Student Testimonials
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"I was a little hesitant to start lessons with IM Lilov, but in the first minutes it became clear that his lessons were exactly what I was looking for. He is clear, enthusiastic, understanding, and above all, a wonderful instructor. Highly recommended!"-- Timothy Joko-Veltman, Genève, Switzerland |
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"Hi Valeri! Your materials are very usefuls but I don't benefit of it, because I don't spend time to study chess. Thank you." -- Virginia Gendre Barcelona, Spain |
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"Just had my first teaching session with Valeri, and it was excellent. He is very patient and knowledgable, and explains concepts very clearly. I am looking forward to working with him to improve my game!"-- Paul Clarkson, Vancouver, Canada |
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"Valeri Lilov is a great Chess teacher and player. Since having lessons from Valeri my chess playing has improved vastly. I can now win competitive games, formulate strategies and play with purpose and style. I recommend him highly. One day I will beat him though." -- Shane Frith, Sheffield, United Kingdom |
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"Tiger has been teaching my 13-year old son for the past month, and he's really enjoying the experience. Tiger makes the lessons fun and instructive for him by analyzing real tournament games, breaking down the major principles into succinct points, and providing real-world examples and enforce them. We highly recommend him." |
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"About Valeri I can only echo the comments above. Almost all his material is very well selected and because he takes a lot of time to explain his concepts with clarity I'm able to pretty much fully understand everything after it's been explained and so feel every lesson is a learning experience filled with at least several eureka! moments. He is extremely dedicated to his students as well and considering most Master level coaches whom I imagine aren't as good at teaching seem to charge at least over 50$/£/euros, his prices are probably the best I've come across. " -- Ian West, Essex, England |
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"Valeri is a great coach He is very dedicated to helping you improve as a chess player no matter what your level is. I have had lots of lessons with Valeri and my level has risen sharply and I have learnt something new every lesson. He is also a very nice person. He also provides annotations etc which are extremely useful. Overall, a great coach." -- doomslayer12, England |
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"Valeri Lilov is a professional chess teacher with exceptional skills. He is patient, supportive, and extremely knowledgeable in chess. He has the ability to identify a student’s weak areas and he can show the way to better playing. His English is flawless and he has a good sense of humor. He is willing to answer any questions the student might have. I recommend him very highly."-- Jerry Cunningham, Montana, US |
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"Valeri is an excellent coach who has helped me improve my game tremendously! I first started lessons with Valeri last year ahead of the Czech Open tournament, where I got royally trashed (TPR 1553). After a year of coaching with Valeri, I decided to play the Czech Open again. I came 6th in the U2100 rapidplay and had an overall TPR of 1887 for the main tournament!! :) Thank you!!" |
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"I like Valeri’s training and it’s definitely worth the price! The good is good but his coaching looks like the best! I recommended him to all of my friends at the club."-- Joan Wang, Shanghai, China |
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"I have been taking lessons on a regular bassis with Valeri Lilov in the last 6 months. When I first wrote to Valeri, I was playing under 1100 on chess.com and told him my goal was to reach 1500. 6 months later I am nearly at 1600 with a steady progression. He is also a fun teacher and I enjoy the lesson, the problem is, the lesson goes by too fast Smile. I agree with the previous comments about his teaching and results, I'll emphasize Valeri is very patient and works exactly at your level." -- Guy Bacos, Montreal, Canada |
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" Way too expensive for me but comments and your free videos make me feel you're a great coach. I will surely be your student in the near future :) " -- Jolteon ,India |
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"Valeri is a trainer that is really there for you. He is very friendly and his lessons never get boring. He is not only improving your play but also stimulating your pleasure. Everything looks really professional, from his website up to the well prepared training lessons. He honestly is there to train students , not to easily get some money and run off. He always has time with emails and is most of the day available on skype for questions and help. His explanations are clear and really interesting and he always has suggestions. I'm still his student and I'll think he is an excellent trainer for guys who are really interested in understanding chess more and improving their play. The best coach I had so far." -- Floris Gordebege, Netherlands |
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"The lessons are instructive and organized, like the additional video material on various topics." -- Jason Metpally, United States |
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"I have been training with Valeri now for about 4 months and in that time my understanding of chess has changed. There is more clarity on the board more understanding in the harmony of the development of the pieces and where there was confusion there seems to be some clarity starting to develop within my sub-conscience I owe all this to Valeri lilov whom so far has satisfied my hunger for the knowledge chess. His methods are unique and without a doubt are starting to come through in many of the games that I play. I plan to stick around and would recommend Valeri Lilov to anyone who wants to improve in the understanding of the beautiful game."-- Alexandre de Resende, Johannesburg, South Africa |
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"Great guy, professional coach, as you all know the good teacher must be a good person too! He revived my motivation to become better in chess, something really hard, I hope that as a trainer-student team we'll succeed! Enjoy!" -- Anton Georgiev, Canada |
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"First of all, Valeri is a great and personalized chess coach. |
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"His lessons are very clear and have a point in every one! His homework is equally instructive. He speaks very fluent English. He is one of the best coaches you will ever meet! I always look forward to his lessons." |
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"I could only repeat again (and again) what Dan Simmons and the other students said below. Valeri is very competent, very devoted and a very good teacher. He has quite a professional approach and I could only highly recommend him to anybody that wants to improve her/his chess!" -- Hristo Ivanov, Bulgaria |
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"I take lessons from valeri about once every couple months. I have found that he is very good at finding something which will suit YOUR needs. He finds opening variations which he can explain the ideas clearly (how many books you know that actually do that) and in a pretty concise way. He also is very willing to answer questions free of charge outside of the lessons. He give homework lessons related to the material he presents. Highly recommended coach" -- Erik Grubbs, United States |
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"I've just received the first session from Valeri, and I can say that this is a really personalized training program. He has identified my weaknesses so now I can work immediately on them. When you only study books, those cover the whole world of chess, but don't work over your weaknesses, which is what a great coach such as Valeri can do for you. Highly recommended!"-- Raul Mercado, Lima, Peru |
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"Valeri Lilov probably has the best deal for chess lessons on the net! He teaches in a very clear logical style that is easy to follow."-- Carson Day, Atlanta, United States |
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"Valeri Lilov is an amazing chess coach. He has a deep understanding of chess and is able to articulate himself extremely well. He really cares about his students progress and provides recorded lectures about different chess topics that are not available for non-students. These lectures are given in such a way that they help cement the ideas, concepts, and methods learned in your lessons. He also provides homework assignments with various positional, tactical, and strategical themes for the student to try to "solve" in-between lessons. These positions aren't just simple "solve this" type problems. They have a deeper underlying concept that is revealed in the next lesson and it's almost guaranteed that you haven't thought of these concepts in your analysis before. In addition to all that, the lessons are also recorded and broken up into sections like recent games played, opening analysis, homework, etc. This is an invaluable resource because you always have these lessons to refer back to and review at your leisure. I've been taking lessons from Valeri for a few months now and my game has improved by almost 300 points, and it keeps improving! I see the board differently now and better understand a lot of the fundamentals that eluded me in the past. I can't say enough good things about Valeri. If you're interested in improving your chess game then look no further than Valeri Lilov!"-- Adam Gilmore, New York, United States |
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"I've recently have had my daughter, who just turned 7, take lessons with Valeri. I should have done it a year earlier. I was concerned whether my daughter really wanted to learn or not. As a parent, I just want her to have fun and enjoy the game and I don't expect her to become a great player nor do I expect she will want to keep playing. I watched Valeri work with her as he wants the parent listening because he believes it better facilitates the lesson. He is really good with kids; hence, my realization I should have let her start a year or so ago. He knows how to make the game fun for kids. He is teaching them in a manner that is very suitable for children; he realizes that children learn by playing. He coaches the moves and gives the same theoretical ideas but keeps the language simple, clear, and consistent. If you would like a very strong teacher who is ideal for children that also happens to be very strong at chess, then Valeri is an excellent choice." -- Rob Hallowell, Pennsylvania, US |
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"Valeri is a very enthousiastic trainer. His materials are good and his lessons were very helpfull. Thanks a lot." -- Michel Hoetmer Hoofddorp, Netherlands |
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"My go-to coach from today! Very patient and explained concepts in a crystal clear manner. Simply gets embedded in your system. He had sent me homework over a week ago and spent days pondering over it. Had to tell him that i couldnt think beyond the first move. From thereon, Mr. Lilov made simple suggestions (instead of deep calculations) which made you think that the moves were right there. " -- Vijay Manjrekar, Mumbai, India |
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"Very good coach, helps me a lot on my openings and middlegame strategies. His simuls are really helpul aswell in gaging my progress, and I appreciate that he can give me homeworks and videos of our lessons, as well as some of his previous ones. Highly reccomended." -- Max Ward, New Jersey, United States |
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" Valeri LIlov is an exceptional chess coach. He has a great body of knowledge that he wants to teach, but first learns your needs before deciding what needs to be covered at each point in time. He began by reviewing my recent games and first analyzed the games with me and he developed lessons from my mistakes and weaknesses. He listened to my thought processes and taught me new structured approaches to thinking. The homework assignments and later review are very instructive. They are opening my eyes to understanding chess in a new way. He is brutally honest, but candidly funny. I enjoy our time together. He works very fast because there is so much he wants to cover and also takes the time to answer any question carefully. I had access to so many chess books and videos before that I didn't know how to proceed to continue my study. Valeri Lilov recognized my needs and pointed me to the right materials, as well as teaching me new ways to approach study in different media. He has given me videos to review and references to great books. He is Bulgarian, but speaks better English than I do. I can't recommend him more and look forward to many more sessions in the future. " ---- Will Thrash, USA |
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"Tiger hones right in on your weaknesses like a fighterjet hones in on major military targets. He noticed recurring themes in my games such as not properly preparing the attack (having enough pieces to support and maintain constant threats and pressure to keep my opponent from effectively countering my threats) and timing. He is very detailed, thorough, and well prepared. Excellent Teacher." -- Andrew Thomas, United States |
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"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." - Confucius Valeri has been my coach now for a year and I have had around 70 lessons with him- I like the 2 hours with Video because I can go back and review his secrets and concepts on the train with head phones. And I can see how my thinking has been shaped and honed from the early beginnings. But before I just say how really good he is here is some background. I have always wanted to be really good at chess. So like many I thought the best way to do that was to read a vast amount of chess books. I must have ended up handling over 500 books one time or the other. Yet i never even read a third of them halfway, and the ones I read I never completed. I found the writing styles dry and monotonous. And being a very auditory and Kinesthetic learner the books were a very bad way to develop as a strong player. The books always gave answers but not answers to your question you wanted. |
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" IM Valeri Lilov is without a doubt, one of the greatest trainers in the history of this amazingly complex game. Sir, your courses and lectures are frankly speaking, the best and the ones I found most useful out there. I can not suggest anything at all, because your courses are simply perfect! To anyone who is looking to improve their chess and take their game to the next level, you can definetly trust on IM Lilov! Thank you sir for your help, we really appreciate it!. " -- Aaromal rs Telangana, India |
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"Valeri's game analysis is a very motivating and worthwhile investment! I have felt stuck or in a rut for several months of online play here and on ICC and play chess as well as over the board, so I selected six of my OTB games for Valeri to analyze."-- Siva Boyalakuntla, New York, United States |
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"I started out with tiger 11 months ago with an elo of 1000 with that time frame I have jumped to 1700 great coach. He really takes an interest in your learning. I have gotten results from day 1." -- Adam Wheeler, United States |
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"I've just received the first session from Valeri, and I can say that this is a really personalized training program. He has identified my weaknesses so now I can work immediately on them. When you only study books, those cover the whole world of chess, but don't work over your weaknesses, which is what a great coach such as Valeri can do for you. Highly recommended!"-- Raul Mercado, Lima, Peru |
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"Valeri is a an excellent instructor. He really seems to love to teach and his enthusiasm for the game is apparent. He evaluates your games and goals and tailors the lessons to meet your needs. I cannot imagine a better approach for anyone wanting to significantly boost their playing skills. I personally believe that books and chess programs will only get you so far. There is no substitute for personalized lessons." -- Michael Davidson, Lebanon Ohio, United States |
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"One of the best teacher: Very clear and effective!! To be recommended! Cool." -- Maurizio Deva, Italy |
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"I highly recommend Valeri Lilov’s chess lessons. Valeri is personable and professional in his approach. As a beginner, I truly did not know where to start until I encountered Mr. Lilov. After he reviewed some of my recent chess games, he recommended books to study and outlined a plan of study. Based on his observation of how I played openings, he provided a number of standard openings I could use. I found this very instructive and immediately began to have more confidence in my chess games. I recently took his live online chess lesson where we discussed a recent game of mine. Through this activity, Valeri pointed out where I made the correct moves and how to avoid some basic errors. The lesson was recorded and sent to me for further review and study. He also sent along some chess exercises for further study and application of how to plan and execute my chess play. Between lessons, Valeri is available, via email, to answer questions about chess lessons and other chess topics. It motivates me to have Valeri on call to answer my concerns as I study chess." -- Bill Cipriano, Boston, United States |
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"I had my first lesson today. I loved that he explained everything in a clear manner, and he is very knowledgeable. I had watched (and own) several of his Chessbased videos, and he's one of my favorites. Not only was he able to explain things easily-but, also he provided additional information in .DOC format, and additional training + homework. He's definitely a very professional trainer. I would definitely recommend his services to any improving player." -- Luis Aragon, United States |
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"Yes, a good coach is Valeri. Very adept at explaining tactics, strategies, and where I went wrong on previous games. Hope to be working with him for a while to come...!" -- David Brown, Shanghai, China |
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"Valeri Lilov is an excellent coach, have a few lessons with him and enjoy it a lot, can already see my game improve fast. His way of teaching is brilliant and put a lot of effort in his lessons to make sure u understand. Will recommend him to anyone, he's a fantastic chessplayer!" -- Daniel Jacob, Cape Town |
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"I just had my 4th lesson from Valeri. After I've send him a few of my games, he came up with a complete plan for me to improve my chess, tailored to my needs and common mistakes. All of the lessons I had so far were very well prepared and useful. I played a game last week, and although I didn't remember much from the lessons at that time, I noticed I was playing differently, played stronger in the center and eventually won the game. I would have played much more defensive towards the center in the past. This proofs to me that the lessons are very useful. Valeri is like a true chess coach to me, not just somebody that analyzes your games. I hope to have him as a coach for a long time. Having a high rating doesn't automatically make you a good chess teacher. It requires other skills also, which Valeri definitively has! Highly recommended!"-- David Frans, Antwerp, Belgium |
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" Valeri is a great coach. Ik really like his webinars and learned a lot by watching them repeatedly." -- Krausel, Netherlands |
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"Hi, After speaking to a few chess schools I picked Valeri as my coach because his enthusiasm for you to become a better chess player was second to no one else. Fluent english, video recorded lessons and appropriate chess exercises which match the learners ability (so important) which can only make quick improvements to the weaknesses in your game, my rating improved from 1620 to 1803 in just a few lessons over a period of six weeks. I will continue with the lessons and feel i can become a 2000 rated player in the very near future through his knowledge , instuction and direction. Very highly recommended." |
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"I have had only one lesson with Valeri and i already am looking at chess in a different way! his instruction is intuitive, thorough, and very comprehensive. he is very friendly and generous as well!!.....we had to reschedule a lesson one day because he had software issues, so he sent me two of his lectures (1 hour each) for free and sent his most sincere apologies. how many coaches would do that? Valeri is my 1st and only coach for chess, and by being so pleased with his instruction, i wont have anyone else!! and what better mentor to have than a FIDE master? I very highly recommend him for ANYONE who want to be a better chess player, regardless of skill level or ability. On top of all that, his prices are more than reasonable! i can have a lesson with him cheaper than my girlfriend and i can go to a movie! how can you go wrong? serious about getting better? have Valeri Lilov as your coach, you will NOT regret it at all! thank you Valeri!!!" -- Dave Tatara, United States |
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"I took a couple of lessons with IM Valeri Lilov, while I still didn't know much about him. Before the first lesson, I was impressed to get a wealth of information and support on how the sessions will be organized, what methods he will be using to teach me, and how many different services and help he’s about to offer and give me, for free, right at the beginning without the need for me to commit to taking any more lessons than one. I was very impressed by the quality of his work!! All his efforts on me, to teach me were shining with high professionalism and commitment to provide me with the best service possible. I can reasonably claim that this is one of the best coaches out there!! I highly recommend him to you! Go Tiger!" -- easley66, United States |
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" Valeri is an excellent choice for a personalized chess coach. Outstanding communication skills, prompt response time, and accurate analysis skills highlight his coaching abilities. English is not his first language, however, his voice is clear and easy to understand. Valeri always responds to inquiries promptly, his response time makes you feel that you are his number one priority. His analysis skills help define your current chess difficulties, and provide direction to a resolution." -- RedDalek, New Jersey, United States |
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"Valeri is a wonderful coach, very knowledgeable, competent, and professional. I started training with him, first , he analysed some of my games in order to know my level, and the way of thinking during the game, he discovered some of my points of weakness, gave me some ideas of how to overcome them, and started to plan with me on how he will improve my game. He is a very organized coach who knows exactly what you need to be a better chess player." |
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" i like his style of teaching us. He is a wonderful coach.my one of the best coaches ever " -- Alan Chalissery, Thrissur, India |
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"Valeri has sound knowledge of chess and he is very passionate trainer." -- Ali Kar, Sydney, Australia |
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"Great chess coach, I have had a great time learning a lot of new things on everything I need to know about what I lack in chess. He is also very easy to understand!! Look forward to more lessons." -- Dani Wade, Haugesund, Norway |
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"Professionalism and competence from beginning to follow-through - the website is smooth, intuitive, easily navigable, and answers everything - very intelligent design of services so anyone in any circimstances can find a way to access this training - the lesson scheduling confirmation set up the appointment in Outlook for me, together with reminders as the lesson time approached. The lessons themselves are conducted on Skype and Playchess (other options are available for those with access to other communications/chess platforms) which works extremely well. IM Lilov is quick, alert, frank - which, of course, is important - and, as is mentioned frequently in other comments, engaging and friendly - easy to communicate with. Most usefully though, is that he is able to identify trends and lessons from review of my games and homework and give them back to me as straightforward, logical, actionable ideas and themes. After the lesson relevant and challenging homework exercises arrive via email, as well, often, as other items IM Lilov thought might be of benefit. Speaking of actionable, after just my first 1-hour lesson last week, I played several games in which I was able to recognize the opportunity to employ lessons drawn for me from that first lesson and gain clearly stronger positions and clearer paths through over-the-board thinking and planning. I'm on board with everyone else here in this comment section: Very highly recommended indeed."-- Jim Stroup, Istanbul, Turkey |
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"Just had my first lesson. I liked the way he immediately zoomed in on a problem which I sort of knew at the back of my mind but I'm now going to be very mindful of! Can't wait for the 2nd lesson!"-- miceman11, Singapore |
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"I have worked with five different chess coaches over the years. Two of them were full time chess coaches. Valeri is far better than anyone I've worked with, ever. Valeri has a dedication that goes beyond the time you paid him for. He takes his time to review your games and comment on them in the PGN files. He tailors his training based on your actually play style. His training is customized to overcome your weaknesses. Working with Valeri is like renting a Toyota and getting a free upgrade to an Audi. If you take just ONE lesson with him, you'll see what I'm talking about. Don't try to caculate dollars per hour to get the best deal. There's a huge advantage to working with Valeri. Your investment will pay off bigger and faster with him. Trust me, try one lesson. You'll be glad you did.."-- Jerry Hobby, Houston,TX, United States |
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"Valeri is really a solid teacher. He is very knowledgeable - and you can have proof of that if you watch any of his ChessBase training - but I think that he really excels in teaching directly. I admit that I just have had my first lesson with him, but he made quite an impression to me. I have had many teachers in my life and my experience with him is not the one you would expect from a standard teacher. When a teacher limits himself to transferring information to you, Valeri shines for the relationship he is able to build with his students in no time. You have the feeling that Valeri does not want to simply be your teacher: he wants to be your partner in your goal of being a better Chess player. You can trust him to understand your weaknesses, to help you to see them and to point you in the right direction. This is very effective in helping you to really understand the message and to improve your Chess. And he goes much further to that: he does not impose himself to you but helps you to grow and to acquire self-assuredness. He is not free. In my ignorance of the market, I found other trainers asking for way less than him: at first this struck me negatively, but talking with him I quickly changed my mind and now I have to say I am happy I did so. I cannot say about the quality of the service offered by those other trainers, but I can definitely say that Valeri does a great job before, during and after the session. He is really available and you have the feeling that he is there for you and only for you. I have exchanged many emails with him and most of them have been answered in less than 30 minutes! Not to mention the quantity and quality of the material that he is readily able to provide to you after your session, for integrating the contents of the session. I can say that I have found a mentor and a Partner, someone that I trust to guide me in the long term goal of being a (much) better chess player. Kudos, Valeri!"-- Simone Curzi, Italy |
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"What can I add to the praise already on this page concerning Valeri? Not much, except that it is all completely warranted. Valeri teaches in a simple, easy-to-understand manner. Even the most difficult concepts become crystal clear through Valeri's teaching. My game became infinitely stronger after just one lesson with him, and I will certainly retain his services again and again. How could I not? He knows his stuff, is not overpriced, and is the most delightful person to talk to. Valeri's demeanor and personality are his greatest assets - skill is worthless if you can't coach."-- Justin Dilley, Strathroy, Canada |
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"Valeri has a great way of demonstrating how to focus and what questions to consider when planning an attack and defending against threats. Both his written and oral communication skills are excellent and he is very enthusiastic about improving my chess. I highly recommend Valeri as your next chess coach." |
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"International Master Valeri Lilov has helped me develop my chess from the lower 1500's to the upper 1800's in a short amount of time. - He pinpoints specifically your problem areas and trains you to work on them. He has a lot of different types of services to choose from.He has a versatile, professional, and enthusiastic approach in his teachings, which will keep you enjoying his sessions. You will be able to sense the devotion in chess and to train you which makes him the best at what he does. Excellent english. You wouldn't know his first language isn't english! easily accessible. Questions sent to him are answered quickly. Recorded sessions. You can easily review what you may have missed. Variety of payment methods. No problems with transfer of payments. His website is a click away www.tigerlilov.com. Log on as a student and enjoy the many advantages the Tiger has to offer you! |
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"I have been playing chess for 19 years. After my first year I settled into a high 1500, low 1600 range which I had never escaped no matter how much work I put into improving. I decided to try lessons from a NM a few years ago to break out of my plateau. The first 2 (and only, I subsequently dropped him after that) lessons were how to setup Chessbase (bought at my expense) for future lessons...what a rip-off. After my return to chess from a 6 year break, I decided to see if there were anything out there that could help me to study smarter and not harder. I had found Tiger Lilov's website and was impressed by the choices he offered besides the live lessons. I subsequently purchased the Video Game Analysis of a few recent tournament games and also ordered the Personalized Self Study Plan. After about a month/month and a half, I had a chance to play in another tournament and had the result of my life time, beating a 1730, 1820 and a 2005, and took clear first. This brought my rating from 1596 to my all time high of 1739 (I had never broke 1700 before) with a performance rating of 2178. This is an official USCF, otb rating, by the way. What really pleases me is that I am a 36 year old, established adult player with limited study time (full-time job and 2 small children). I am not mentioning this to toot my own horn at all, but to reflect how effective Tiger's lessons and training plans can be. Check out his webpage and see what suits you best and place you order. Everything mentioned previously is true. He is the best of the best with the results to back it up." -- Brian Stidham, Kingsport, United States |
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"IM Lilov is a pleasure to work with. He has a systematic approach to teaching absolute beginners like me (I'm sure the same is true with advanced players). After a few scattered lessons with him (I admit I'm lazy) my blitz rating increased from ~ 700 to ~ 1300 in less than a year. Thanks to his advice and guidance which I try as much as possible to recall whenever I play." -- Maien Binjonaid, Saudi Arabia |
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"For my birthday , my parents got me a lesson with Mr. Lilov, I have enjoyed his lessons very much. He talks at a good pace and explains very well as he goes a long. He is well prepared with his lessons and I would recommend him to anyone!" -- Alex Fabbri, United States |
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"Very knowledgeable coach. I've taken two lessons and already feel my thought process has been improved. I was having trouble developing the right plans for the positions I was reaching, so we began working on that first. In addition to the lessons, he provides extra materials on the topics I want to work on. Highly recommended." -- Student, Connecticut, United States |
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"Since starting lessons with IM Valeri Lilov I have improved my theoretical knowleadge of the game tenfold. I have also developed a much deeper understanding of the game. As a consequence I have improved as a player vastly and I am well on the way to achieving my targets. Furthermore, Valeri is a great coach who is fun to learn with and he is very dedicated. Resources are never far away if you need anything. Thanks Valeri! " -- Shane Frith, Sheffield, United Kingdom |
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"In conjunction with his humanly brought out style and his competence, his lessons are designed to bring out not only chess strength on a technical basis, but also a great success in psychological supervision. A really great benefit for the chess world."-- Thomas Mussler, Frankfurt, Germany |
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"He is a very effective teacher, with clear explanations, always enthusiastic and happy to share with you his knowledge. I strongly advice every chess player, who wants to improve his skills, to contact him." -- Maurizio Pernice, France |
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"Valeri is one of the most talented and original chess coaches I have ever seen. In conjunction with his humanly brought out style and his competence, his lessons are designed to bring out not only chess strength on a technical basis, but also a great success in psychological supervision. A really great benefit for the chess world."- Thomas Mussler, Frankfurt |
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"Hi, Valeri speaks very clear English. I understood all what he spoke. The 3 hours I had were the best. You learn so much with his coaching. When you had some hours with him, you dont want another coach." -- Kenneth Nahnsen,Germany |
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"Thank you for a great lesson today. You hit every point I've been struggling with, and the tools and teachings you offered are exactly what I need right now. I would recommend IM Lilov without hesitation." -- Anna Ault, Ohio, United States |
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" valeri is a good trainer. i like the way he presents his vids. they make you understand the real logic behind the ideas being explained." -- Munya muzvidziwa chitungwiza town, Zimbabwe |
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"Let me be frank. I have spent a lot of time doing self-study with chess, and have a fairly good technical knowledge. I was rather skeptical that a chess mentor would do more than a re-hash of what I already know. But I was mistaken. He was able to look at my games and see where I was having trouble putting theory into practice. I thought I simply had poor skills in tactics, but he showed me that my biggest problem was in planning and how to implement that plan. He has given me confidence with an understanding of how to manage the game -- transitioning from the opening to the middle game. He has given me some excellent assignments to help me to improve. Just amazing!" -- Charles Dowis, Atlanta, United States |
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"IM Tiger Lilov has an unparalleled ability to help students improve their way of thinking about chess. I am grateful to be the student of such a talented chess player who is also a gifted teacher with a great sense of humor." -- Kate Barclay, United States |
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"Valeri is very competent, very devoted and a very good teacher. He has quite a professional approach and I could only highly recommend him to anybody that wants to improve her/his chess!" -- Hristo Ivanov, Germany |
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"I want to express my gratitude to IM Lilov for training me and showing me the way to improve my skills in this beautiful game called chess."-- Albert Green, Canada |
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"I started regular lessons with IM Valeri Lilov in October of last year. From my prior games he was able to pin point my main weakness (inability to form a plan that doesn’t involve a direct attack on the king). This made the very first lesson memorable. Today we just created an individualized plan to help me obtain 2150-2200 USCF by the end of this year. With his help, I actually believe I can do it!" |
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"Valeri Lilov is a competent chess coach that motivates his students to work hard at chess. Valeri extensive opening, middlegame, endgame and tournament preparation knowledge makes his personalized chess training very cost/effective. An important feature of Valeri training program are his communication skills. Valeri speaks fluent English which facilitates an effective exchange of ideas with his students. I really like that Valeri always follow up promptly on my questions and training materials. I usually get the video lesson, the thematic homework and any additional videos (from his large collection!) the same day or the next morning after the lesson. I enjoy working with Valeri and I can see results on my OTB results as well as in my overall understanding of the game. Valeri will help you to eliminate the recurrent mistakes that hold your chess back! Miguel, Florida (United States of America)." -- Miguel Ararat, Gaineville, United States |
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"Coming from a 2100 USCF player, I've really enjoyed youtube videos by IM Valeri Lilov and I encourage anyone reading this post to check them out. I've recently had the chance to have one session with him where he reviewed some of my games from a weekend tournament and he explained everything very clearly with lots of practical advice. It's obvious that IM Lilov is a strong player, energetic coach, and passionate about chess and his students. Looking forward to working with him even more!" -- mumbls, United States |
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"Someone should really give Valeri a medal. Seriously, I could never be as patient with me as he is, bless his cotton socks. If anyone looking at this page is intimidated by the prospect of training with a Master, please don't be, as you will simply not find a nicer and more caring soul on the planet." -- Eugene Needlemeyer, Australia |
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"For Valeri, I can say that pedagogy is his second nature. More extensive and detailed lessons than his can't be found anywhere. He doesn't simulate teaching for the sake of taking people's money as most other chess coaches actually do, but he enjoys teaching and never spares his time and efforts to prepare the best lectures. As if an artist painting a picture. Apart from chess, I have noticed that he has a very temperate and mature personality for his age. Wish him success and many students!." -- Jivko Hristov, Elhovo, Bulgaria |
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"I don't know him as a teacher but Mr. Lilov is an AMAZING chess player, I have studied his games before and now I am playing him, he is very good indeed."-- Prateek Sanyal, Mississauga, Canada |
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"... I have now had about 30 lessons with Valeri, and what impress me the most is, that although I'm 60+ years of age, I'm so inspired and motivated after our double-lessons, that I continue to study chess several hours after having completed these lessons!!" |
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" I started working with Valeri 6 weeks ago, and what a difference! For me, its how he explains things that really helps. He breaks things down so its easily understood. Valeri is always available to answer questions, and explain things im having a hard time understanding. Valeri tells me what i need to hear, not what i want to hear. I played a tournament game over the weekend, and for the first time, I had a clear idea on what to do from beginning to end. " -- GodsPawn,United States |
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"Wow! What can I say here that hasn't been said above? I read all of these before I contacted IM Lilov and my experience with him was EXACTLY like all of the positive comments listed above! Before my lessons with Valeri I was directionless as a chess player. I could beat players rated 200 elo points higher than me and I could lose( sometimes very quickly) to someone rated 200 points lower than me! Valeri calmed me down and gave me direction in my chess game and study and as of this writing, of my last 8 games, I have won 7 and 1 draw( he was 200 points higher and was lucky to get the draw! ;)) I hope I don't jinx that by saying that! ;) My elo has gone up 197 points as a result(of course!). More importantly, I feel I have my feet back under me, I have direction, I know what I need to study(and I have help now!). All because Valeri changed how I fundamentally looked at chess which is no small feat! and set me on the 'right path' and for that I thank him!I have no negative comments about Valeri in my experience with him. I have emailed other teachers out there and their emails back to me was like they detested talking to me but they would "come down from their mountain" to email lowly me! Their emails back to me very condescending and spoke to me as if i where ignorant. What struck me first, in a very good way, was Valeri spoke to me as a human being willing to help another human being. Yes he knows more than most of us club chess players know, but he has never treated me inferior to him in anyway. As a chess teacher he has stood shoulder to shoulder WITH me and that makes all the difference!" -- Joel Davis, Newton, United States |
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"IM Valeri Lilov is a very good coach, in my opinion. His private lessons offer very fast improvement. We have had only 7 lessons so far, and yet my chess ability has soared over the past ~2 months. Each lesson is formatted--- 1.He starts every lesson with how is ur training going, and makes some useful suggestions 2.Go over the thematic HW assignments. These excercises introduce thinking processes in different positions. Very helpful. 3.Main part of the lesson. We go with either what he has prepared or some of the games u have played. The suggestions come as IM lilov finds out your weaknesses in your play and thought process. He really wants ur participation, and will ask u to calculate or apply his principles directly. 4.At the end of the lesson, I get a clear way to improve and practice on the skills learned. There are many pros, including that he really cares about your progress, and always puts the lesson material one step ahead of ur level. This may make the lesson very difficult at first, and grasping it may be frusturating, but his explainations are very precise, so that the advanced material is grasped eventually. Few cons, except that Valeri has slightly overestimated my level. He claims i play like 2100, even though my rating is over 1900USCF, but under 2000. He offers a training simul as well, usually every other sunday to students, so they can test their skills and applications. My recent performance in a "B" field tournament showed my improved skills, as I scored a whopping 90%, performance over 2000. As a last note, I find it amazing how Mr.Lilov sees the chess pieces during our lessons, subtle things that I would have never seen before. Lilov is highly recommended as a coach." -- Alex, Maryland, United States |
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"Clevar, helpful and briliant chess player, trainer and friend. Future world champion ! Hes lessons are just what y need ! have fun." -- Hristo Hristov, Bulgaria |
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"Hello everyone. On Monday, I received my first lesson with Valeri. My God! Within an hour, I learned more than a year! The video session dealt with my problems in openings and planning. I was stunned to see that no books or videos explaining the ideas that really brings Valeri. He analyzed one of my games and helped me see my weaknesses in the opening and the middle game. I will not reveal here the ideas because now they are mine! To learn more and really improve your chess, I highly recommend working with Valeri. Simply because he is the best." -- Balduino Lekeux, Spain |
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"Today, we got our first lesson, actually he is my first chess coach ever. Before lesson i had no idea about what to expect but i can tell you what i feel. All my life i was alone in my chess struggle, being valeri's student makes me feel i am not alone anymore. After started lesson i couldnt understand when it finished, it was like in a breath while it seemed so quick, i took general notes about what we discussed in lesson, list was so long i couldnt imagine we discussed all of the things just in one lesson. After lesson, he sent me recording of our lesson, other videos that he thinks help me with my weaknesses, homework, and detailed explanations about how i should do my homework which is written just for me. If you thought quality lesson with friendly mentor was the best thing i got you were wrong. The best thing is i can ask whatever question i have in my mind to him, just like he is my friend. Thank you Valeri, Kaan." -- Kaan Kara, Turkey |
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"I began with getting IM Valeri Lilov to annotate some of my games from a tournament I played in. I was extremely impressed with the quality of his annotations and the insight he was able to provide into the problems in how I play chess. He doesn't focus on tactical mistakes which any computer analysis can provide you with but rather in terms of ideas, concepts, plans and the best way to execute them. I was so impressed that I had him develop a study plan for me for which he reviewed a dozen of my recent games and then broke down a study system I should follow to address the major weaknesses he found in my play style. I have since also have begun weekly lessons which are personalised and very focused upon my needs and my requests. And more importantly always push my level of understanding. I find it important to review the lessons at least once after they are completed and to practice the concepts presented in them. This thankfully is easy to do as the video and audio from the lessons are recorded and provided for you." -- Jeremy Mullaly, Australia. |
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"Valeri is such a good chess coach. I strongly recommend his services." -- Raíssa Vieira de Melo, Brazil |
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"In my opinion, the best chess couch around. I have talked to a few coaches on here, Valeri is really easy to talk to, very responsive, and has a great personality, which I have found pretty rare in people. (His english is perfect too!) The lessons I have gotten are the 30 minute lessons, usually we go over games I lost, and he very clearly points out the reasons I lost, the positional elements of the game, the possible tactics against me I let a possibility on accident, and ever since I have been having lessons, I notice a lot more while I play. I started chess a year and some months ago, and have lessons every couple weeks with him, and I'm over the 2000 rating area right now, and climbing still hopefully ha-ha. He gives homework positions after lessons for you to work on, which is really nice, and best of all, if you know you are weak in a certain area, like tactics, or planning, or even something specific like closed positions, certain opening structures, he will help very much. Even sends videos on openings which I found pretty nice of him. Recommended!" -- Tyler Dow, United States |
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"I have been listening to Valeri's lectures on playchess for a while and enjoyed his analysis of the games very much. I also gone through all of his lectures in the past. So one day I decided to check his website and decided to purchase 2 hours of training to see how he would perform on one to one basis. I must say that I made an excellent choise of hiring him. Even though he did not know anything about my strenght and style of play he was able to adjust himself to my level and in short 2 hrs he thought me lot about openning strategy and defence, and I was able to utilize them immediatly after our session online and was amazed to see how I was able to impliment those idea that he thought me. I must say that Valeri despite his young age is very mature person and he is very mild mannered and knows how to listen to you and adjust himself to your need ina very carring and honest way. Lastley, I have had 12 hours of training sessions with him to date, and my rating has jumped 300 points.If you are serious about chess training or looking to hire a coach, look no further, Valeri is your man. Thanks Valeri for doing a great job." |
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"I just finished my first session with valeri,he is a very kind and knowledgeable person, he has a sense of humor that makes it pleasant and like a friendly game. He hooked me up with lots of bonus materials whitch is awesome. My experiance so far has been delightful. I have already booked my next lesson in a couple of weeks.valeri gave me homework and lots of things to do to prepare for our next session. He didn't make me feel beneath him or in secure at anytime. I am looking forward to our next session,and will continue to us his coaching services."-- Russ Coger, Arkansas, US |
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"I've had two lessons with IM Lilov and I am really very pleased. He has a very dynamic style, and is clearly devoted both to the game and to providing a personal and intensive coaching experience. He asks hard questions and points out failures (and successes) in my thought process in a fashion that ensures that I will remember them the next time I'm at the board. The video recording that I receive from the lesson is invaluable, as well, since I don't have to scramble to take notes the whole time -- I can review as necessary and go over anything I missed. IM Lilov is also online much of the day. He requested that I send him games as I play them via Skype or ping him with questions, just so that he can see what I'm up to, think about topics to cover in the next lesson, and just generally keep tabs on me. This is an incredibly generous offer, and I really appreciate it. So, I can only echo mephistoWaltzz here: I feel very fortunate to have found IM Lilov and to have the opportunity to benefit from his enthusiasm, patience, experience and knowledge. I will be continuing for the foreseeable future. It's only been about 4 days since lesson #1, so I'll have to wait and see how the coaching affects my playing (I'll post an update in a couple of months), but I am very excited and optimistic about our continued work together. Two thumbs up, 10/10, 5 stars and whatever else with which you would award excellence." -- Jeremy Bernstein, Berlin, International |
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"If you are looking for an excellent chess coach, I highly recommend this young man. His knowledge is impressive, his analysis is thorough, and his advice is enlightening. He also packs a TON of information into his lessons and obviously spends a great deal of time preparing. Don't let his age fool you my friend, he is a far superior teacher than many adults could hope to be. Also, the fact that he is in Bulgaria is hardly an issue. He works with my schedule and makes excellent use of technology such as Skype and Playchess for instruction. Really, I can't say enough good things. I'm looking forward to more lessons with him."-- Jay Ford, Mississippi, United States |
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"hi i just want to say that after just 1 lesson i can tell valeri is an excellent coach. He really cares and takes extra time and care to make sure the student is grasping the material. Ireally like his bonus videos and homework i believe he will really push me to be the best i can be. I highly recommend him as a coach, you won't be disappointed"-- wildcatswin2012, United States |
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"Hi, I am a student of Valeri since April. In that 5 months, Valeri really managed to help me in chess. He first helped me with my openings which went really good. In 1 lesson he explained me 3 possible openings which later on seemed to fit me well :).Now he helps me to train my tactical and strategical insight. that was also a succes till now. I even managed to almost defeat a 2000 elo which seems almost impossible for me (i am 1400 Belgian rating). Thanks to him I finally understand the tactics, strategies,... in chess for which i am very thankfull to him. So for everyone who is looking for a chess coach, you should always consider Valeri, since he trains everyone, no matter how good or bad you are, to the top." |
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"Excellent coach and very reasonable prices. Has a deep understanding of the game and is a master at breaking down complicated theory into easy to understand concepts. Has the ability to analyze your games and determine which areas you need coaching on which leads to customized lessons. Also a very strong rated player. Overall excellent experience."-- Brian Beckelman, North Brunswick, NJ, USA |
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"I have been taking lessons from Tiger for last 6 months. He always puts my preferences first like looking over a game or wanting to learn a new opening. Recently I learnt a new opening from him. I was confused looking at it in books but then loved it when he showed it to me. I have been playing it since! His lessons are very clear and have a point in every one! His homework is equally instructive. He speaks very fluent English. He is one of the best coaches you will ever meet! I always look forward to his lessons. " -- Neel Apte, United States |
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"He was my teacher and I can say he's very helpful in learning chess."-- Giuseppe Tolva, Turin, Italy |
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"Hi chess enthusiasts! I have training lessons with Valeri since April this year and it’s fascinating for me to get chess coaching by internet from an 18-year-old top Bulgarian chess player living in Varna at the Black Sea because I am first of all 25 years older and secondly I live far away here in Switzerland. I also have been teaching for 10 years at our technical university here in town. So I know what good teaching is. Valeri is definitively a good teacher with high impact!! It’s just wonderful to have coaching by Skype and Chessbase and to get after the lesson a video recording to review it. It’s also in my view a very good business model! Valeri has a very good English, strong trainer skills and a clear chess planning method he teaches me as one main idea for my improvement. His lessons are always well prepared with follow-up exercises to do for the next session. His motivating style is just wonderful. BUT now it’s my turn to show progress in my game! That’s my challenge in the coming months! Thanks Valeri!"-- André Vögtlin, Basel, Switzerland |
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"Well, that man is an excellent player and friend, but also he is and perfect coach and psychologist and one of the most progressive Bulgarian players of all times. He have read a hundred of chess books and is having аn impressive knowledge about all phases of chess art.Good Luck to one of future Top GM!"-- Danail Penev, Varna, Bulgaria |
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"I just finished my 6th lesson with Valeri, and I've been very pleased. He puts a great deal of energy into his teaching. That's critical, especially because work and family come first for me, meaning I have to wake up early or stay up late for lessons. So his enthusiasm helps alot. Valeri recommends great resources to address weaknesses in my play, and the video lessons, which directly address my needs, are recorded so that I can review them later. His English is excellent, which is also very important. And he takes a sincere interest in his students -- he's always encouraging me to play and send him my games. (And since he's on Chess.com, he can access all my games here -- also very convenient.)" -- Matt, Florida, United States |
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"good job- good lessons- good exercises-always available via e mail" |
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"Made a fine job of analyzing a bunch of my games. I learned a lot. Will certainly make use of his services again. He offers an excellent price too :-)." -- Ed, Missouri, United States |
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" I've worked with Valery over the past two years on fortnightly coaching sessions. My chess rating has NOT improved as a result however I feel my understanding of chess has increased. Valery is great at communicating concepts and his passion for the sport is contagious and makes chess an enjoyable hobby. " -- Lennin Arriola ,England |
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"I have known Valeri during his general training lessons. I was impressed by his enthusiasm way to explain chess. Most helpful for me are his "general rules" in concrete situations. So he doesn't only explain the right move like a computer but also the Principe to find the move. And this Principe is transferable to my own games. So I improved my rating from 1700 to 1900 DWZ. Now I start with personalized training by Valeri and he identifies my weaknesses and gives me also for this principles which I can use in my games. Also his training is added by exercises and additional material. So I get step by step a deeper understanding of chess in a very inspiring and fantastic way which I enjoy every time." -- Klaus Knopf, Germany |
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"Hey, this one really helps. He's not like the most of the other chess coaches, who usually try to get the money and run away without really making sure that their students have learnt or even understood anything at all. Give him a chance and he will definitely find the talent for chess in you and develop it in no time! He actually did so with me for which I am really thankful to him...." -- Alexander Karaivanov, Shanghai, China |
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" Due to the uncertainy of my work/job, I was only able to work with Valeri for 4 months. But what a 4 months! I can honestly say i learned more from Valeri in 4 months, than i had from any other coach. The way he explains things really hits home with me. He made the unclear, very clear. Even today a year and a half later, he still keeps in touch. I would highly recommend Valeri as a coach.." -- FishEyedFools, United States |
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"I am taking chess lessons from Valeri for the past 2 months. We have finished 7 lessons and I have learnt a lot from those lessons. I got fide rating in 2004 but since then my rating has nearly always been going down after each tournament. Especially the last 3 tournaments before taking the lessons my rating had gone down hugely. But in the 2 tournaments that I played after taking lessons from Valeri my rating increased by nearly 10 points each time even though they were very strong tournaments. Time really seems to fly when he is teaching me. He is a confident, enthusiastic, dedicated and patient coach. He is a good listener too. He understands your weaknesses and provides ways to overcome them. The way he explains is very good and when you cannot find a move of his exercises he gently helps you along in finding the way by guiding how to think in a given position.I recommend him highly to anybody interested in improving his chess understanding and performance."-- Sunil Vaiyda, Pune, Maharashtra, India |
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"Valeri Lilov is a very good chess trainer. I had a few sessions with him and will continue his training. He has not only a superb knowledge, he can also share it. So you will get a clear analysis and very helpful ways to increase your chess abilities. I can only recommend to take training sessions with him. It will help you."-- Milicent Bullstrode, Keinestadt, Germany |
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"Hi, Valeri speaks very clear English. I understood all what he spoke. The 3 hours I had were the best. You learn so much with his coaching. When you had some hours with him, you don't want another coach."-- Kenneth Nahnsen, Germany |
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" I took lessons from Valeri a few years ago and recently started back up with him after taking a break from playing. He offers to record each lesson so you can go back and review them afterwards. Before I started taking lessons I was skeptical as I had read some chess books and thought I had 'knowledge.' I was wrong. I was making several mistakes in both my thought process and play that I wasn't even aware of. I highly recommend him to anyone who would like to improve their play and knowledge of chess. " -- ForzaeOnore, USA |
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"Very good Teacher! Well prepared lessons and lots of study material. Excellent coach!" -- Patrik Öhagen, Uppsala, Sweden |
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"Recently I decided to find a chess coach for my 10 year old son who is rated about 1100-1200. Based on all the recomendations I read, I decided that Valeri would be a good choice to coach my son. So far the lessons have been great. My son really enjoys Valeri's teaching style and Valeri's passion for the game has inspired my son to work hard to improve. The lessons themselves are fun and instructive. For my son, lessons consist of interactive game and training position analyses. After the lesson, Valeri provides homework problems designed to reinforce the lesson concepts. Before starting lessons, my son focused strictly on tactics. With Valeri's guidance he is starting to learn the concept of planning in chess. I highly recommend Valeri to any aspiring chess player. You couldn't hope to find a better coach. Thanks Valeri!" -- Chester Ornes, Corvallis, Oregon, United States |
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"I have had chess lessons from Valeri for the last 9 months. My chess has developed significantly in that time. My rating on playchess.com has gone from 1550 to 1700 approx. I have been previously tutored by a top Welsh FM, an Irish Champion and GM norm correspondence player, a British Champion and a top English GM. None of these were able to communicate their ideas as effectively as Valeri. If you are considering tuition then give it a go you will not regret it. You will enjoy your chess much more and gain confidence in your ability. When you play a game with much higher quality the reward of all the extra study is worthwile. Having a tutor to help you is so much better than just picking up a book. Valeri shows a genuine interest in your development and this is the most important part of teaching. I intend to continue my develpoment. I highly recommend you work with Valeri - the best chess teacher I have been able to find." -- Mark Wadsworth, Liverpool, United Kingdom |
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"IM Valeri Lilov is an excellent teacher. He has helped me develop my chess skills over the lessons we have had, from my openings to my strategy to different tatics. He has a clear plan of what to do in every lesson, whether it is analyzing games I played or going through professional matches played by world class players. For example, Tiger carefully selects a position created by two GMs and most importantly, highlights the main point(s) of the game such as an "outline" or a particular "strategy(neutralize,stablize)". However, that is not all, he then teaches me how I can apply these skills and techniques into my own game. Therefore making his lessons not only interesting but very much useful. I cannot more highly recommend IM Lilov. Whether you are a beginner starting from scratch, or an intermediate player at a certain skill level, I am absolutely sure than his lesson will be of huge significance to your game of chess. Anyone who wants to vastly improve should seriously consider IM Lilov as a coach. Thank you IM Lilov, I hope you the best in the future." -- Marcus Au, Hong Kong |
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"I purchased books and other services. In just 2 hours I have clarified many of the concepts that were confusing for me, also very grateful for the patience shown THROUGHOUT THE DAY." |
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"If you are looking for an excellent chess coach, I highly recommend this young man. His knowledge is impressive, his analysis is thorough, and his advice is enlightening. He also packs a TON of information into his lessons and obviously spends a great deal of time preparing. Don't let his age fool you my friend, he is a far superior teacher than many adults could hope to be. Also, the fact that he is in Bulgaria is hardly an issue. He works with my schedule and makes excellent use of technology such as Skype and Playchess for instruction. Really, I can't say enough good things. I'm looking forward to more lessons with him." -- Webhead, United States |
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"Great teacher, really breaks down what you need to learn and how you can learn it. His style of teaching is very fluid, very to the point. I learnt more about my own chess abilities in the half our lesson than I have in all the game review and self analysis I have done alone. Again top notch teacher!" -- Gilad Greenberg, Australia |
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"Valeri is REALLY good ! Just read what the others wrote earlier. I fully agree with them.I only feel that I can add one thing: I have now had about 30 lessons with Valeri, and what impress me the most is, that although I'm 60+ years of age, I'm so inspired and motivated after our doubble-lessons, that I continue to study chess several hours after having completed these lessons!! He may 'only' be a IM (but 2400+ in rating), but he is a SuperGM in coaching !" -- Jan Juul Nielsen, Denmark |
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"... Valeri is a brilliant coach who has tailor made our training sessions specifically for my style of play ... I always end up with new ideas and areas to focus on before the next training session." |
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" A perfect coach. He quickly identifies your weak and strong points and makes you a better player from the very first lesson. He also goes beyond the call of duty making himself available to answer questions, make training plans and provide homework and helpful materials. All of this is done in a friendly manner and it is a pleasure to learn from him. If you are willing to work hard, he will go out of his way to support you." -- Leon Macfayden, Essex, United Kingdom |
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"Valeri was a good instructor. He asked questions instead of spilling information at you. I like how he gives homework and personalized training programs instead of just coaching you for a few minutes and calling it quits. Keep up the good work! " -- Jordan Smith,Palo Alto, United States |
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"I started training with Valeri Lilov a few months ago and he has already helped me a lot in terms of recognizing what parts of my game needed the most work and helping me improve in these areas. He is very friendly and good at giving practical advice and suggestions that are immediately useful. His lessons are affordable and the quality is high, so you are getting great value on every dollar when you choose Valeri. Highly recommended."-- Paul Stephens, Ontario, Canada |
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"Mr. Lilov is a great coach who is willing to listen and answer his students questions, Which is a good quality in a good teacher. He is very knowledgeable in all aspects of the game. He never holds back when he needs to give good advice in what you need to do in order to improve. His services are great! For example, when you take a lesson you have the option of getting your lesson recorded,which I think is great because you get to review your lesson more than once and get to understand more of what you learned. I highly recommend Mr. Lilov as a Chess coach." |
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"I have had the pleasure of having 8-10 lessons so far from Valeri. He is an excellent and effective teacher! I suspect I will be continuing my regular weekly lessons for sometime as I have seen noticeable improvement in my games and a positive change in my thinking/planning and game evaluation. Valeri has made chess more enjoyable for me and I look forward to continuing to improve with his assistance. Also - with most teachers and instructors you are simply paying for their time. This is not the case with Valeri - he is always willing to assign extra homework and offer additional prerecorded videos for use on your own time. He is also available via email to answer questions and offer assistance. Highly recommended!" -- Justin Paul, Connecticut, United States |
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"There are many great chess players but only very few who are equally adept at the art of teaching chess. Valeri is one of them. Valeri's teaching methods are very effective and he explains all concepts in a simple yet formalized manner, whilst retaining the rigor and comprehensiveness one would expect from a world class coach. He has a strong grounding in chess pedagogy. No matter what question you ask Valeri, he has a detailed and logically laid out answer, fully consistent with the rest of his teachings. His enthusiasm for teaching chess is very evident in his lessons." -- Arul Gupta, United Kingdom |
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"Valeri is an extremely efficient and effective teacher - I have learned a lot more about how to create sound strategic positions and good tactical plans in a very short time. I now feel that I have a much better mental framework for the game than I could gain from books alone. Definitely recommended!"-- Lucas Baker, Zurich, Switzerland |
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"This is the coach that everybody is looking for. Valeri took a few minutes to understand my aims and on the other end my major difficulties. With its unique capacity of walking in our shoes and with its vast chess knowledge in all complexities, we start my journey of chess improvement. For the first second I felt that I had found one of the best. If you want to really improve your chess Valery Lilov is certainly the best choice."-- Roberto Medeiros, Portugal |
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"I recommend Valeri as a very personalized and well organized chess coach. He analyzes your games deeply and he finds you weaknesses - which through personalized lessons tries to improve . He is always ready to answer your questions even if you are not in lessons. Highly recommended!" -- Damjan Japelj, Slovenia |
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"Valeri Lilov has found his true calling in life, that of a chess teacher. Training with him is fun and effective at the same time. Valeri doesn't teach you to find the best moves, he trains your mind to think about chess in the proper way. Of course, this takes some time and you need to be committed and do your part. But soon you will see the results of your work." -- Ray Nixon, Florida, United States |
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"We got a few chess lessons for my son from Valeri. My son's game has since improved, and he has also improved his ratings. Valeri is a very strong chess player and an excellent coach. He is very passionate about teaching, and has helped my son with openings that are appropriate for his level. We highly recommend him." |
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"It isn't easy to keep my daughter's attention when it comes to lessons, but I noticed she was having fun learning from Lilov. In fact, she liked it so much she offered to pay for the next lesson." -- Tim Tennyson, Phoenix, AZ, United States |
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"I am very much a beginner, yet Valeri was able to pitch the lesson at exactly the right level and explain areas on which I needed to focus clearly and succinctly." -- John Forgan, United Kingdom |
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"He has been teaching me for the last 4 months. I have a lesson every 2 weeks and also purchased a study program which has been very useful. If you really want to get better at chess then you will need a coach since there is only so much that playing games, reading books/watching videos and tactical problems can help. Valeri is attentive, knowledgable, patient amusing and will explain absolutely everything. My understanding of positional and strategic chess has improved enormously, and for the first time I can actually assess a position. Sometimes reading comments like this look as though they are 'planted', i can assure you that all these comments are real and the quality of just one lesson will prove the point!" |
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"Great chess coach, 5/5. Funny and very kind. Not to mention talented. Noticed results immediately after first lesson. You get a sense that he is invested in your improvement, and he takes the time to go over key problems that recur throughout your games. I'm looking forward to becoming a much better player as a result of these lessons." -- Kevin De Jesus , Germany |
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"Though I have had just a few lessons with Mr. Lilov I can already tell he is a very good and patient teacher, Has been very easy to communicate with via email and has always answered questions promptly. I am enjoying my lessons and look forward to many more as I look to excel at this complex game. Very highly recommend " -- Anthony Cato, Covington, Ga, United States |
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"Hi Everybody, I have been working since approx. 7 months with Valeri. He is a very good trainer and he knows what you need to become better. I have been playing chess since 30 years and can say that he has improved my chess a lot. When you need a chess trainer, it's a good choice if one decides on him. Give him a chance and you'll see. Best Regards" -- Thomas Hack, Germany |
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"My training game with Valeri was most helpful. He is an attentative and responsive teacher who is very flexible to whatever needs or weaknesses you may feel you have. I also have little doubt in his capacity to identify what weaknesses (and indeed strengths) you may have given the opportunity to see more games from you as a player and provide an adaptive coaching style." -- Jimmy Stewart Canberra, Australia |
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"When I started training with Valeri (10 months ago I guess), my rating was about 1950. So I was not a beginner, but I still made a lot of mistakes. After the first lessons I really improved a lot and in just a few tournaments I reached the magic 2000. But this was just the beginning ... Three weeks ago I played my last tournament - my performence is quite expressive: over 2400! Of course I also trained myself, but I'm sure that the lessons with Valeri were an very important factor in my chess development. I think that's a good example how effective Valeri's personalized training is and I really recommended it for every ambitious chess player." |
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"Had first lesson today. In terms of professionalism and content, Master Valeri is several orders of magnitude above the typical good chess coach. It's not even close. He should be coaching the coaches. Watch his videos you'll get a feel for how much information he has to share and how gifted he is at sharing it." -- Babuz, Texas, United States |
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"To all chess players who want to improve your game, I highly recommend IM Valeri Lilov's lessons!" |
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"Valeri is an inspiration when it comes to taking chess lessons." |
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"For anyone who's considering a Chess coach to improve their game, whether it be to impress your Chess playing friends, top at your local tournaments, or even earn a master title, look no further than Valeri Lilov!" -- Mark Self, United States |
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"I have just started taking lessons from Valeri, and I am already delighted. His clear and concise instructions, his grasp of chess and ability to convey knowledge to a student (especially someone like me who has a very stubborn mindset when it comes to getting rid of decades of bad chess habits!) are impressive - I look forward to a lasting teacher-student relationship and can only recommend Valeri to anybody who would like to study chess with a real professional." -- Maurizio Alessandro, Austria |
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"It absolutely broke my heart when I had to discontinue my chess lessons with IM Valeri Lilov due to being unemployed. Thanks to Valeri, I am actually winning some chess games now and becoming stronger tactically. My ELO rating is one of the worst of the worst--697--and yet, with Valeri's lessons, I am confident that when I go to my next chess tournament and win at least ONE game! Even though my playing level is very low, Valeri never made me feel stupid or anything like that. He treated me like a real friend and not just a student who was paying him. Hopefully, I will get a job soon so I can restart my lessons with this great man!" -- Amy Walker, Illinois, United States |
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"I recommend Valeri as a chess coach, he is definitely helpful, interesting and fun. He really has the ability to tell what a beginner needs in order to get better at the game." -- Matteo Abis, Windisch, Switzerland |
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"I just took my fifth lesson with Valeri, and what can I say? He has been an excellent teacher so far. I remember right after my first lesson with him I jumped right into a game and found that I was playing very differently. I was able to exploit the things he taught me that lesson and I won convincingly. He is very organized, after every lesson he sends you an mp4 file of the lesson, and once he even gave me a free e-book to help me improve my skills. Also, occasionally he has gone 10-30 minutes past the hour limit in order to help me learn something new. This is definitely a plus. I wish him the best of luck in his future chess endeavours!" -- Enrico Baculinao, Beijing, China |
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"Very clear, precise, thorough instruction, that gets to the heart of your chess problems. He really cares about your progress too and makes sure that you understand what he teaches. A FIDE master, running his own chess instruction website at 17! Incredible. Like night follows day your chess will improve! "-- Evan Beachley, London, England |
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"This man is the one you need to be your tutor! His teaching services are simply perfect and his lectures are very really high quality ones and everything is well considered till the last detail!" -- Tani Iliev, Sofia, Bulgaria |
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"I met Valeri online accidently when I took part in a chess competition solving a chess puzzle. The price was normal and I thought I could give it a try. Well the outcome is just great! I have finally completed my White repertoir understanding with his help the deeper ideas behind the openings I was using. Playing moves without knowing why is not so good and often leads to disaster... Thank you Valeri! I m ready for the Black repertoire."-- Dimitris Farmakis, Salonika, Greece |
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"To all chess players who want to improve your game, I highly recommend Valeri Lilov's lessons! I have found: 1. His explanations are clear and concise. 2. Valeri understands how to improve a player in all phases: Opening, Middlegames, Ending. 3.He focuses on practical situations that are critical: which means you will be able to use it in your game and make immediate progress! 4.His Training and Lessons are customized, as to speed-up your chess improvement! 5. He produces results: Just look at any of his reviews, you will see rating gains- steady and dramatic! He also enables the student to gain a clear understanding of the game within a short amount of time! All in all, he is the best chess coach for improving players!" -- WorldChessPlayer, United States |
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"Valeri have been giving me weekly lessons for almost four months now. He has proved himself to be a GREAT teacher with a positive energy and a very good personality. I am always looking very much forward to his next lesson, and I have greatly improved my play since we started! He always gives much more than expected, and the material he provides to back up his lessons are excellent! If you are looking for the best teacher online; Look no further!! Choosing Valeri is a move that deserves at least three exclamation marks !!! |
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"My first lesson exceeded my expectation. I look forward to future lesson and feel confident that my game will improve with Valeri instructions." -- hopeandcharity, England |
" -- Tim Tennyson, Phoenix, AZ, United States
He even gave a thematic introduction in the chess club where I am a member. Everybody agreed that it was an outstanding performance, and are indeed looking foreward to the next time we will have this opportunity!!! All my best regards!!! 
