Skip to content
Book your first lesson

Chess tournament preparation from an International Master

George prepares your player for every round of a multi-round event: a study of how they play, a file on each opponent as soon as the pairing posts, a call before the game and a call after it, and a written review when the event ends. Nine rounds is $2,000, and a five-round weekend is $1,250.

See the two packagesEmail your event and section

Who it is for

Juniors entering a multi-round event, their parents and adult tournament players.

A parent of a rated junior

Starting point

Your child is entered in an event of five rounds or more, such as a state championship or a national scholastic event, and you want an International Master working on it with them.

How lessons go

George studies how your child plays, prepares for each opponent as the pairing posts, talks the plan through before every game and goes over the game afterwards.

You receive

A file for every round, a call on each side of every game and a written review of the whole event.

An adult tournament player

Starting point

You play a rated weekend open or a longer championship and want the openings and the opponent research handled so you can rest between rounds.

How lessons go

George builds your openings for the event from the games you actually play, then prepares each round as the pairings come out.

You receive

A round card or file before each game, short calls around it and a written review with what to work on next.

A player whose regular coach is away

Starting point

Your coach teaches your openings week to week but cannot be at the event.

How lessons go

George starts from the opening files your coach already gave you and keeps any line your coach wants kept.

You receive

Preparation that fits the repertoire you already have, round by round.

How the round-by-round cycle works

The work George does outside the calls is part of the package, so your player arrives at each board prepared.

  1. 1

    Send your games and openings

    7 days before Round 1 at the latest, you send the event and section, the last 12 months of over-the-board games, online usernames and the openings your player plays now. Their games are studied for recurring mistakes, time use and the openings they really play.

  2. 2

    Kickoff lessons

    One-on-one video lessons of 60 minutes settle the openings for the event, a clock plan and the routine for round day: two lessons in the nine-round package, one in the five-round weekend package.

  3. 3

    A file for every round

    When the pairing posts, you get a file on that opponent: the main line to expect, a few side lines and training positions. Posted 3 hours or more before the round, the full file arrives 90 minutes before it. Posted later, a one-page round card arrives 60 minutes before.

  4. 4

    A call before the round

    A 30-minute video call that ends 15 minutes before the round. Your player says the line aloud and takes the card to the board. Nothing new is added on the call.

  5. 5

    A call after the game

    A 30-minute call the same evening to go over the turning point and what changes for the next round. Send the game score within 1 hour of the game. On a two-game day, the morning game is reviewed after the evening game.

  6. 6

    A written review

    Within 3 business days of the last round you get a written review: what happened in each game, the patterns behind the results and what to work on next.

What is included

  • A study of your player before the event: their games, online accounts and the openings they play now.
  • Two 60-minute kickoff lessons with George before Round 1 (one in the five-round weekend package).
  • Delivered 24 hours before Round 1, once the entry list is published: in the nine-round package, a file on every possible opponent, or a scouting file on the likely top boards where the section is too large for that; in the five-round weekend package, a scouting file on the likely top boards.
  • A round file or round card for every round, as soon as the pairing posts: the line to expect, the trap to watch for and a clock plan.
  • A 30-minute call before every round and a 30-minute call after every game.
  • Texts with George from 08:00 to 22:00 event time, answered within 30 minutes, until 24 hours after the last round.
  • A written review within 3 business days of the last round.

Choose your package

George prepares one player in each section. Before you buy, send us your event and section.

9

Tournament Preparation: Nine Rounds

$2,000

For a nine-round event

Two 60-minute kickoff lessons, a file on every possible opponent, a round file or card for each of nine rounds, a call before and after every game, texts during the event and a written review.

Pay at secure checkout, then we email you the intake form for your event.

Choose the nine-round package
5

Tournament Preparation: Five-Round Weekend

$1,250

For a five-round weekend event

One 60-minute kickoff lesson, a scouting file on the likely top boards, a round file or card for each of five rounds, a call before and after every game, texts during the event and a written review.

Pay at secure checkout, then we email you the intake form for your event.

Choose the five-round package

What you send, and when

  • The event name, the section and your player's FIDE or US Chess ID.
  • Their Lichess and chess.com usernames.
  • The last 12 months of over-the-board games, as PGN or photos of the scoresheets.
  • The openings they play now, on one short form: the first move as White, and the answer to 1.e4, 1.d4 and the rest as Black.
  • Any opening files from a regular coach, and any line the coach wants kept.
  • Who attends the calls (a parent for a minor), the parent who is the contact, a phone number for texts and your time zone.

The timetable

  • 7 days before Round 1: Your files and the intake form are in. Book at least this far ahead.
  • 24 hours before Round 1: Your field file, once the organizer has published the entry list.
  • Each round, when the pairing posts: Your round file or round card, 90 or 60 minutes before the round.
  • Within 1 hour of each game: You send the game score, as PGN or a photo of the scoresheet.
  • Within 3 business days of the last round: Your written review.

Material that arrives late is used from the next round's file onward; files already sent are not reworked.

What depends on the event

  • Opponent files depend on the organizer. They can be built only after the field and the pairings are published. A pairing that posts less than 3 hours before the round gets a round card, drawn from your field file, in place of a full file.
  • George prepares one player in each section, so two players in the same section are never both prepared. Write to us with your event and section before you buy.
  • The calls are fixed to the round times. A call you miss is not rebooked, and the round file or card is still sent.
  • Every time on this page is the event's own local time.

George Li, International Master

FIDE ID 2052695

Chess title
International Master
Grandmaster norm
One Grandmaster norm, 2019
US Chess report
Youth title
2016 North American Youth Chess Champion, Under-16
2016 standings
National title
2023 U.S. National Blitz Champion
US Chess yearbook 2023
Peak rating
Peak FIDE rating 2433 (February 2020)
FIDE rating history
International Master norm
International Master norm, 25th Chicago Open, 2016
US Chess report
High school title
2017 Denker Tournament of High School Champions co-champion
US Chess Denker results
National high school result
Second, 2018 National High School Chess Championship (K-12)
US Chess standings
State titles
2022 Illinois state chess co-champion and 2023 Illinois Blitz Champion
Illinois Open champions list
National honor
US Chess All-America Chess Team, 2018 and 2019
US Chess announcement
Award
2017 US Chess Scholar-Chessplayer Award
US Chess Trust recipients
US Chess title
US Chess Original Life Master
US Chess yearbook 2023
Education
University of Chicago degrees, including the MS in Computer Science
Teaching
Teaching assistant for the Generative AI and Algorithmic Game Theory courses

His preparation and game analysis are built with code and cloud engines.

Questions about tournament preparation

Something else? Write to hello@georgelichess.com.

  • Which events is this for?

    Any rated event of several rounds: a state championship, a national scholastic event, a weekend open or a longer international event. The nine-round package is built for events of nine rounds, the five-round weekend package for events of five. If your event has a different number of rounds, write to hello@georgelichess.com with the event, section and dates and you will get a reply by email.

  • How early do I need to book?

    At least 7 days before Round 1, with your files sent by then. That gives time to study your player's games, and to build and check the field file. Booking closer than that? Write to hello@georgelichess.com with the event and the dates and you will get a reply by email.

  • What if the pairing is posted late?

    A pairing posted 3 hours or more before the round gets a full round file, 90 minutes before the round. A later pairing gets a one-page round card 60 minutes before, drawn from the field file already built, so your player still goes to the board with the line to expect.

  • Who is on the calls?

    George and the player, by video. For a minor, a parent attends too and is the contact. The video link for each call comes by email.

  • Will George prepare against every opponent?

    In a small section, the field file covers every possible opponent. In a section too large for that, it is a scouting file on the likely top boards, and each round gets its own file or card as soon as the pairing posts.

  • Can my regular coach stay involved?

    Yes. Send the opening files your coach gave you and say which lines your coach wants kept. George builds the preparation around them.

  • How do I pay?

    Each package has its own secure checkout button on this page and on the pricing page. After you pay, you get an email with the intake form for your event. Questions before you pay go to hello@georgelichess.com.

Want weekly lessons as well? See prices and packages. Choosing a coach? Read how to choose a chess coach and how to teach kids chess.

Prepare for your next event

Choose a package and send your files at least a week before Round 1.

See the two packagesEmail your event and section