IM Olivier SIMON

I am Olivier Simon, an International Master (IM) since 2006 and a passionate chess coach.

I have 23 years of coaching experience and have taught nearly 18,000 hours of lessons.

I work with children and adults of all ages and playing levels, from beginners to ambitious tournament players.

My goal is to help every student improve efficiently and sustainably through personalized training tailored to their needs and ambitions.

I became an International Master in 2006 at the age of 25, having achieved all three International Master norms and an Elo rating above 2400.

I have played in more than 800 tournaments and won over 40 of them.

I have competed in French team championships at every division, all the way up to the Top 16, the highest level of French club chess.

One of my games was published in Chess Informant, and a chess diagram featuring one of my games appeared in the French newspaper Libération.

I have 23 years of coaching experience and have taught nearly 18,000 hours of lessons.

I have coached players from 5 to 87 years old, from complete beginners to advanced competitors.

I have supported young players at the French Youth Chess Championships on several occasions, including twice in Île-de-France and once in Martinique.

I have also coached club players and teams competing at different levels of French chess.

My experience allows me to adapt my teaching to each student's age, level, personality and goals.

Alongside chess coaching, I have experience providing academic tutoring in French, mathematics and English.

This background has strengthened my ability to explain complex ideas clearly, adapt to different learning styles and help students build confidence and independence.

I have worked with a wide range of ages and understand the importance of patience, clear explanations and structured progress.

My main strengths are game analysis, tactical vision, calculation, positional understanding, strategic planning, opening preparation and endgame technique.

I help students identify their recurring mistakes, understand the reasons behind their decisions and develop better thinking habits at the board.

My greatest strength as a coach is my ability to identify each student's needs and explain ideas in a clear, practical and personalized way.

I focus on lasting improvement rather than short-term results alone.

Every lesson is tailored to the student's level, goals and playing style.

Depending on their needs, we analyse their own games, work on tactical and strategic exercises, study important positions and improve their opening and endgame knowledge.

I encourage students to think independently, calculate carefully and understand the ideas behind each move rather than memorize variations without understanding them.

We identify the main areas for improvement and adapt the training plan as the student progresses.

My aim is to make every lesson useful, engaging and directly applicable to practical games.