Planning a lesson

A repeatable lesson structure: warm-up, new idea, guided practice, game work, homework.

Good lessons feel different every week but follow the same skeleton. Students learn faster when they know the rhythm, and you plan faster when you only need to choose the content for each slot. Each level page shows a suggested timetable; adapt it to the student.

The five-part lesson

1. Warm-up (5–15 min): puzzles slightly below the student’s level, solved quickly. It switches the brain to chess and gives an early success.
2. New idea (10–25 min): one theme only. Show 2–3 clear examples, then let the student explain the idea back in their own words.
3. Guided practice (15–20 min): themed puzzles, a play-out against the engine or a guess-the-move game on the same idea. Correct immediately.
4. Game work (10–20 min): review a recent game of the student, or play a training game from a set position related to the theme.
5. Wrap-up and homework (5 min): one sentence summary from the student, then concrete homework with numbers (“30 fork puzzles, two 15+10 games”).

Adjusting by stage

• Beginner: blocks of 10 minutes maximum, mini-games instead of long explanations, physical board where possible.
• Below 1000 / 1500: more puzzles than talking; one theme per week; review one game every lesson.
• Below 2000: longer calculation blocks; the student writes variations down; model games with commentary.
• Professional: the student brings material (games, preparation); the coach challenges and structures rather than lectures.

Log every lesson in the app (topics, notes, homework). After a month the log shows whether you are really following the level’s focus split or drifting towards your favourite topics.