The Chess Mates Story

Ash Reddy founded Chess Mates in 2012 to address two main problems.

The first was a lack of chess classes for kids under eight. With so much of a child’s brain development occurring prior to their fifth birthday, Ash wanted to give young kids a “head start” through chess. That’s why Chess Mates teaches chess for kids ages three and up – to help develop their creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence from an early age.

The second problem was that most chess classes focused exclusively on competitive chess. Yet learning chess can also help children become kinder, smarter, and more empathetic. That’s why Chess Mates offers fun, social lessons that teach strategy while also fostering life skills such as dealing with losing and congratulating your opposing player.

These two differences are one of the key reasons Chess Mates has become the preferred chess class provider for parents and kids across Queensland!

How We Teach

Chess Mates chess classes for kids are run in schools,  and online by passionate chess teachers who all have Working With Children Checks or Blue Cards. Our school and weekend programs are available in south-east Queensland, while online lessons are open to kids anywhere in Australia and New Zealand.

For younger kids, lessons feature stories, songs, rhymes, puzzles, and gameplay designed to teach chess moves and strategy in a fun and engaging way. Older kids will learn through more complex puzzles and gameplay, with an emphasis on both teaching strategy and having fun.

Our goal is to help your child lay and build upon a solid foundation in chess, while also expanding their mind and helping them develop the critical thinking and emotional intelligence they need to overcome challenges and thrive in their day-to-day life.

About Our Founder

Ash Reddy is an experienced chess teacher and entrepreneur with a passion for helping kids experience ALL the benefits learning chess can bring.

That’s why he developed the Chess Mates curriculum – so he could ensure kids didn’t miss out on any of the benefits of learning chess.

These benefits include academic benefits (such as improving maths and language skills), emotional benefits (such as positively addressing challenges like losing a piece or a game), critical thinking benefits (such as learning to plan ahead for various contingencies), and social benefits (such as learning to make friends with other players).

To learn more about Ash’s chess teaching philosophy, watch his TED talk below:

Enroll Today

Do you want your child to experience the many benefits of learning chess?

Then you need to enrol today by contacting us at info@chessmates.com.au.

We can’t wait to welcome you to the Chess Mates family!