Top Chess Academies in Kolkata: A 2026 Guide for Parents

The top chess academies in Kolkata include Envision Chess Academy (4 centres in Bowbazar, Haridevpur, Jodhpur Park, New Alipore, plus live online classes), the Goodricke National Chess Academy at Gorky Sadan, the Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy in south Kolkata, the Kolkata Chess Institute in Birati, The Knight Chess Academy in Kasba, Sunshine Chess Academy in Kalighat and Academia of Chess in Behala. The right choice depends on where you live, your child's age and level, and whether you want offline classes, online classes or both.

How we compared Kolkata's chess academies

• Location and format - which part of Kolkata, and whether classes are offline, online or both.
• Who it suits - young beginners, school-age improvers or competitive and rated players.
• Structure - a defined syllabus and levels, rather than open-ended sessions.
• Coaching and track record - coach credentials and results that can be checked publicly.
• Practice and competition - homework, tournaments and game review.

Chess academies in Kolkata at a glance

1. Envision Chess Academy - four Kolkata centres and live online classes

Envision Chess Academy teaches chess the way a school teaches a subject: one published syllabus of 240 sessions across five stages, from a child's first move to elite competitive play, with two classes a week, homework a coach reviews and weekly tournaments. It runs 4 offline centres across Kolkata and live online classes on the same syllabus, so a child can learn in person, online, or move between the two without starting again. The academy is affiliated to the Kolkata District Chess Association and recognised by Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha.

Envision's offline chess centres in Kolkata

Each centre has its own page with coach details, batch timings, a map and directions - or see all of them on the chess academy in Kolkata page. Coaching at the centres is led by FIDE-certified and FIDE-rated coaches, with group and one-to-one classes and preparation for district, state and national events.

Envision's live online chess classes

For families who cannot reach a centre - or who prefer to learn from home - the same courses run as live online classes, taught in English, Hindi and Bengali. Every class is live with a coach, never a recording, and the live board, homework, tactics trainer, tournaments and parent reports all sit in one academy portal. See online chess classes for kids for how a class runs, or the full online chess coaching courses for the syllabus.

What sets Envision apart

• A published syllabus. Every session of the Beginner Chess Course and the Intermediate Chess Course is listed in full, so parents know exactly what is taught.
• Placement by assessment. A free demo class places each child at the right session, so no one repeats what they already know.
• Offline and online on one ladder - switch formats without losing progress.
• Verified results. Kolkata students have won age-group titles at All Bengal school championships, and one Envision student placed third in an All India FIDE-rated below-1800 classical tournament in 2026 - see our student success stories.
• Parents can see everything - attendance, homework scores, coach feedback and tournament results.

2. Goodricke National Chess Academy

One of Kolkata's best-known training centres, the Goodricke National Chess Academy is run by the Alekhine Chess Club at Gorky Sadan. According to Wikipedia, its past students include grandmasters Surya Shekhar Ganguly, Sandipan Chanda and Neelotpal Das and Woman Grandmaster Nisha Mohota, as well as later junior champions such as Diptayan Ghosh. It has a long record of producing competitive players, and is best known as a training ground for serious juniors.

3. Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy

The Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy was founded by Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua - India's second grandmaster and a three-time national champion - together with Woman International Master Saheli Dhar Barua. ChessBase India reports that it began in the mid-2000s in south Kolkata, and the academy is associated with the Chess for Youth tournament held in the city. It is a natural choice for players who want training from one of Indian chess's most experienced names.

4. Kolkata Chess Institute

Based in Birati in north Kolkata, the Kolkata Chess Institute is led by its founder Sujeet Chakraborty, who the institute's website says has more than 20 years of coaching experience. According to its website it offers weekend offline classes and live online classes for beginner, intermediate and advanced players from about age five, runs inter-academy tournaments and is affiliated to the North 24 Parganas District Chess Association - a convenient option for families in the northern suburbs.

5. The Knight Chess Academy

The Knight Chess Academy is based in Kasba and was founded by Arpita Das. Its website describes online and offline classes, group and one-to-one, for children aged roughly 5 to 13, with FIDE-certified instructors - a children-focused option for families in the Kasba and south-east Kolkata area.

6. Sunshine Chess Academy

Sunshine Chess Academy runs weekend sessions in Kalighat, near Southern Avenue, led by Abhijit Mondal according to its public listings. It describes programmes from beginner to advanced level along with a children's programme and regular tournaments - a weekend option for south Kolkata families.

7. Academia of Chess

Academia of Chess is a children-focused chess centre in Behala. Its listing describes online coaching and tournaments alongside its classes, with sessions concentrated on Fridays and weekends - an option for families in the Behala area who want a local centre.

How to choose the right chess academy in Kolkata

1. Start with the map. A centre twenty minutes away that your child attends every week beats a famous one an hour away that they miss. If none is close, consider online vs offline chess classes.
2. Match the academy to your child's level. Some academies are strongest with young beginners, others with competitive juniors.
3. Ask to see the syllabus - what will your child learn in the next two months?
4. Book a trial or demo class and watch how your child responds.
5. Ask how progress is shown - homework, tournaments, reports.

Our full checklist is in how to choose a chess coach, and if your child already plays in a school club, read school chess club vs chess coaching.

Questions to ask any Kolkata chess academy

• How many children are in a batch, and are they grouped by level?
• Who will actually teach my child, and what are their credentials?
• Is there homework, and who checks it?
• How often do students play tournaments, inside and outside the academy?
• What happens if my child misses a class?
• Can my child switch between batches, centres or online classes later?

Chess academy guides for other cities

Outside Kolkata, Envision teaches through live online classes, and we have written the same kind of guide for India's other big cities: the top chess academies in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and Ahmedabad.