Our Approach

Chess, taught through stories.

At The Jedi Chess Academy we teach chess the way children actually learn: through characters, adventures and play. Our curriculum is built around Chessoria, a fantasy world where the pieces are characters who solve their adventures through chess. Each lesson is built around a story that shows a chess idea in action, so a fork or a pin becomes something a child remembers because they saw a Chessoria character use it, not because they memorised a definition.

Everything we do rests on three principles. Discovery: students work things out for themselves before we tell them the answer. Connection: chess is a social game, and our classes are built around friendship, sportsmanship and playing together. Stories: every concept has a narrative behind it, because a good story is the most reliable memory tool there is.

Along the way, students practise the skills that matter far beyond the board: focus, patience, empathy, emotional regulation, and the habit of thinking before acting.

A young man with glasses and a dark jacket enthusiastically celebrates while a group of children and adults watch in a well-lit room with wood-paneled walls, some seated at a table playing chess and others standing and sitting around, with a chessboard and other items visible. There is a decorative backdrop featuring an airplane.

Our Founder

Coach Jed

Hi, I'm Coach Jed. I started The Jedi Chess Academy to bring together the three things I love most: chess, theatre and storytelling.

I am Singapore's first FIDE Senior Lead Instructor and a nationally ranked player (#146, May 2026). I have taught for over ten years in government and private institutions, designed the curriculum for one of Singapore's largest chess schools, and trained over 40 coaches. Before all that, I trained as an actor, and I still write for the stage and screen: I am the playwright of Moonlit City, produced by Toy Factory, and have written for television and children's animation, including Titoudao Season 2, Counting with Paula and iYO.

That mix is the whole point. Chess gives children a place to practise planning, critical thinking and emotional regulation. Storytelling and performance are how I make sure they actually want to be there. Every class I teach is meant to be fun, exciting, and a journey of discovery.

Teaching Philosophy

Stories can change the world. They reshape how we see difficult tasks, the people around us and, most of all, ourselves. By combining professional storytelling technique with current teaching research, Coach Jed helps every student see themselves as the hero of their own story, and instils the chess and life skills that come with it: focus, resilience, emotional regulation and strategic thinking.

He has a long track record of turning complete beginners into passionate, confident and skilled players, on and off the board.

A young man with black hair, wearing glasses, a light pink blazer, a white turtleneck, white pants, and a brown belt stands against a dark background, looking to his left.