Learn Chess with Ben Peach
Ben Peach Toowoomba, QLD
I am a dedicated professional educator, with a Bachelor of Education (Primary) and over a decade of experience as a chess coach and competitor.
I offer lessons in Toowoomba and online across Australia (Toowoomba, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, Canberra, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, anywhere in Australia).
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Explore what you can learn at all levels
Beginner
Master the basics! Learn how each piece moves, fundamental rules, and simple strategies to set a strong foundation for your chess journey.
Over the board rating: 0-799 (approximately)
Intermediate
Take your skills to the next level! Dive into tactical maneuvers like forks, pins, and skewers, while sharpening your opening and endgame techniques.
Over the board rating: 800-1499 (approximately)
Advanced
Compete like a pro! Refine your positional play, master opening theory, and gain the tools to analyse and dominate complex games.
Over the board rating: 1500+ (approximately)
Learn Chess Openings: From Beginner to Advanced
Here are some of my favourite chess openings
London System
Construct a solid pawn formation with the potential to unleash winning tactical combinations.
Queen's Gambit
A classic opening where White offers a pawn to gain central control.
Smith-Morra gambit
Sacrifice a pawn to accelerate development and generate excellent attacking chances.
King's gambit
Sacrifice a pawn to win the centre, gain a development lead and use your initiative to attack the Black King.
Evans gambit
A romantic opening where White sacrifices a pawn to dominate the centre with tactical threats and powerful attacks.
English Botvinnik System
Seize control over the central light squares with the flexibility to attack everywhere, be it the Kingside, Queenside and/or in the centre!
Sicilian Defense
A favourite of Bobby Fischer's and acclaimed by many as the best choice against 1.e4. Black fights for the centre with a complicated game ahead.
Caro-Kann Defence
The most solid opening against 1.e4. Black secures the centre and looks to comfortably develop before launching a counterattack.
Scandinavian Defence
A very rare but popular opening among top Australian players including GM Smerdon and GM Illingworth. Black directly challenges White's central pawn control.
King's Indian Defence
A hypermodern opening where Black calmly develops and castles. Black allows White to place many pawns in the center but will look to destroy it later.
Semi-Slav
Construct a strong pawn formation, complete development and look to activate the light-squared Bishop later.
Dutch Defence
A risky and ambitious opening that seeks imbalance, complications and excitement from the first move.
Choose a lesson plan that works for you
Group Lessons
per lesson
- Groups sizes of up to 10 people
- Set time slots available
- Beginner to advanced
- Have fun and make new friends
- Training games included
Private Lessons
per lesson
- 1-on-1 individual lesson
- Flexible time slots to suit your schedule
- Beginner to advanced
- Personalised training approach
- Training games included
3 Benefits of learning how to play Chess
Improve Attention
Chess improves focus, builds resistance to distractions, and strengthens mental discipline.
Planning
Chess enhances strategic thinking by fostering planning, analysis, and adaptability.
Social Skills
Chess develops sportsmanship, teamwork, and meaningful interpersonal skills.
Most importantly, it's fun!
What does a typical lesson look like?
Chess Online
Learn chess from anywhere in the world with professional online lessons.
- Communicate using Zoom
- Chess platform used is Lichess (Lichess is 100% free and the main site I use personally)
Lesson Structure
Structured lessons designed for optimal learning and practice.
- 60 minutes in length (40 minutes of learning, 20 minutes of training games)
- Training games are essential for practicing what is taught
Foundations
Comprehensive coverage of chess fundamentals.
- Opening
- Middlegame
- Endgame
- Tactical combinations
Training Plan
Personalised training approach for continuous improvement based on:
- Your ability
- The amount of time you intend to spend practicing chess
Frequently Asked Questions
Happy Words From Happy Students
Shafiuddin Aanan
Five-time Toowoomba Regional Secondary Champion
My name is Shafiuddin Aanan, and I am a five-time Toowoomba Regional Secondary Champion, a former Under-18 Queensland Champion, and I placed fourth in the 2024 Open Queensland Championship. Ben has been one of my longest-standing coaches. In addition to coaching chess at my school, I have had numerous one-on-one training sessions with him, which were pivotal to my overall development in chess. Thanks to Ben's guidance, I was able to refine my opening repertoire and develop a more strategic approach to planning and thinking through chess middlegames and endgames. This significantly elevated my level of play above that of my peers. Ben is an exceptional teacher who explains new concepts in a clear and accessible manner, using plenty of examples and practice materials. I highly encourage you to take the opportunity to work with him as your coach.
Ready for your chess success?
Contact me below and I'll get back to you ASAP!