Chess Training

There are various chess trainers and chess clubs that offer chess lessons to various levels.

FM Clarence Psaila
Clarence Psaila is a Fide Master.  He is a player, professional organiser of international events, coach, teacher and chess companion. Clarence teaches both private and group sessions. His students have become Junior Champions in various categories, as well as qualified to the Malta  Championship Finals. Students of all levels, ages and goals are considered. Clarence also organises International study groups for periods of 3-6 months. 
Clarence can be contacted on +356 79050843 or email: Clarence_247@yahoo.co.uk   Web: http://www.xychess.org

CM Colin Pace

Colin teaches chess for both juniors and adults, with separate classes for age groups. The classes are also split between beginners (L1) and intermediate (L2) levels. The material is similar but different pace and approach is taken according to age group. 

Colin also offers training sessions customised to individuals or small groups, to have more individual attention and adapted training approach . Colin will be a resident tutor at the Swieqi Chess Club.

Contact: colin.pace@gmail.com or 00356 99496279

CM Duncan Vella
Duncan teaches players who have reached 1500-1700 level and want to make it to the next step to become Candidate level players. His chess sessions are one-to-one and creates a syllabus around  the playing style of the student. An opening repertoire is prepared for the student. Duncan also emphasis on important endgame knowledge.

Duncan can be contacted by email on velladuncan@gmail.com

Matthias Gatt

Matthias who is a National Instructor started his teaching journey in schools before starting teaching in the SCC academy. He also is the president & the founder of the newly formed UM Chess Club. Matthias takes groups from beginner level up to a rating of 1600. He teaches on Wednesdays at the SCC.  Contact: matthiasgatt@gmail.com or +356 79080342 via whatsapp

WFM Nina Thornton

Nina Thornton is a licensed FIDE Instructor and a national arbiter.  Nina is an experienced chess trainer who has been teaching young players for many years.  She also represented Malta in the chess Olympiads from 2006.
Contact: nina.thornton36@gmail.com

WFM Oana Caruana Pulpan

Oana is Woman Fide Master and a licensed Fide Instructor. She has represented Malta in the Chess Olympiads in Italy, Germany, Turkey, Norway and Azebaijan. She has extensive experience teaching juniors from age 3-16 years of various levels.

Oana can be contacted by email on ocar0003@gmail.com 

CM Robert Novak
As both the National Trainer and Instructor, Robert focuses on training young chess players with a rating of 1700 and above. He emphasizes puzzle-solving, openings, middle-game strategies, and endgame patterns, guiding students in mastering essential skills for advanced play. This approach helps his students develop critical problem-solving abilities, a strong repertoire in the opening, strategic depth in the middle game, and proficiency in well-known endgame solutions – setting a strong foundation for competitive success.
Contact: n.robert1984@gmail.com

Elena Ghitza 
Licensed FIDE Instructor and National Arbiter who coaches both young players and adults at various skill levels. She represented Malta at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest in 2024 and is a member of the Maltese Women’s National Team. Contact: elentka777@gmail.com

Swieqi Chess Club

The Swieqi Chess Club run by Colin Pace and Robert Novak, offers regular chess lessons to all levels and ages. Students as young as 5 are known to have started learning the moves by attending these lessons.

For more information visit the Swieqi Chess Club website.

CM Timothy Mifsud

Timothy Mifsud is a FIDE Candidate Master from Malta, currently rated 2103 Elo. He has been playing competitive chess since childhood and has represented Malta at numerous international events. He won the Maltese National Championship six consecutive times, from 1993 to 1998, becoming the youngest-ever Maltese Champion at the age of 14, a record that still holds today. He also won a number of junior and other tournaments, including the British Under-13 Championship in 1991.

Timothy represented Malta at the 1992 Chess Olympiad in Manila, where he was the youngest player in the tournament, and subsequently led the Maltese team at the 1994 Moscow and 1996 Yerevan Olympiads. He reached a peak Elo rating of 2250 in 1997 before taking a long break from competitive chess. He returned to serious play in 2022, and in March 2023 he finished equal third in the Budapest IM Round Robin, alongside two Grandmasters.

During his university years, Timothy also organised chess coaching sessions and tournaments. He is now more involved in teaching chess to younger players, particularly beginners and school students who already have some experience with the game.
Contact: timothymifsud@yahoo.com or 0035679024450