Weekly chess classes for kids aged 5-12 in Melbourne's bayside south-east.
Chess builds focus, patience and problem-solving that carry straight into the classroom — and kids genuinely love it. Every level welcome, on Sunday afternoons in Highett — Term 3 starts 26 July 2026. The first class is a free trial, then it's just $25 per lesson — see pricing.
Over 70 kids have come along so far. Groups are small and level-based, so register early.
★★★★★ Rated 5 stars on Google (30+ reviews)
This was incredible. My 6yo had his first session and is now in love with chess. Thank you Gabriel for bringing this joy into his life.
Gabriel is such an excellent instructor. Professional, engaging and approachable. My son is loving every chess class and fully enjoying learning new skills each week. Highly recommend.
My 5 year old has been loving the chess classes with Gabriel. He has become much more confident since beginning the lessons at Momentum Chess!
Chess is one of the best things a primary-school-aged child can do for their growing brain. It builds real, lasting skills like concentration, planning, patience and resilience, all through a game they genuinely love. No screens, just thinking and plenty of fun.
Kids learn to think ahead, plan their moves and find creative solutions, skills that carry straight into the classroom.
Chess gently builds concentration and the ability to sit with a tricky problem instead of giving up.
Every child gets celebrated for their progress. Games, puzzles and mini-challenges keep the giggles coming.
A rewarding challenge away from devices, where kids stay absorbed for a whole hour and barely notice they're learning.
Every child works at their own level: brand-new players learn the moves from scratch, while stronger players sharpen tactics, strategy and confidence so they win more games.
Opening principles that win games: control the centre, develop your pieces, keep your king safe, plus special moves like castling.
Forks, pins, skewers and discovered attacks: spotting free pieces and setting sneaky traps through fun puzzles.
Checkmate patterns every player should know, converting a winning position, and avoiding the dreaded stalemate.
A fun mini-tournament to put it all into practice, learning from each game, and a certificate for every player.
Each hour follows the same friendly rhythm: a warm-up puzzle on the demo board as kids arrive, a short focused lesson on one idea (a tactic, an opening principle, a checkmate pattern), then the part they love most — guided games against other kids at their level, with the coach circling to point out better moves in the moment. We finish with a quick wrap-up so every child leaves knowing one thing they do better than last week. It's a proper junior chess club feel: small groups, zero screens, lots of laughing, and real progress you can see within a few weeks.
2 Livingston St, Highett. Central to the south-east, a short walk from Highett station.
Sunday afternoons, so nothing clashes with school-week activities or Saturday sport. Term 3 starts 26 July 2026 — see Class Times.
Kids aged 5-12, from complete beginners to confident players. Everyone plays in a group at their level.
First class free. Then it's just $25 per lesson for group classes. Boards and pieces provided — see full pricing.
Classes run on Sunday afternoons at 2 Livingston St, Highett — Term 3 starts 26 July 2026. Each child joins the session for their level, and kids can join any week — pay per class or on a term plan.
Still learning the rules? We teach them from scratch in a completely free 3-week course — no cost, no strings. Book the free course →
Knows the rules and ready to improve.
Knows the rules and ready to improve.
Comfortable playing full games, ready to sharpen strategy and win more.
Not sure which class fits? Book a trial and we'll place your child in the right group. We'll confirm everyone's exact time before week one.
Every child starts with a free trial class — and if your child is brand new to chess, our New to Chess course is completely free for 3 weeks. After that, pick what suits your family — no joining fees, ever.
$25per lesson
Paid weekly during term
Reserved place every week
Save $6 per class with Group Classes.
$31per lesson
$149/week
Includes everything in Group Classes, plus:
Gabriel is a competitive player who loves teaching kids as much as playing. His junior chess coaching is fun-first: short, punchy lessons, lots of games, and every child coached at their own level — which is why beginners and confident players both improve fast. He runs every class personally, so the coach your child meets in week one is the coach they'll have all year.
No commitment. Tell us about your child and we'll be in touch within a day to confirm their class time.
Our venue at 2 Livingston St, Highett sits right in the middle of Melbourne's bayside south-east, so most families are here within ten minutes.
Most of our families come from Bentleigh East, Cheltenham, Bentleigh, Highett itself and Moorabbin — all a five-to-nine-minute drive (or, for Highett locals, a short walk from the station). We also welcome plenty of children from Hampton, McKinnon, Brighton, Ormond and Carnegie, all under about twelve minutes away. If you're anywhere nearby — Hampton East, Oakleigh South, Mentone, Sandringham, Parkdale — you're welcome too; the suburb pages above have drive times and local details for each area. There are also overview pages for Bayside and Melbourne's south-east.