Hi, I’m Louis Holtzhausen
I’m an experienced chess coach who also loves playing online for fun. On lichess.org, my rating is around 2000 (username: …).
I started Chessfox Academy to help others build the core skills needed to reach the top 20% of online chess players—about 1700 on Lichess or 1200 on Chess.com as of September 2025. For most people, this is a realistic and achievable goal with steady effort. And if you’re motivated, the same skills can even help you aim for the top 10%.
Here are a few things I believe make chess training effective:
Chess Should Be Fun
If chess feels boring or frustrating, something’s wrong. I avoid long lessons or advice that sounds good but isn’t practical. Each lesson focuses on what truly helps you play better—short, effective, and on point.
Action-Based Training Is More Effective Than Content-Based
I focus on action-oriented learning—lots of exercises and interactive lessons—because research shows it is far more effective than purely content-based study. Many lessons include exercises you can practice.
Avoid Theory and Focus on Practical Skills
To improve as a chess player, you need to focus on practical skills, like tactical vision. While many coaches say “tactics, tactics, tactics,” the truth is you’ll seldom use those tactics if you can’t first achieve good positions.
Positional Understanding Matters
Positional understanding isn’t just for top-level players. Even beginners benefit from knowing how to maximize the firepower of their pieces and make smart positional decisions. In fact, the importance of position understanding is often underestimated on lower levels.
Bite-Sized Lessons Are Easier to Digest
Personally, I can’t stand long-winded chess courses that take too long to get to the point. That’s why my lessons are short and focused—each one gives you high-value insights and practical skills you can use right away, making chess training both enjoyable and effective.
P.S. Most of the content is free, so you can start improving right away. I also add new lessons regularly to keep your training fresh, challenging, and fun.