingly give me assignments from the positions/openings I generally play which really helped me with my thought process and helped gain a deeper understanding of the positional concepts.

Artiom is very punctual and you will always find him online 5-10mins before your session begins. He is clear in his speech and I absolutely had no trouble understanding him. I would highly recommend Artiom if you are considering on getting a coach to improve your chess.

Fri Dec 19, 2014

Reviewed by jsge from New York, USA for Artiom

My kids improved around 300 hundred USCF points from 1100 to 1400 in 6 month. Atiom is very kids friendly and knowledgeable in chess. I highly recommend this Teacher.

Tue Sep 2, 2014

Reviewed by patternmaster from Adelaide, Australia for Artiom

When I started coaching with Artiom over 10 years ago my ACF rating was 1759 it is now 2121 and I still think i’m improving.Homework is always challenging and instructive.i would recommend Artiom to anyone who is interested in improving their knowledge and understanding in chess.

Mon Jun 2, 2014

Reviewed by Harshwords from Wichita Falls, Texas for Artiom

I can say that after only about 10 to 15 hours of instruction total within the last 4-5 months, my tactical chess ability has improved so much that I no longer feel at a disadvantage when facing much stronger opponents in a tournament. An opponent’s rating of 200 points or more above my current rating is no big deal.

My rating is going up now due to more than one successful tournament result.. Recently, I won the Reserve section at the Stillwater Open in October in Oklahoma with one draw and 4 wins out of 5 rounds. The very next weekend I tied for first at the Mississippi State Championship in the Reserve section with 4 wins & one loss. AND, that loss was due to a freak-out response to my opponent’s material sacrifice of a knight although Artiom later pointed out it was unsound. Artiom even suggested that the player I should review(his games) is Nakamura since I have a similar style of play & would benefit from that.

It is too bad that American players must seek quality instruction outside our borders, but at least we have a fantastic guide & teacher in Artiom. My only regret is not living close enough to Artiom to play him personally on occasion. Thanks, Bill Winters/ Retired Pharmacist & Chess Organizer for the North/West Texas Region / Wichita Falls

Thu Nov 7, 2013

Reviewed by DeepGreen from Vancouver, Canada for Artiom

My son Nathan has trained with Artiom for 2 years. I have seen the steady improvement in Nathan’s chess skills. This year he won the 1st place in Grade 7 section of the provincial chess challenge for K-12. This qualified him for the Canadian Chess Challenge in Ottawa to compete with the other provincial champions where he earned the 4th place. Now Nathan is motivated to learn more and play more.

Artiom is a well-behaved coachwho is always punctual for lessons. He is very flexible with scheduling lessons, which is a big bonus to us. Artiom willingly accommodates us whenever Nathan has activities that conflict with the lesson.

I am glad I made the good choice to have Artiom as my son’s coach. I would recommend him to anybody who is looking for a responsible chess coach with the efficient teaching method.

Sat Jun 1, 2013

Reviewed by desertspur from Phoenix, Arizona for Artiom

I just wanted to say thanks for the chess lessons, I have learned a great deal and feel my ratings will definitely increase in the future. What I found of great value is the training was not about moves, but rather more on the concepts. By understanding the concepts it makes move selections so much easier over the board.

For anyone considering a chess mentor on ICC I give you the highest mark of excellent! I should also mention to others that you started me with a test to evaluate my playing ability, followed by home work to go over each week. The homework ranged from Tactics, to exchanges and positional play, all of which provided great insight into how to view the board… Thanks again your training was excellent!

Mon Apr 8, 2013

Reviewed by okun from Cherry Hill, New Jersey for Artiom

My daughter Maryia started lessons with IM Artiom Tsepotan in 2006, when she was in the 2nd grade. Maryia was rated about 700 USCF then.

We work with Artiom for over six years already. Artiom is much more than a chess coach, going above and beyond chess instruction, helping Maryia improve her thought process, study habits and skills, and develop solid work ethic. Artiom was the main coach of Maryia all these years and guided her all the way up to her current rating of 2000 USCF – with many tournaments, ups and downs, trips, and trophies. Maryia was qualified and played at Panamerican Chess Festival 2009 in Argentina, World Youth Championship 2010 in Greece, and World Youth Championship 2011 in Brazil where she took 6th place – among 90 players in her section!

Artiom is a very strong chess player, helping to improve all aspects of one’s game – from opening preparation, to tactics, positional play, and even tournament psychology. The lessons and homework are just right for each chess skill level. You can expect fast and steady improvements when you start taking lessons with Artiom.

More than that, Artiom also has a background in education and we believe this makes all the difference between a typical chess coach (a strong tournament player, often with a title) and Artiom. Artiom’s degree in education helps him and his students be most effective and productive studing chess and achieving lasting results, keeping students engaged in the lessons, chess study and chess play.

We highly recommend Artiom as a truly great and remarkable chess coach.

Sun Oct 28, 2012

Reviewed by Randa from Reno, Nevada for Artiom

I have been trained under supervision of IM. Artiom for nearly 3 months and I am totally satisfied with his lessons. From the first session he spotted my weakness in Tactics and since then he mostly dealt with improving my tactical vision through providing good homework every session and also introducing additional resources. My lessons were divided into three parts; (1) reviewing and analyzing homework including my solution and his solution , (2) analyzing my games and correcting my mistakes, (3) if we had time, dealing with some other aspects such as defense and endgame.

The lessons especially homework were so useful so that now I have better insight into chess tactics and surprisingly I apply it in my games and even I had a win over a player stronger than me via applying tactic, Incredible! In addition, game analyzing was so great since he mentioned my mistakes and corresponding reasons then he explained what the correct move and plan was and how I should have continued the game.

IM. Artiom is very well behavior and polite in addition to his punctuality and patience. During the class he just focused on the lessons and made a complete use of time. Hereby, I would like to thank him and appreciate his attempt for improving my chess quality.

All in all, I believe IM. Artiom is a great instructor and I highly recommend him for improving your chess skills.

Fri Mar 16, 2012

Reviewed by AlanS from Danville, Illinois for Artiom

My 10 year old son has taken once a week lessons with Artiom for almost 2 years now. I have sat in with my son on about half of them. Artiom is an excellent player and coach and we are happy to have him to instruct our son. He is always very patient and polite during the lessons having respect for the time and effort that it takes someone learning to play to gain the necessary understanding of the position. He is not afraid to bring up or even if necessary emphasize any mistakes or tendencies that need to be corrected, but always with encouragement and urgency with the purpose of making the player better, never in a condescending manner.

When we have a chess tournament or some other activity that conflicts with the lesson time, Artiom is unfailingly understanding and sometimes we have to cancel due to the time difference making rescheduling rather difficult. He keeps track of the time difference and insists on using our local time (which includes daylight savings time) showing just one example of his great attention to detail and high level of organization. On the other hand he very seldom ever asks us to switch times or has to cancel a lesson. He assigns 4 homework problems each week and goes over them in the first part of the next week’s lesson. Then game analysis takes the last part of the lesson.

His approach is no nonsense and direct, but at the same time pleasant and praising when a correct move or idea is found by his student. Owing much to Artiom’s expert training and direction combined of course with his own hard work my son was able to lead his school team to the state championship, even though he was only in 2nd grade competing in a section with mostly with 3rd grade students from a city of about 100 times the population of our town. Now he rarely finishes out of the trophies in any scholastic event and we have had to re-arrange our large family room to try to fit in all of the trophies he has won, including several 1st place overall. We have met many interesting people at these tournaments, so it has been a benefit to our entire family.

In summary I would say that if your son or daughter has the enthusiasm for the game, then Artiom would be a great choice provide the know how to make a champion of him or her.

Wed Nov 9, 2011

Reviewed by ThreeSteps from Glasgow, Scotland for Artiom

I have just completed several months of lessons with IM Artiom Tsepotan and it has been very valuable in terms of improving my chess ability and understanding. As an adult player with 20 years playing experience (approx. 2000 elo) and having studied many books during that period, I had reached a point where my chess was no longer improving. However, Artiom’s excellent lessons were able to highlight my weaknesses and misunderstandings. I was able to start viewing chess with new insights that my own study had failed to provide on its own. One of Artiom’s teaching strengths is his ability to explain things clearly and simply, so that they are easily understood and remembered. When playing chess outwith the lessons, I’d often recall his advice and be able to apply it in new positions. I found this to be more effective than the books I had read. He has really exceptional chess knowledge and understanding. Artiom gave me weekly homework positions that were based on improving my weaknesses, which for me included tactics. This approach was really beneficial. There are many ideas from those positions that have stuck as a result of such study.Another key part of working with Artiom was the analysis of my own games. Unlike books or chess software, Artiom was able to help me learn the most from my games. I wasn’t getting distracted by endless variations but rather just focusing on the main points. Artiom was able to identify common weaknesses in my play and advise me how to improve in these areas.

Artiom also provided me with excellent advice in terms of how to organise my chess study. This included study of master games; opening study; etc. My study technique is now more effective. The lessons were conducted in a very professional but friendly manner. He’s a nice guy to chat to, and speaks good English. He makes the lessons interesting as well as instructive. Unfortunately I had to postpone further lessons due to work commitments and a young family.

In the future, when I do find time to play/study more chess, I hope Artiom is able to continue helping me. I’m very grateful to him in the meantime.

Tue Feb 1, 2011

Reviewed by BigC from Lansdale, Pennsylvania for Artiom

My 11 year old son has been taking weekly one hour chess lesson from IM Artiom for a year (The first lesson was on 01/26/2010). At that time, his USCF rating was around 1850. We needed a strong coach to bring him to the next level. We chose IM Artiom because we liked his teaching method. Based on the reviews on his website, we found out that he not only goes over student’s games, but also gives out homework every week. I do not see a lot coaches who give out homework after each lesson. In the first lesson, IM Artiom did a detailed evaluation of my son’s skills. Based on his observation, he felt that my son was OK with tactics and endings , but definitely needed help on the strategy. So each week he gives my son 4 positions to solve from his “Skills of Exchange” homework series. In each lesson, they start by checking the homework first. Since IM Artiom has carefully chosen these positions, he and my son analyze them deeply into different variations. This process normally take about 30 minutes. Then they go over my son’s games that were played recently. Again, they analyze the position deeply and IM Artiom will make his suggestion after reviewing the whole game.

As an IM, Artiom has a broad knowledge of different openings. He will help you to build up your opening repository. For example, my son has played Sicilian Defense Sveshnikov Variation as black for a while. However, this opening is very sharp and is hard to master at his level. At one time, we thought about to switch to French. IM Artiom suggested switching to Sicilian Defence Classical Variation. After the switch, my son has a much better result when he plays black again 1. e4.

IM Artiom is always on time on his lessons. In the last whole year, he only canceled our lesson one time because he was moving on that day and the internet was not ready. We normally take the weekly lesson at a regular time. However, if my son has some other activity in school and needs reschedule the time, IM Artiom always accommodate that. Under the help of IM Artiom, my son’s rating has been improving steadily. He just became USCF expert. (Chris has now 2000+ rating) My son’s other achievements in the last year include Pennsylvania State K6 Champion (March 2010), National Youth Action K-6 second place, 2010 National Youth Blitz K6 Champ (November 2010). Hopefully my son can keep improving under the coaching by IM Artiom. We also highly recommend IM Artiom to be your chess teacher.

Mon Jan 24, 2011

Reviewed by cacheboy from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois for Artiom

To play or not to play: that is the question; Whether ‘tis nobler for the mind to withstand the Burning cauldron of mental humiliation, Or to forsake this royal game of battle.

To cease, to play no more, ‘tis true this ends the pain; To cease the royal game begets yet other pain. The pain of loss, not loss of game, but loss of art; Gone the victory fore’er of mind over mind.

Yeah, with forces marshaled on dark and light terrain, The art of warfare mental beckons yet again. Chess, make no mistake, fills with pleasure the soul, For chess is life, a continual fight till death.

This poem, written by my 13 year old son, expresses very poignantly my own love for this truly magnificent game. I learned how to play chess as a young boy and fell in love with it immediately. While I didn’t play very well or very often, my appreciation for the beauty of the game never ceased. Not until my discovery of the Internet Chess Club did I become fully hooked. Despite reading numerous books on chess, utilizing several chess software products, becoming a member of the local chess club, and playing in USCF rated tournaments; I was becoming discouraged at my seeming lack of significant progress. I came to the conclusion that while my theoretical knowledge of chess may well have been very good, applying it in concrete situations became very difficult, especially when I would continually lose “won” games because of an unseen tactical shot played by my opponent, or vice versa, beause of my inability to find the tactical shots I could have played against my opponents. I finally decided to look for a chess coach.

What were my requirements for a chess coach? First and foremost, I wanted a coach with a national or international title to insure good knowledge of the game. Patience would also be a requirement since patience, I was certain, would be necessary to teach a slow learner such as myself. Lastly, since a slow learner would require more lessons over a long period of time, cost per lesson would also have to be considered.

With these priorities in mind, I began taking lessons from Artiom in late February, 2010, meeting with him on ICC and utilizing Skype for live voice conversation. We meet twice per week for 1 hour lessons. Each lesson begins with a review of homework problems and ends with a review of some of my recent games.

My standard ICC rating when I first began lessons was in the 1300-1400 range. Six months later, as a write this in late August, 2010, my current ICC standard rating is in the 2100-2200 range. I am very thankful to Artiom for his help and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a great chess teacher.

Sun Aug 29, 2010

Reviewed by Trexall from Fredericton, NB Canada for Artiom

I have played chess on and off for years with friends and enjoy following the games published in magazines. I contacted Artiom to see if he could help me gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the game and to improve my own playing with friends. I know that I am playing significantly better than I did before, but of more importance to me, I am enjoying playing the game more than I have ever done before. Artiom is a great and patient teacher and it is fun and rewarding to work with him.

“I would like to thank you for being such a great chess teacher and for getting me back into playing. I am really enjoying my games much more. When you always lose and cannot make any progress the game becomes dull and boring. Chess is becoming fun again for me and a wonderful source of relaxation.”

Thu Jan 7, 2010

Reviewed by JeongJ from California, United States for Artiom

I have been a student of Artiom for almost 3 months. From those three months, I recognized some of artiom’s strengths as a teacher. He is very good at noticing your weaknesses. For example, he pointed out to me that I don’t play aggresive enough and I found out that that was exactly my problem. Artiom is also very professional. He speaks nice English, has good manners, and never misses any appointments. He likes to focus on one particular aspect of your chess game at a time(well, at least in my experience). The only problem I had with him was that sometimes, he was rigid in his teaching methods. Such as when learning tactics, I wanted to do someting other than just solving tactical problems, like going over a really tactical game. However, if artiom thought that solving problems were the best method, then I’ll trust his decision.

Overall, I’d say that teachers like Artiom are not common. He is a good instructor and I heartily recommend him.

Fri Dec 25, 2009

Reviewed by acepoint from Rheine, Germany for Artiom

I’m taking lessons from Artiom for nearly a year now. We are using ICC with Skype for talking. In the beginning Artiom was a little bit unsure about Skype but as non native English speaker I can confirm that his English is excellent and easy to understand. We started with a set of 15 tournament games played and annotated by me. During the lessons Artiom pointed on the main weaknesses of my games. In parallel I got a set of homework positions based on his series of exchanges. We also extended my opening repertoire. After 25 years of playing chess I’m now also playing 1.d4 as White ;-).

What I really like in his lessons: He shares his thinking process when evaluating a position and never uses computer help apart from databases for the opening. I never expected miracles but was pretty astonished that my ICC blitz rating went from around 1900 before to an all time high of around 2200 this summer. I also got my first ELO rating this year which is 2052 now.

I can highly recommend Artiom’s lessons to everyone with a playing strength around mine or below. He commits himself, his lessons are diverting and the fee is absolutely reasonable.

Sat Nov 14, 2009

Reviewed by danechka from Princeton, NJ for Artiom

Our son (now 11 years old) is taking lessons with Artiom for about 2 years. Artiom has affected the quality of his play to great extent. Since we started his rating went up from 800 to 1680 and our son is now beating players we woud never sat down opposite before. What differentiates Artiom from other coaches is the quality of the analysis and the clarity of presentation, which is very important for 10-11 years old kids. He teaches to “think chess”.

Artiom is very friendly and polite. My son adores him and enjoys the lessons. Artiom is very flexible with scheduling lessons and punctual being always on time for lessons. He has moderate and affordable prices and we take lessons consistently. With the training plan designed just for each of his students, Artiom changes the way players look at a chess board and opponents noticed this. He brings the fundamentals of strategy and tactics to life and shows how to think like a master. Artiom gives practical advices and words of encouragement prior to the tournaments. He reminds of strong and weak parts that need to be taken care of during the games. After the tournament he analyses the games with our son to find the best moves in each situation.

Last year Artiom made a great tournament among his students and it was a great fun! Even though it was tough for my son, who was a beginner at that time and played with much higher ratings, the atmosphere of the tournament was very pleasant and he enjoyed playing with players from different parts of the world and with different cultures, and he made friendship with them. He took 5th place out of 12 and was very encouraged and motivated to learn and play more. I couldn’t recommend Artiom more. If you have kids who play chess and want to bring their game to the next level, Artiom is just right for you!

Sun Sep 20, 2009

Reviewed by coachpacman from Eugene, Oregon for Artiom

I have been Artiom’s student for six months and have been very pleased. Artiom is a very knowledgeable, supportive, and insightful coach who motivates me to do my best.Lessons are done over ICC and Skype and involve going over homework that is assigned(PGN files) and game analysis. By going over games, Artiom works on pointing out your chronic weaknesses, while the homework helps broaden your chess understanding.

In my time with Artiom, my ICC rating has gone up 200 points, and with my increasing knowledge base, I expect it to rise even more.If you are concerned, Artiom’s English is really quite good and I have had no troubles understanding him. If you are a good chess player who wants to improve your understanding (and subsequently your rating) I recommend him highly.

Mon Aug 17, 2009

Reviewed by nbrun from Bergen, Norway for Artiom

I won last night, against the player who has won the most tournaments in my club! He has won all his games so fare this autumn. I have never beaten him before, and I think I played good with white. Finally I got something out of what you have taught me …

Mon Mar 2, 2009

Reviewed by csmith2 from Mills, Maryland for Artiom

I’ve had the pleasure of taking several chess lessons with Artiom. Artiom is the most patient, kind, and generous teacher I have ever had the pleasure of studying with. I highly recommend him. Your lessons with Artiom will be both time, and money, well spent.

Sun Dec 7, 2008

Reviewed by wolf1986 from Waldron, Arkansas for Artiom

I have taken lessons from Artiom for a little over 2 months and his rates are very reasonable, his personality and teaching skills are top notch and he’s an incredibly strong player as well. My rating has gone up over 250 points on ICC in 2 months and as soon as I get out of my financial crisis i will be returning for more lessons. Artiom listens to your needs as a player and can help in all areas, but you have to go out and work hard as well! Good luck, hes a great teacher that I highly recommend.

Fri Oct 31, 2008

Reviewed by IvanuvIvanchuk from Saudi Arabia for Artiom

I have been taking chess lessons with Artiom for 10 weeks now, and I can say that I’m very happy with it. I think Artiom is a great chess instructor. He is an honest, hard working person but that’s not all, his chess teaching methods are very effective and to-the-point. By combining analysis of your games and regular homework positions, Artiom effectively focuses on the weakest parts of your chess. And with regular doses of such relevant chess knowledge, I’m very optimistic about the results. As for the homework it is my favorite part, both when I try solving it by myself and later when we go over it. In the last 10 weeks, I have been introduced to 60 extremely instructive positions which me and Artiom have discussed in great depth. I can remember all of them because we spent a lot of time working on them, and I can see how this will build a very important base of typical chess positions in my brain. Artiom also organized an on-line chess tournament between his students. There were 12 participants, all very good chess players, from all over the world. The tournament was a beautiful idea and it turned out to be a great success! I’m very glad I participated! Both the chess and the conversations with people from other cultures was much, much fun. I hope this tournament becomes periodic 🙂

In short If you are serious about improving your chess, willing to work hard and put a good amount of time in it, then Artiom is the chess coach for you, he will work as hard as you do and put in a considerable amount of effort into improving your understanding. A great instructor!

Mon Sep 15, 2008

Reviewed by Pseudonym from Florida, USA for Artiom

If you are looking for a chess coach that will strengthen YOUR game, then you should choose IM Artiom Tsepotan. Why? Two reasons. First, he is a superb educator that uses your games as the material for each lesson. I have found that this method helps me to avoid mistakes, and has improved my thinking. And, as I advance the lessons do too?therefore, I am always learning at my level. Second, the lessons are fun and motivating. Artiom is a very positive person who encourages you to learn, and is respectful of your ability. I really enjoy the lessons and that makes it so much easier to learn. I recommend him highly!If you are looking for a chess coach that will strengthen YOUR game, then you should choose IM Artiom Tsepotan. Why? Two reasons. First, he is a superb educator that uses your games as the material for each lesson. I have found that this method helps me to avoid mistakes, and has improved my thinking. And, as I advance the lessons do too?therefore, I am always learning at my level. Second, the lessons are fun and motivating. Artiom is a very positive person who encourages you to learn, and is respectful of your ability. I really enjoy the lessons and that makes it so much easier to learn. I recommend him highly!

Mon Jun 16, 2008

Reviewed by MrShaw from London, England for Artiom

I had lessons with Artiom Tsepotan throughout 2006 and most of 2007. Artiom is very punctual and well organised and never once missed a lesson without advanced notice or good reason. My chess improved working with Artiom. I have learnt countless things from him, ofcourse it is not always easy to put them all into practice. Artiom has helped to lay the foundations for future impovement. Artiom is far more than a chess teacher, he took a genuine interest in my progress, set homework and provided sample games where they were relevant. Artiom’s thoughtfull advice has been of invaluable benefit to my temperament and preparation for tournaments. I would recommend him to anyone who is serious about taking lessons

Tue Mar 25, 2008

Reviewed by MHarvey from United States for Artiom

An outstanding coach whose focus is on the actual games played. Excellent English and fast-typing skills. An added bonus is the regular homework which adds structure to study. Your understanding of chess will improve with Artiom. Sign up now!

Wed Jan 2, 2008

Reviewed by desperado-kid from Honolulu, Hawaii for Artiom

Since I have started with Mr. Artiom, I’ve only been improving. I have achieved all my best records on icc with a 200-300 improvment in all categories. Also, my uscf rating went from a 1596 rating to 1777 and I have beaten 2200 rated players and many 2000 and 1900 rated players. IM Artiom makes me think deeply in different chess positions. He presents concepts and ideas that are the basis of concrete middlegame strategies. He also analyzes my own games thoroughly and in depth which greatly improves my understanding of my own weaknesses. Overall, I am greatly content with the lessons I have been having with IM Artiom. He has been a fantastic coach and teacher that has improved my chess playing for the better.

Mon Dec 31, 2007

Reviewed by eightkings from New Orleans, LA for Artiom

Artiom is an outstanding teacher. His approach to chess is aggressive. He shows me how to analyze a position so that I can find weaknesses and instructs me as to ways to deal with it. His approach to openings reflects his aggressiveness. He teaches you the best approach in the opening, which allows you to achieve a strong middlegame position. He’s prompt for lessons, so that there is no wasted time, important to anyone on a tight schedule. His homework on tactics is quite good. Anyone completing any set of tactical problems,already probably has an IM in front of his name. Excellent teacher! Recommend him highly!

Tue Dec 25, 2007

Reviewed by daisuke from Tokyo, Japan for Artiom

If you are a reasonably good player and aspiring for further advance, I can highly recommend IM Artiom’s lesson. In my case, we decided to work on various type of endgames because I thought it was my main weakness. His teaching method was stunning – rather than sticking to theoretical positions, he uses practical endgames as an example, so that I can see them in more comprehensive way. The result speaks for itself. I have been 2400 ICC blitz for years, but now for the first time I broke the barrier of 2500. IM Artiom is really serious about chess, but he’s not a chess geek, being communicative and cheerful. More than anything, he is never late in our lesson.

Sun Dec 9, 2007

Reviewed by pldvdk from USA for Artiom

Had five lessons with Artiom, and within that short space he opened my mind to see weaknesses in my chess ability that I had never considered before. An excellent coach who goes out of his way to help his students learn. He is also always punctual for lessons, courteous, and does a lot to help build his students up, even when they make mistakes. In all an excellent teacher and coach with which you can’t go wrong!

Wed Nov 21, 2007

Reviewed by fredd from Aspen, CO for Artiom

I can highly recommend artiom as a chess coach! I especially liked his format of going over the weekly homework and then going over one of my games from the past week. The homework really helped my visualization skills. Going over the games helped me identify critical points during the games, as well as realizing that often my position wasn’t as bad (or as good) as I thought. So, “fight for the center” and “look for weaknesses.” Thanks Artiom!

Sat Oct 13, 2007

Reviewed by AtomicDog from New York City for Artiom

I had regular lessons with IM Artiom Tsepotan over a period of months. He was always professional, punctual, and provided excellent instruction. Artiom’s emphasis is on tactics, as it should be. He assigns homework problems and they are analyzed during lessons. He also goes over games to review openings and specific moves/areas which can be improved. I have two minor criticisms. Artiom’s English is adequate and improving, but not great. It was rare, however, that I felt it impossible to communicate. Second, he is such a gifted chess player that I sometimes felt instruction was at a level a bit too high for me. Overall, Artiom receives my highest endorsement. In addition to his skill as a player and coach, he is a super nice guy. Unlike some coaches who brag or denigrate their students, he is unfailingly patient. Criticism is objective, polite, and beneficial. I would recommend him in particular to intermediate/advanced players looking to improve their tactical skill and analysis at a deep level.

Tue May 8, 2007

Reviewed by greg001 from The United States for Artiom

On Sunday I won K-4 in my county!!!

Mon Apr 9, 2007

Reviewed by Kinglord from London for Artiom

I had several lessons with Artiom, which were enjoyable and interesting. The instruction was tailored to my needs. As well as the lessons, Artiom prepared homework with levels of tactical problems that were appropriate for my ability. Very good value coaching. I am very happy to recommend Artiom’s lessons.

Sun Mar 4, 2007

Reviewed by danvenez from Venezuela for Artiom

This is the best invested money i ever had!!!!

Wed Feb 7, 2007

Reviewed by chsrules88 from Chicago, USA for Artiom

Great teacher! Artiom is very clear and comes well-prepared. He can raise your level of play significantly in a short period of time. I strongly recommend. Artiom is very skilled in endgames and has great experience and chess knowledge. He also has very reasonable prices, and is flexible with timing. He speaks fluent English. I recommend him to anyone, no matter what your skill level is. After taking 5 lessons from him, my rating did go up… not 300 points as promised in his finger notes on ICC, but this could be because I did not take enough lessons.

Thu Jan 18, 2007

Reviewed by cammie from The United Kingdom for Artiom

Your lessons are turning me into an IM KILLER 🙂 🙂 🙂

Sun Nov 5, 2006

Reviewed by ChessSquire from The United States for Artiom

Artiom is an excellent teacher. He has plenty of homework to give you that will help you with various aspects of your chess. He is very professional and always shows up on time.

Fri Aug 11, 2006

Reviewed by burmese-knight from Bangkok, Thailand for Artiom

IM Artiom is very helpful during the training. He can improve your chess skills in a few session. His understanding of the position is amazing. He will explain you in depth about a position and you will always remember the game. Good luck! Play on….

Sat Apr 29, 2006

Reviewed by paulseb from Indonesia for Artiom

It was indeed my luck and good fortune, to come across International Master Artiom Tsepotan as my internet chess coach, referred by the ICC web site. Firstly, Artiom understood me and my history of games,then he gave me a series of problem solving homework – the grey matter was moved around quite a bit,we went thru’ the solutions, the role of the key pieces, the options involved.he then watched my openings and games and we studied my mistakes and openings. I learnt and did well in some of the openings. He was exceptionally punctual, and adjusted to my schedules. I was thrilled at my improvement, and soon went from the 1300-1500 normal range to a level of 1750-1800. I started taking each game seriously. I believe I have gained more than I paid for. I will recommend Artiom as a gret coach for anyone aspiring to improve his game.

Mon Apr 10, 2006

Reviewed by emoskow from Florida, USA for Artiom

very high level instrumental in my comeback including otb wins against ims lugo, martinez, johansen, bonin, pupo, wins gm westerinen and draws with gms defermian and matakoyan and becerra thats in just one year, nice punctual and a good friend to be recommended highly

Sun Apr 2, 2006

Reviewed by dx9293 from New York City for Artiom

I took chess lessons (5-10) with IM Artiom Tsepotan (“Artiom”) in 2006 and I was very satisfied with him–he is well-prepared, friendly, and it is clear that he has been coaching chess for awhile! Artiom works on developing his students’ positional evaluation, which requires some patience but which also brings results. I stopped my lessons because I got busy with other things, but I was not at all unhappy with his work. Artiom also will help you with openings, endgames, and he offers helpful practical advice. Definitely recommended!

Thu Mar 9, 2006

Reviewed by rukav from Boston, The United States for Artiom

I like the way in which Artiom teach the chess. There is no time to read chess books but there is a desire to improve the game and receive more enjoyments in playing. Artiom uses the scope of your games to show the mistakes, the best moves, how to develop, when and how to exchange, strategy and tactics. You are playing an active role in this analysis and this will accelerate the understanding of the chess. I can remember a lot of nice (from my prospective) chess games where his advices were crucial.

Thu Mar 2, 2006

Reviewed by Deckfuel from London for Artiom

When I started lessons with IM Artiom I was around 1700-1800 standard time rated, but have recently reached 2000 and expect to continue thanks to the efficient and friendly style of this very professional tutor. By analysing your own games with an emphasis on pupil inclusion, IM Artiom will assess and finetune your knowledge of fundamental principles, tactics & opening repertoire. Friendly, polite, punctual, productive and most of all, enjoyable! 10/10

Fri Dec 16, 2005

Reviewed by Bob-Dylan from France for Artiom

I can strongly recommend IM Artiom Tsepotan as a chess teacher. He first took a look on several on my games in order to find the main weaknesses in my game, and the set a study program which would help me tom improve. He sends really interesting homework (mainly on tactics), and analyses your games with you, to show the good or bad moves you made, and help you to deepen your understanding. I don’t think ICC ratings are meaningful, however I increased my blitz rating by 200 points thanks to his lessons (in fact, I think I improved my tactics a lot). Artiom is always very punctual, speaks a good english. He is really nice, and takes care of your chess just as a true coach.

Fri Dec 9, 2005

Reviewed by HeavenlyFractal from Cambridge, UK for Artiom

I’ve had now 20+ lessons and a hundred training chess games with Artiom and must say I’ve enjoyed them all. He has the knack of pointing out your weaknesses and encouraging you to improve your game at the same time. I found his analytical skills particularly helpful in my Opening and Middle Game.I also like the fact that he offers different packages to suit even those with tight budgets. Artiom is also punctual and speaks english very well. All in all I highly reccommend him as your chess tutor.

Sat Nov 5, 2005

Reviewed by janssclan from Gadsden, AL USA for Artiom

Artiom is my first chess teacher. My rating was 1200 and in one month it has increased to 1300+ thanks to Artiom’s instruction on tactics. He is very patient and I would highly recommend him to anyone truly interested in the game. I look forward to my lessons every other week and solving the homework problems he sends me by email. My love of chess has grown thanks to his instruction and I am very appreciative.

Tue Oct 11, 2005

Reviewed by ajrolfs1 from Lancaster, CA USA for Artiom

I really enjoy his teaching, he has helped me in my opening a lot. At first I decided to try him because he was cheap. But I really enjoy my lessons. At first I was thinking “Why should I improve my opening? My opening is fine”. But then when he went over my games I found my opening was where I made a lot of my mistakes. He also gives me chess problems for homework that are very hard. This helps me to looks deeper into the postion.

Sat Oct 8, 2005

Reviewed by SmartPatzer from Lafayette, CO USA for Artiom

Let just say that Artiom is a wonderful teacher and a great value. I was shopping around for a chess coach and I decided to give Artiom a try. Since I live in the USA and he lives in the Ukraine, it was difficult for us to schedule a time to get together. But he went out of his way to wake up at 2 am (his time) to give me a free introductory lesson when it would work for me. We used the Skype voice chat program and although he was concerned about his English, I had no trouble understanding him. I would highly recommend Artiom to anyone looking for a teacher. He is dedicated, works hard and genuinely cares about the improvement of his students. His passion for chess is obvious and it translates into the lessons. The only reason I didn’t continue with him was simply time availabilty. It was too difficult to find a time that we were both available. I will definitely grab a lesson from him every now and then if I can! Thanks!

Thu Sep 29, 2005

Reviewed by alexg75 from Natanya, IL for Artiom

I am taking the chess lessons with Artiom for several months now, which is after almost 15 years not playing chess at all. Artiom made a diagnosis of my play and built a complete training program including theoretical aspects of chess, analysis of my games and home assignments. We have started a topic called “Skills of Exchange”, which is aimed for improving my positional understanding. Artioms lessons are very intensive, his attitude is positive and serious. The rates are more then reasonable. I will be happy to recommend him as a personal trainer.

Fri Aug 26, 2005

Reviewed by brzapper from Deptford, NJ for Artiom

Artiom is a very good tutor. I am learning every time we meet. He noticed my weakness and started working on it immediately. I see improvement after every lesson.

Thu Aug 11, 2005

Reviewed by rfcreppy87 from IN, USA for Artiom

Artiom is very talented, patient and easy to work with. He has helped me develop all aspects of my game. He has built up a study plan for me based on the weak points from my game and I have found this plan very rewarding. His command of English is excellent and he explains concepts concisely. I highly recommend him to anyone who is serious about improving their game.

Fri Aug 5, 2005

Reviewed by madseason from Ruston, LA USA for Artiom

Artiom’s teaching has vastly improved my chess game. I’ve often noticed the things we have gone over in our lesson show up in my games. My standard rating best on ICC was a low 1500 and is now 1770. My USCF rating was 1425 and is 1513 and rising. I recently played in a tournament and drew with a couple 1800 level players and even beat one 1762. Before Artiom’s lessons this would not have been possible. I also find that i enjoy my games more because I understand the positions more deeply. I would suggest Artiom strongly to any chess player who seeks a deeper understanding of the game and a rating boost to go with it

Mon May 30, 2005

Reviewed by hollowbird00 from Wisconsin, USA for Artiom

So far I’ve had 2 lessons from Artiom and they have both been highly instructive and fun. He covers material I’m interested in and gives me homework after each lesson that is a lot of fun and educational. Right now we’re focusing on tactics and gaining playable posistions from the opening: 2 things I need to work on, and I feel if I keep working with Artiom I will inevitably improve. I take lessons from him once a week and look forward all week to our next lesson. I highly recommend him. And if anyone is curious he speaks English very well.

Mon May 16, 2005

Reviewed by Skanda from The United States for Artiom

Artiom as a coach has helped me to see the game as a whole. He is very patient and teaches to my level. For most he is punctual to the class, and some times waits for my arrival, without any hesitation. He is flexible in schedules, to accommodate other priorities. Artiom, made me to enjoy my own games, as his finger suggests. I have learnt a lot with his analysis on my games. His tactics coaching is excellent… If you want a coach, to work on a long term, for sure give Artiom a try. You will be glad you did.

Sat Apr 16, 2005

Reviewed by pinkpanther from Toronto, Canada for Artiom

I consider myself an expirienced chess player. My FIDE rating is about 2150. Even though I have decided to get a tuition,because when you are busy you barely have enough time to do that tough job of searching for tipical sample games which represent main ideas of the given variation ( rebuild my opening repertoire was I have proposed to myslef)and you need quite a number of them to understand them properly, when doing it by yourself(and you can’t be 100% sure you are going to comprehend every single detail and correctly).Obviously I am aware that he couldn’t give me EVERYTHING in such a short period of time-NOBODY COULD-but in fact, after not so many lessons I feel very comfortable playing the sistems he tought me even against titled players. I’d like to highlight that he is NEVER late and NEVER-EVER misses. He is a professional chess coach and not a sort of trainer that today is present and tomorrow has a tournament to play and is not able to keep with a lesson( and speaking frankly,his rates are MORE than reasonable!) P.S. Probably I got such an owesome impression because I didn’t have even a slight language barrier,mentioned by other people who have been studing chess with Artiom,because we both speak Russian…

Sat Apr 16, 2005

Reviewed by HamRageNews from London, UK for Artiom

Having read several opening books over the years, which brings out the mechanical side to your chess, was willing to try a Coach. Hence, contacted ICC and started with Artiom. Having had several lessons with homework, he stresses the importance of tactics, but not in a vacuous way, but an interesting way..this has really improved my chess as this insight helped me to repeat a nice Queen sacrifice from one example! Artiom really cares about your chess, he is not in it for the money only, this was proved to me by his waiving fees temporarily. It is not only this, he is good at, but he will simplify openings to managable bitesizes which makes you ‘think’ about them. As one reviewer has mentioned, his English is not word perfect, but then again whose is? A really excellent Coach, you want value for chekels? Want to analyse your games in more depth? In my opinion, can’t do better…

Thu Apr 14, 2005

Reviewed by crispmonkey from Birmingham, UK for Artiom

Artiom is very professional chess coach. Always punctual, polite and patient. Sometimes too advanced for my level of play, but I would recommend him as a coach if you are serious about chess improvemnt.

Tue Mar 8, 2005

Reviewed by mcgaw2 from Chicago, USA for Artiom

IM Artiom Tsepotan is an excellent teacher. His lessons are individually designed and he has a very good grasp of the weaknesses and stengths of the students. My classes with him were instructive, enjoyable and I have learned from him. I recommend him enthusiastically and without hesitations to all and particularly to the intermediate to master level chess student (1600-2200).

Sat Feb 26, 2005

Reviewed by patternmaster from Adelaide, Australia for Artiom

To be honest i initially chose,Artiom because of his very reasonable rates and i wanted to get some long term coaching to improve my chess.i’ve been playing for thirty years but my play did’nt seem to be improving so i thought some on-line lessons were needed.after about 3lessons i realised that the top players or coaches think about chess differently than the rest of us.they look at positions with greater deepth and think about chess in a more conceptional way.well have i learnt anything? absolutely,i look at chess differently than i used to,i think i look deeper into positions than in ever have and understand chess better… I go to the local chess club and i offend the players because i win all the time

Tue Feb 1, 2005

Reviewed by Matroskin from Kazan’, Russia for Artiom

Artiom is a very committed and very well organized teacher. His overall teaching programme is taylor-made to match the student’s level. Each lesson is structured in such a way that it first highlights student’s errors (through an analysis of played games) and then seeks to correct them. In my case the problem was poor opening skills and after 14 lessons that we have had so far I have improved this component of my game very significantly.

My ICC rating has gone up by about 400 points and is now close to 2000 in Blitz and above 2000 in Standard. Artiom’s approach is not just to make students learn opening moves, but also to understand them. Thanks to Artiom I now know what a player must seek to achieve in the openings and even if I encounter openings that we have not yet studied I manage to deal with them quite well. His homework assignments are also very helpful. They focus on tactics which is one of the key components of chess. I would also like to mention the fact that Artiom never misses (and is never late for) his classes. Finally, he accepts using such voice conversation software as Skype which greatly enhances the productivity of each lesson as it is easier to communicate, to ask questions which are more detailed and, most of all, to cover more material.

In short, Artiom is a great teacher and I recommend him to all those wishing to improve their game.

Mon Jan 31, 2005

Reviewed by Wtiberon from Southern Pines, UK for Artiom

As my first chess teacher I have little to compare him too but my overall impression was very good. He was very punctual to all our meetings and increased my rating as promised by 300 points. He made it easier for me to see tactical positions by patiently working with me to analyze several positions. Try not to think of Artiom as just a teacher but as a personal trainer. He works out your mind and increases your potential…the only complaint I would have is the language barrier. He is not very fluent in english and when I would ask a question it could take up to a minute to get a response, my conclusion was perhaps he was using some sort of translator or something else.

Mon Dec 6, 2004

Reviewed by wright from Christchurch, New Zeland for Artiom

IM Artiom Tsepotan is from Kharkov, Ukraine. He recently organised the “Glassy Stream” International Chess Open to commemorate 350 years of Kharkov. I was recommended to Artiom from a friend of mine. I was unconvinced at first, and I was quite happy with the tuition of AKhruschiov. However, my initial teacher (of about a month) had to attend some GM-Norm tournaments and I needed a regular chess coach, so I took up my friends recommendation. The first lesson was a trial at a discounted chekel rate. The focus of Artiom’s tuition is position analysis and the study of student’s games. Artiom’s tuition is unique. Instead of being an active tournament player who teaches, Artiom is a professional chess coach, an “IM Mark Dvoretsky” if you will. Instead of teaching chess theory, Artiom’s approach is as a trainer. Initially, I thought the first lesson was a bit dry, simply because I had been exposed to aggressive dynamic play from my previous chess coach, but given the recent media acclaim and success of Ukrainian Chess of late, I thought I would continue and reserve judgement for now. After all, some of my favourite modern chess players are from the Ukraine.

Over time I wondered about the value of the chess lessons. The chess learning I had done had been my own, but for some reason, I was thinking deeper and evaluating chess positions better. Why? What Artiom had done was to get me into a frame of mind to search for the idea behind the position. From then on I was convinced from then on that Artiom knew what he was doing. But what matters to me most is this that Artiom is interested in chess tuition and the progress of his students. He is punctual for his lessons, reliable, he cares about your chess, works hard, and wants you to do well through the provision of homework. Artiom is a model coach. This is quite a different from someone who merely gives a chess lesson and leaves. I would recommend Artiom to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of chess. It is from this understanding that I have come to enjoy chess again, and understand the game from a whole new level. Artiom’s tuition and friendliness is most appreciated.

Wed Sep 15, 2004