Grandmaster Academy trains the world's most ambitious chess players. From opening theory to endgame perfection, our grandmaster coaches forge champions.
Training Philosophy
Chess mastery is built on three interlocking disciplines, each essential to reaching the grandmaster level.
A strong opening repertoire is the foundation of competitive chess. We teach principled opening play — understanding the ideas behind every move rather than memorizing lines by rote.
Combinations, sacrifices, and calculation depth separate average players from masters. Our tactical training system builds pattern recognition through 10,000+ carefully sequenced exercises.
Games are won and lost in the endgame. We ensure our students master king-and-pawn endings, rook endings, and theoretical drawn positions — converting every won advantage.
Training Programs
Four structured programs from ambitious beginner to elite tournament competitor.
For players rated under 1200. Covers all fundamentals — piece values, basic tactics, simple endgames, and the discipline of serious tournament play.
For club players rated 1200–1800. Develops opening repertoire, tactical calculation, and positional understanding through annotated game analysis with a GM coach.
For serious players rated 1800–2300. Intensive study of complex middlegame strategy, deep opening preparation, and the psychological demands of elite tournament play.
Exclusive mentorship for players targeting IM and GM norms. Fully personalised training, premium tournament sponsorship, and dedicated GM mentorship toward title completion.
Our Training Hall
The Grandmaster Academy training hall in Zürich spans 3,000 square feet of silent, focused competition space. Forty dedicated boards, a digital analysis room, and a comprehensive chess library create the ideal environment for deep study.
Online students access our proprietary platform with video coaching, live analysis sessions with GM coaches, and a database of 500,000 annotated master games updated weekly.
See Our FacilitiesEnrollment Journey
Complete a 15-minute online rapid game for our coaching team to assess your current level, playing style, and key weaknesses to address in training.
We pair you with the grandmaster coach whose expertise and teaching style best matches your goals — whether that's tournament preparation, opening repertoire, or endgame mastery.
Your GM coach crafts a bespoke 90-day training plan addressing your specific weaknesses and setting measurable rating milestones to track progress objectively.
Regular one-on-one video sessions supplement daily training exercises, self-study, and tournament participation with real-time annotation and feedback.
Compete in rated over-the-board and online tournaments sponsored by the Academy. Post-tournament game reviews with your GM coach transform each result into accelerated improvement.
Our History
GM Viktor Steinhardt establishes the Academy in Zürich to train the next generation of tournament players with scientific rigour.
Academy alumnus Leon Brandt claims the World Junior Chess Championship — the first of fourteen world-level titles for Grandmaster Academy students.
The Academy launches its proprietary online training platform, extending grandmaster-level coaching to students in sixty countries worldwide.
An elite track for norm-seekers launches with five participants. To date, eleven students have earned GM or IM titles through the programme.
Student Stories
Join the Academy
Our admissions process begins with a complimentary assessment game. There is no obligation — just an opportunity to experience the Grandmaster Academy standard and discuss your chess goals with our team.
Programs start on the first Monday of each month. Online and in-person options are both available for all levels.