Chess
With
Damian
Welcome! I’m Damian Krotov – a US Chess National Master and two-time National Champion. I have devoted 7500+ hours to studying, competing, and coaching chess. I merge chess and performance psychology to build players holistically and enable peak performance.
Teaching chess at South Forsyth Chess Club
Experience
Chess
• US Chess National Master, top 1% of all US Players
• 2018 U13 Scholastic Champion of Russia (Competed in Russia prior to moving to US in 2019)
• 2020 K-7 Scholastic Champion of the United States
• Top 41 out of 81 million in rapid on Chess.com (02/2024)
Fide profile US Chess profileTeaching
• Founded and coached my High School’s Chess team: grew the club from 15 to 50 and led the team to first-ever state championship title.
• Taught 440+ students from 40+ countries on Schoolhouse.world
My approach
Foundation First:
I build a classical chess foundation first. It allows for effective improvement to any desired level.
System > intuition:
Most chess players plateau because they fall back to intuition instead of structured thinking. I teach systems: whether it’s the openings, positional chess, or calculation, there is always a defined structure. That allows for measurable and consistent improvement.
Sport performance:
Your chess depends on your mindset as much as it does on knowledge. I learned and applied scientific psychology principles from the works of Nate Zinsser and Daniel Kahneman, and they’ve allowed me to achieve more. In my coaching, I apply the same successful principles to develop conducive thought processes and allow for peak performance.
About me
I began my chess career in 2013 on a Russian farm. Through 2018, I traveled across Russia competing in international tournaments, leading school teams to victories, and placing in national championships. Since 2019, I’ve competed in the US. Chess has been central to my life and has equipped me with the systems I leverage daily. Outside of chess, I swam competitively for 10+ years, led the National English Honor Society, and coordinated International Humanitarian aid.Off the clock, I am half-cowboy. Seriously, I rock full-on Wrangler-jeans Lakota-fringe thick-belt fit! My 10 years on a farm mean weekend hikes and constantly open windows: fresh air makes minds sharper.
Services
I work with players of every level, age, and competitive mindset
1-on-1 in-person Coaching – $80/hr
• Intensive individually-tailored learning sessions focused on specific openings/concepts
• Continuous sessions follow a detailed improvement plan
• Best for learners that want the fastest improvement and/or aim for a title
1-on-1 online Coaching – $60/hr
• Same structured curriculum as in-person, via Google Meets / Chess.com
Group learning sessions (2-4 learners) – $35/hr
• Structured group learning sessions focused on specific openings/concepts
• Best for learners that want to explore chess
The Game Plan – $300
• A one-hour deep dive into your goals, weaknesses, and schedule
• Followed by a comprehensive individually-tailored day-to-day Chess study plan (6-months).
• More concretely: an opening repertoire accompanied with recommended resources, positional books for appropriate level, daily tactical exercises, plans for training games, and tournament schedule. Points accompanied with the reasoning behind them – so you understand why you study, not just what
• Best for disciplined self-starters that want a clear plan
Not sure which to pick? Book a free 30-minute intro call – I'll point you in the right direction.
I am available in-person or online in Forsyth and neighboring counties.470-695-8382
© DamianKrotovChess 2026. All rights reserved.