Top chess coaches in Israel: 9 Grandmasters & Titled Coaches accepting students
Israel became a chess power almost overnight. The wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s brought a generation of Grandmasters and trainers with it, and the country has been a fixture at the top of Olympiad standings ever since. When Boris Gelfand played for the World Championship in 2012, half the Israeli establishment had a hand in the preparation.
That depth is a blessing and a headache. Plenty of titled players list themselves; far fewer make it obvious who's strong, who genuinely teaches, and who's taking students. So we sorted it out. Here are 9 taking students now, ranked by a method we explain first.
9 elite titled coaches
#1GMStart here for pedigree. Roiz climbed to the world's top 40 at a peak near 2680 FIDE, and since 2010 he's seconded elite players, including Gelfand during his 2012 World Championship match against Anand. Now he channels that into talented students who haven't yet hit their ceiling.
#2GMA multiple Israeli Champion across classical, rapid and blitz, and an Olympiad bronze medalist. He also composes endgame studies, some of them prize-winners, which tells you how deep his positional understanding runs. He diagnoses your weaknesses from your own games, then works them without neglecting the rest.
#3GMA Grandmaster since 2017 and a psychology student on the side. He specializes in opening preparation and will build you a repertoire that fits your style, but his real point is that games are decided later, so calculation, strategy and the psychology of decisions get equal billing.
#4GMAn Israeli GM born in Saint Petersburg, with a peak rating around 2710 and two Olympic team medals plus an individual silver in 2008. He's worked alongside Gelfand and Aronian, and he's strongest helping students with chess theory and general understanding of the game.
#5IMA working teacher by profession, history and economics, and an International Master of more than 20 years in the Israeli top league. The credential to notice: he's coached dozens of players past 2000, and his patience comes straight from years in special education.
#6IMA certified FIDE Trainer and coach at the Beer Sheva chess club, with broad knowledge across every phase of the game. A solid, properly credentialed option for repertoire work and middlegame-to-endgame study.
#7FMA FIDE Master since 2017 who teaches in schools, clubs and privately, so he's used to making the game click for newcomers. He's strongest on the foundations: sharp tactical vision, checkmating patterns, endgames, and the general principles beginners actually need.
#8FMAn experienced coach rated around 2122 who trains students on the methods of Mark Dvoretsky and Artur Yusupov, the gold standard of Soviet-era instruction. If you want a structured, classical grounding, that's his whole approach.
A full-time Candidate Master coach with over ten years of teaching, rated around 2014, who came within half a point of the FM title in 2022. He's built his practice around players rated 1200 to 2000 and an extensive library aimed at 50 to 200 rating points a year.
How to actually pick one
Goal first, then level — Put both in your opening message and you'll get a far more useful reply.
🎯 Goal first, then level
Put both in your opening message and you'll get a far more useful reply.
📜 Weight the teaching credentials
For coaching, a FIDE Trainer badge or a long teaching record can outrank a slightly higher rating.
♟️ Match the level, not the fame
A coach who lives in your rating band often beats a higher-rated one who doesn't.
🌎 Check the language fit
Most teach in English, Russian or Hebrew; one or two coach in Hebrew only.
⚡ Trial lesson, always
One session tells you whether you click, which no bio can.
Frequently asked questions
Can Israeli coaches teach students abroad?
Yes. Most teach online in English or Russian and already work with students across Europe and beyond.
Why make a point of trainer certifications?
Because a FIDE Trainer title is earned for coaching ability, not playing strength. When you're paying someone to teach, that's the signal you want.
How do I verify a title?
Every coach here holds an official FIDE title, checkable at FIDE Ratings Database. Ask for the FIDE ID if you want to be sure.
Ready to find your coach?
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