CM Ollie Willson from England.
I have played chess for over 20 years and have taught the game for over a decade!
I am a full-time coach to pupils of all ages and abilities. I take pride in nurturing an organic learning environment that enables my pupils to find their passion for the vibrant game of chess.
I am the manager of The Knight Pair scholastic youtube channel where I post various content to help you level up your game. Whether it be for asynchronous learning or just to get a flavour, check it out here:
youtube.com/@theknightpair?si=jn8IvCUwM-p4PWei
Enquire here on Lichess or via the email below to find out more:
theknightpair@gmail.com
CM Ollie Willson
Want week by week improvement? Unlock your full potential here with Master-level coaching. ♞♘
| Location |  England |
|---|---|
| Languages | English (US) |
| Rating | FIDE: 21052273 |
| Availability | Accepting students |
| Active |
About me
Playing experience
Throughout my time playing chess, I thoroughly enjoyed playing at the top level for the England Juniors both nationally and internationally. My proudest achievement was winning clear first-place in both the England Squad and the British Under 16 Championships in the same year.
Since then, amongst other things, I won the prestigious Hastings Chess Club Championships and I have continued playing chess internationally; most recently, in both the 2024 and the 2025 European Club Cup events where I relished the opportunity to play against other titled players.
Since then, amongst other things, I won the prestigious Hastings Chess Club Championships and I have continued playing chess internationally; most recently, in both the 2024 and the 2025 European Club Cup events where I relished the opportunity to play against other titled players.
Teaching experience
Across my decade-long teaching career, I have tutored hundreds of pupils of all abilities and ages from around the globe.
One memorable moment was helping a pupil to refine and improve their knowledge of fundamental King and Pawn endgames, before a tournament, through the use of fun mini-games. They then had their tournament where they won two of their games simply by using the principles we had covered; it was a great moment to see their tangible improvement: I was a very proud coach!
One memorable moment was helping a pupil to refine and improve their knowledge of fundamental King and Pawn endgames, before a tournament, through the use of fun mini-games. They then had their tournament where they won two of their games simply by using the principles we had covered; it was a great moment to see their tangible improvement: I was a very proud coach!
Other experiences
Outside of the world of chess, I have an MA in Contemporary and Modern Writing from the University of East Anglia with a focus on detective fiction; here I focussed on the Jack Reacher novels where I even interviewed the author: Lee Child!
Best skills
I always seem to be the last person playing in a tournament hall, either holding a worse endgame, or trying to grind out a long-term win. This has happened enough times that my teammates have dubbed it the 'Ollie shift'.
Teaching methodology
When learning chess it is easy to get fixated on ratings and other things off the board, and so I firmly believe that all things slot into place when enjoyment and fun are the priority: time and time again, it is through this that each of my pupils unlock their passion for the game and most excel!