Premier Chess Academy

Premier Chess Academy is an online chess institution co-founded in 2020 by Renjith Balakrishnan, a former technology professional who worked at Salesforce, Yahoo, and Meta before pivoting to build a chess education company. The academy was created to deliver international-quality chess coaching to children at accessible prices.

The academy focuses on students between the ages of 5 and 15 and operates entirely online, with a hybrid presence emerging more recently. It is affiliated with the United States Chess Federation (USCF) and employs over 100 FIDE-rated coaches who are screened and background-checked before working with students.

The curriculum blends theory and practical play, and students participate in regular internal tournaments to build competitive experience before facing external events. Top performers are highlighted in a dedicated Star Kids section to celebrate achievement.

Since its founding, Premier Chess Academy has trained over 15,000 students worldwide and became profitable within its first six months as a fully bootstrapped company, demonstrating both the demand and operational efficiency of its model.