Simon

5 (30 reviews)

Rate R869
Response 6h
Students
Number of students Simon has accompanied since joining Superprof
50+
Number of students Simon has accompanied since joining Superprof

5 (30 reviews)

R869/h

Chess

Professional Chess Coach and Academy Founder Specializing in Structured Adult Improvement Programs

Name: Simon
Address: London, ZA
Telephone: undefined
Price range: R869

Chess

Lesson location

- online

Ambassador

One of our best tutors. Quality profile, experience in their field, verified qualifications and a great response time. Simon will be happy to arrange your first Chess lesson.

About Simon

I’m a professional teacher and Music Professor with over 15 years of classroom experience, specializing in adult chess improvement.

I began playing chess at age 27 and, through a structured learning system, reached a Lichess blitz peak of 2414 (top 1%). This journey shaped my teaching philosophy: progress comes from diagnosis and structure, not random tactics or endless videos.

I have trained with elite Grandmasters including Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2820), Alexander Moiseenko (2726), and Lazaro Bruzon (2717), and translate their strategic thinking into clear, practical guidance for motivated students.

My lessons are professional consultations. We identify the key weaknesses in your game (“ELO leaks”) and build a focused roadmap covering openings, middlegame plans, endgames, and competitive psychology. I also integrate modern AI tools when useful — always filtered through human judgment and experience.

I am the founder of the YouTube channel Simon Novak Chess Academy, where I document a serious, long-term approach to improvement.

If you are an adult player stuck on a plateau and want structured, high-quality guidance rather than generic training, we will work well together.

About the lesson

♟️ Chess is not about memorizing lines — it's about understanding your thinking.

In our lessons, we’ll focus on:
• Analyzing your own games deeply
• Tactics, openings, endgames — based on what you enjoy
• Study plans and training methods
• Positional understanding and decision-making
• Chess psychology, confidence, and motivation

I am based in Slovenia and lessons take place on Lichess via Zoom or Google Meet.
All levels welcome!

Reviews

All the reviews collected from students are verified by our team. They are therefore reliable and correspond to a real experience with Simon.

5 (30 reviews)

I

Ian
- 5
Perfect! It was great to go through games that I had played recently and several months ago identify errors during the openings, middle and end game. Simon explained things very well and took time with me to make a plan (even though our hour was up) that would suit the time that I am able to put into my study of the game. Excellent session look forward to the next one.
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I

Ian

Perfect! It was great to go through games that I had played recently and several months ago identify errors during the openings, middle and end game. Simon explained things very well and took time with me to make a plan (even though our hour was up) that would suit the time that I am able to put into my study of the game. Excellent session look forward to the next one.
A

Apostolos
- 5
Perfect! He is a fantastic chess tutor and very good with children, able to get his messages across and promote learning
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A

Apostolos

Perfect! He is a fantastic chess tutor and very good with children, able to get his messages across and promote learning
T

Tom
- 5
Perfect! Great lesson
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T

Tom

Perfect! Great lesson
Richard
- 5
Perfect! Simon has taught our son chess for several months and has been great!! The lessons are very well organised / structured and Simon makes the lessons engaging which has worked really for our son. We particularly appreciated the practical advice on what to do to improve outside the lessons. We would definitely recommend Simon :)
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Richard

Perfect! Simon has taught our son chess for several months and has been great!! The lessons are very well organised / structured and Simon makes the lessons engaging which has worked really for our son. We particularly appreciated the practical advice on what to do to improve outside the lessons. We would definitely recommend Simon :)
L

Laurence
- 5
Perfect! Simon is a fantastic chess player with impressive competitive experience, and he's also a teacher by profession - both qualities really show in his lessons. Simon takes care to think about how you would best retain knowledge and skills and structures the lessons accordingly. Most importantly, Simon loves chess - the lessons are great fun, and he regularly shares highlights from recent tournaments and shows me the most exciting games.
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L

Laurence

Perfect! Simon is a fantastic chess player with impressive competitive experience, and he's also a teacher by profession - both qualities really show in his lessons. Simon takes care to think about how you would best retain knowledge and skills and structures the lessons accordingly. Most importantly, Simon loves chess - the lessons are great fun, and he regularly shares highlights from recent tournaments and shows me the most exciting games.
B

Bilal
- 5
Perfect! My experience with Simon was positive, he is very attentive tutor that replies very quickly if you have any questions please ask him - Simon is very easy to get along with
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B

Bilal

Perfect! My experience with Simon was positive, he is very attentive tutor that replies very quickly if you have any questions please ask him - Simon is very easy to get along with
V

Valerio
- 5
Perfect! Very good coach: well prepared in chess, methodical and with great interaction with students
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V

Valerio

Perfect! Very good coach: well prepared in chess, methodical and with great interaction with students
S

Sacha
- 5
Perfect! Simon is a great teacher. Explains concepts and techniques to a very high degree. You can tell he really wants to make you understand as much as possible and if you don’t understand something he’ll spend the extra time to make sure you do. Just an overall very thorough and super nice guy
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S

Sacha

Perfect! Simon is a great teacher. Explains concepts and techniques to a very high degree. You can tell he really wants to make you understand as much as possible and if you don’t understand something he’ll spend the extra time to make sure you do. Just an overall very thorough and super nice guy
W

Wendy
- 5
Perfect! Simon taught my son for the first lesson. My son enjoyed it a lot and said Simon taught him on the openings. Simon is definitely a coach to recommend.
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W

Wendy

Perfect! Simon taught my son for the first lesson. My son enjoyed it a lot and said Simon taught him on the openings. Simon is definitely a coach to recommend.
M

Matt
- 5
Perfect! Simon was great! Very helpful, explained things well
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M

Matt

Perfect! Simon was great! Very helpful, explained things well

Simon's response
Matt started playing chess only couple of months ago and he has already shown incredible knowledge, passion and desire to succed in chess. He's also very nice and interesting guy.
- Simon's response :
  Matt started playing chess only couple of months ago and he has already shown incredible knowledge, passion and desire to succed in chess. He's also very nice and interesting guy.
O

Oisin
- 5
Perfect! Simon is an excellent tutor, he provides great insightful analysis of my games with very helpful advice. I recommend him highly!
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O

Oisin

Perfect! Simon is an excellent tutor, he provides great insightful analysis of my games with very helpful advice. I recommend him highly!

Simon's response
Oisin is very nice man, excellent student and very passionate about chess. I really enjoy our chess lessons.
- Simon's response :
  Oisin is very nice man, excellent student and very passionate about chess. I really enjoy our chess lessons.
V

Vic
- 4
Excellent! My 11 year old son has recently started chess lessons with Simon and so far he is enjoying them. Simon is keeping the lessons fun, but still makes sure the lesson is learned and I can see the improvement in my son's logic when playing.
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V

Vic

Excellent! My 11 year old son has recently started chess lessons with Simon and so far he is enjoying them. Simon is keeping the lessons fun, but still makes sure the lesson is learned and I can see the improvement in my son's logic when playing.

Simon's response
Vic's son is very talented and smart. I really enjoy having lessons with him.
- Simon's response :
  Vic's son is very talented and smart. I really enjoy having lessons with him.
Lei
- 5
Perfect! Simon is an excellent chess tutor, he prepares for each lesson very carefully to make chess more interesting. He also inspires my son to build up the mental strength. Thank you.
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Lei

Perfect! Simon is an excellent chess tutor, he prepares for each lesson very carefully to make chess more interesting. He also inspires my son to build up the mental strength. Thank you.

Simon's response
Very perspective and talented player. I wouldn't be surprised him becoming a Grandmaster one day.
- Simon's response :
  Very perspective and talented player. I wouldn't be surprised him becoming a Grandmaster one day.
F

Fiona
- 5
Perfect! Really engaging lesson, fun and very interactive. Looking forward to more lessons
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F

Fiona

Perfect! Really engaging lesson, fun and very interactive. Looking forward to more lessons

Simon's response
Very nice and humble people. I enjoy teaching her son a lot.
- Simon's response :
  Very nice and humble people. I enjoy teaching her son a lot.
J

Jessica
- 5
Perfect! Great communication and a courteous attitude.
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J

Jessica

Perfect! Great communication and a courteous attitude.

Simon's response
Thank you.
- Simon's response :
  Thank you.
J

Jack
- 5
Perfect! Simon is a very thoughtful and personable teacher, who throughout our lessons always applied and used examples from my own games to assist the learning experience.
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J

Jack

Perfect! Simon is a very thoughtful and personable teacher, who throughout our lessons always applied and used examples from my own games to assist the learning experience.

Simon's response
Jack is very nice and very humble. I like him a lot. He's very passionate about chess and eager to learn. I enjoy our lessons very much.
- Simon's response :
  Jack is very nice and very humble. I like him a lot. He's very passionate about chess and eager to learn. I enjoy our lessons very much.
R

Robin
- 5
Perfect! Simon's a great coach, very enjoyable and super-interactive lessons, challenging and fun. He's also a very engaging guy with broad interests and enthusiasms. Highly recommended!!
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R

Robin

Perfect! Simon's a great coach, very enjoyable and super-interactive lessons, challenging and fun. He's also a very engaging guy with broad interests and enthusiasms. Highly recommended!!

Simon's response
Robin is super nice guy, we both have many similar interests. I enjoy teaching him chess a lot.
- Simon's response :
  Robin is super nice guy, we both have many similar interests. I enjoy teaching him chess a lot.
A

Anze
- 5
Perfect! Great teacher. Very nice, patient and funny.
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A

Anze

Perfect! Great teacher. Very nice, patient and funny.

Simon's response
Anze is one of the my first and one of the best students I have. He's very smart, dedicated and loves to learn new things.
- Simon's response :
  Anze is one of the my first and one of the best students I have. He's very smart, dedicated and loves to learn new things.
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Recommendations

Recommendations are written by the tutor's friends, family, and acquaintances.

A

Ana

Simon is very chill, relaxed, encouraging teacher but also very serious about his work and very professional. My singing improved a lot when I started taking regular lessons with him. It's very hard to find better singing teacher than him these days. I only wish I'd found him sooner.
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A
Ana
Simon is very chill, relaxed, encouraging teacher but also very serious about his work and very professional. My singing improved a lot when I started taking regular lessons with him. It's very hard to find better singing teacher than him these days. I only wish I'd found him sooner.
N

Nika

Very good teacher. Also very nice and patient. I was impressed by his music abilities and how well can he sing and play piano. Thank you Simon for great lessons.
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N
Nika
Very good teacher. Also very nice and patient. I was impressed by his music abilities and how well can he sing and play piano. Thank you Simon for great lessons.
A

Ana

Simon is very nice and cool teacher. He's very good at teaching chess. My son was very happy with his lessons and he learned a lot about chess and even sport in general. His lessons are well structured and he's very good at motivating student. Great teacher.
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A
Ana
Simon is very nice and cool teacher. He's very good at teaching chess. My son was very happy with his lessons and he learned a lot about chess and even sport in general. His lessons are well structured and he's very good at motivating student. Great teacher.
N

Nada

Great teacher and great person as well.
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N
Nada
Great teacher and great person as well.
M

Marko

Simon is very good teacher. I know him for many years. He's very passionate about music and also teaching music. I only hope more students would get to know him.

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M
Marko
Simon is very good teacher. I know him for many years. He's very passionate about music and also teaching music. I only hope more students would get to know him.
K

Klementina

I like how he teaches me singing. He focuses on the most important area of singing which is breath support. He knows a lot about classical singing as well as pop and rock singing. He always motivates me for practice and can explain things very easily. Great teacher. Highly recommend.
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K
Klementina
I like how he teaches me singing. He focuses on the most important area of singing which is breath support. He knows a lot about classical singing as well as pop and rock singing. He always motivates me for practice and can explain things very easily. Great teacher. Highly recommend.
T

Tomaz

Simon was teaching my daughter for two years piano and music theory. She really enjoyed his lessons and with his help, she started going to music school and is now already a very good musician. Even now he still helps her whenever she needs it. Thank you Simon, you're the best.
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T
Tomaz
Simon was teaching my daughter for two years piano and music theory. She really enjoyed his lessons and with his help, she started going to music school and is now already a very good musician. Even now he still helps her whenever she needs it. Thank you Simon, you're the best.
A

Alex

Simon is awesome! He's a great listener, patient teacher, and lifelong learner. He's reliable, motivating, and encouraging. You will be in good hands with him as your teacher!
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A
Alex
Simon is awesome! He's a great listener, patient teacher, and lifelong learner. He's reliable, motivating, and encouraging. You will be in good hands with him as your teacher!
D

Domen

Simon is my singing teacher for many years now. He's very good at explaining things, very encouraging and an amazing musician at the same time. I've learned the importance of breathing, support, technique and most importantly how to approach music in a natural way. His technique is superb and his musicianship is even better. He's great for all levels of students. Highly recommend to anyone who likes to learn and enjoy music.
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D
Domen
Simon is my singing teacher for many years now. He's very good at explaining things, very encouraging and an amazing musician at the same time. I've learned the importance of breathing, support, technique and most importantly how to approach music in a natural way. His technique is superb and his musicianship is even better. He's great for all levels of students. Highly recommend to anyone who likes to learn and enjoy music.
R

Raul

Simon was my mentor when I was in Slovenia for one year. He's very nice and I had a great time there. He's also very passionate about everything (he can't stop talking about chess!) and I like that a lot. Hope to be back there soon and learn more things from him.
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R
Raul
Simon was my mentor when I was in Slovenia for one year. He's very nice and I had a great time there. He's also very passionate about everything (he can't stop talking about chess!) and I like that a lot. Hope to be back there soon and learn more things from him.
P

Peter

As a total chess beginner Simon's coaching has helped me a lot. He's very friendly, fun and has a lot of knowledge in chess. In our lessons he's trying to motivate me and really wants that I'm active in lesson (I'm solving chess positions, explaining why I made some moves...) He has gave me a great example of how much can be achieved in chess even if you start late. I look forward to his upcoming lessons and would recommend him to anyone.

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P
Peter
As a total chess beginner Simon's coaching has helped me a lot. He's very friendly, fun and has a lot of knowledge in chess. In our lessons he's trying to motivate me and really wants that I'm active in lesson (I'm solving chess positions, explaining why I made some moves...) He has gave me a great example of how much can be achieved in chess even if you start late. I look forward to his upcoming lessons and would recommend him to anyone.
J

Janez

Simon is very nice, patient and great tutor. His lessons are well structured and interesting. The way he motivate student is really unique. I've also learned a lot from his YouTube channel "Viennaconcert chess".
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J
Janez
Simon is very nice, patient and great tutor. His lessons are well structured and interesting. The way he motivate student is really unique. I've also learned a lot from his YouTube channel "Viennaconcert chess".
See more recommendations

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R869

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5h: R4347
10h: R8695

online

R869/h

Simon's video

Find out more about Simon

When did you start practicing? How did this passion find you?
I started playing chess very late, at age 27. My friend introduced me to chess. I had to work really hard to succeed not only in this but also in other areas of my life.
Which artists or works affect you the most?
My favourite chess player is Garry Kasparov. I love to play dynamic, attacking chess. Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Morozevich, Tal, Ding Liren, and others are also chess players who inspire me. 
What are the qualities and skills required to succeed in this area?
I'm a strong believer in sport psychology, so I think having a strong mindset is crucial to succeeding in chess. By mindset, I mean being confident, passionate, motivated, and not giving up too quickly. Aside from that, I believe that analyzing one's own games and the games of super grandmasters, playing stronger opponents, and solving numerous tactical problems are all essential.
What is the most valuable advice you can give to help someone stay focused on creative projects?
Chess can help you learn for the rest of your life. Chess can teach us so many valuable things we can also use in our daily lives. 
How would you describe your passion? How does it make you feel?
It's very hard to describe, but I think passion is a feeling that never goes away and always pushes you to do more.
What creative achievements are you particularly proud of?
Winning a gold medal in a local chess tournament, beating European champion GM Aleksandr Moiseenko in a rapid game, beating GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov in a rapid game, beating GM Vincent Kaymer in a blitz game, being in the top 1% of all players on online chess site, and becoming a chess YouTuber
Have you ever been surprised by a student's ability or quick progression?
I had a student who won a gold medal in a local tournament just after having two lessons with him. Of course, he played chess before, but he never had a real coach before me.
Being a superprof is an art! What is your secret?
I'm just trying to be honest, professional, and correct with the students. I want to build a strong, positive community around my teaching.

Professional Chess Coach and Academy Founder Specializing in Structured Adult Improvement Programs

Lesson location

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About Simon

About the lesson

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Recommendations

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Rate

Package rates

online

Simon's video

Find out more about Simon

Find out more about Simon

When did you start practicing? How did this passion find you?

Which artists or works affect you the most?

What are the qualities and skills required to succeed in this area?

What is the most valuable advice you can give to help someone stay focused on creative projects?

How would you describe your passion? How does it make you feel?

What creative achievements are you particularly proud of?

Have you ever been surprised by a student's ability or quick progression?

Being a superprof is an art! What is your secret?

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