CRS London Academy
Chess Rising Stars

We are delighted to announce that our founder, WFM Maria Manelidou, has achieved the maximum tier in the ECF Registered Coaches Scheme.

The English Chess Federation updated its approach to coaching in 2021 and the Coaching Pathway was created to provide reliable information to those seeking chess lessons.

Congratulations to Maria, who joins a select pool of just twenty coaches in England to meet the requirements necessary for Level 4.

Maria’s proven track record of coaching national junior champions, at school team level and among individuals, plus Chess Rising Stars’ contribution to developing chess among young people were noted by IM Andrew Martin, the ECF Manager of Coaches.

As part of the registration process, the ECF reviews the coaches’ applications, including chess knowledge, skill level and previous experience. Coaches are then allocated to one of four tiers. Chess Rising Stars coaches Tom, Chris, Michael, Eric and Vinay are also registered coaches with the ECF.

Contact us to discover how you can benefit from our international-level coaching.

Related Post

CRS London Academy, UK Chess News
Apr 13, 2025

Junior 4NCL Online – Season 11

Our first ever Chess Rising Stars team didn’t exactly get off to a flying start in 2022. We missed the registration deadline for the J4NCLO and defaulted in Round 1. But the squad bounced back in style, winning six straight matches and the Division!

Over the next six seasons, the CRS squad has expanded from 8 to 26 players, claimed four Divisional titles and built on that momentum by entering five teams in January.

Clean-sweep

Season 11 turned out to be our most successful yet, featuring tight tie-break victories and dominant finals:

Our two Division 3 teams won 11 out of 14 matches between them and CRS4 were champions by just two game points on tie-break over Ojays E.

In Division 2, both CRS2 and CRS3 qualified for the Semi-Finals. CRS3 were able to avenge the loss of CRS2 to win 7-1 against Hilsmark Juniors 1 in the Final.

Clinching the Division 1 title was an especially pleasing result for CRS1, as we recovered from finishing as runners-up behind Rogue Rooks in Season 10!

In other team news, our new 4NCL Online squad (a mix of CRS juniors, parents and coaches) has reached the Division 4 Semi-Finals. This league uses a classical time control and promotion to Division 3 in September promises an even more competitive experience.

If you’re interested in joining a Chess Rising Stars team, do reach out to find out more.

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CRS London Academy
Sep 10, 2024

Chess Rising Stars Autumn Grand Prix

Are you ready for an exciting series of online chess tournaments?!

To help prepare our students to compete beyond Chess Rising Stars, we are delighted to announce the return of our Online Grand Prix.

This term, our free Grand Prix tournaments are to be held on our lichess team page. Chess Rising Stars students, parents, and friends are all welcome to take part.

Each tournament will have five rounds of 10+5. We have chosen this time control to mimic the playing conditions in the Junior Four Nations Chess League Online (J4NCLO).

Prizes

Trophies to be awarded in various categories (e.g. Top Girl, Rating prizes and Overall Champion). Your top 5 scores from the 7 Grand Prix events will count towards this.

Please note this a slight change from previous terms, as we are adding an additional tournament due to the longer term.

Chess Rising Stars students and coaches at the 2024 Mind Sports Olympiad

The online chess tournaments will take place on Sundays at 4 pm (GMT) in the Autumn Term 2024.

    Tournament Schedule

      •  29th September = Grand Prix 1

      •  6th October = Grand Prix 2

      •  13th October = Grand Prix 3

      •  10th November = Grand Prix 4

      •  17th November = Grand Prix 5

      •  24th November = Grand Prix 6

      •  1st December = Grand Prix 7

    Fair Play

    To ensure the integrity of the Chess Rising Stars Online Grand Prix tournaments, we will use the lichess cheat detection system alongside the observation and judgment of our experienced coaching team.

    Register Now

    Drop us a message on the Chess Rising Stars lichess team page or an email to london@chessacademy.uk to get involved.

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    CRS London Academy
    Jul 03, 2025

    ECF Rated at the Chelsea Chess Club

    Starting in September 2025, the Chelsea Chess Club will introduce weekly ECF rated rapid games as part of our regular sessions.

    This opportunity will be available for students in the top group of the club. We will help our advanced students take a step forward by giving them the chance to gain official ratings and prepare for competitive play beyond Chess Rising Stars.

    To participate in ECF rated games, students must be registered with the English Chess Federation. For parents new to ECF membership, we’re here to guide you through the registration process. Read our article on how to get started.

    Games will be overseen by our highly qualified coaching team – five of whom are now certified ECF Arbiters. Their expertise will ensure each rated game meets official standards of play and sportsmanship, all within a supportive learning environment.

    Our Chelsea Chess Club is already recognised at Level 2 within the English Chess Federation’s Junior Development Pathway scheme. This new initiative is another way Chess Rising Stars is helping our young players grow in skill and confidence.

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