Chess coaching · Melbourne & online

Better moves start with better thinking.

I'm Jody Middleton, a Woman Candidate Master who has represented Australia at the FIDE Olympiad and the World Junior Championships. I've coached privately and in schools since 2021, working with juniors, adults and school teams from their first moves to national championships.

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Jody Middleton deep in thought at the board, wearing the Australian team jacket
World Girls Junior Championships 2023, Mexico City
About

About Jody

Your bio goes here. Two or three short paragraphs work well: how you got into chess, what you love about coaching, and what students can expect from you.

Chess trivia

How well do you know the game?

Eight questions at a time, drawn from a bank of 64, one for each square on the board. They cover rules, openings, history and famous players. Some are easy, some will surprise even club players.

Record

Five national titles, and Australia's colours abroad.

2022 & 2023World Junior Championships

Represented Australia two years running.

2021FIDE Olympiad

Played for Australia alongside GMs Temur Kuybokarov and Zhao Zong-Yuan, against teams including China and Romania.

2021City of Melbourne Open

My most notable win, against Jesse Jager (rated 2144) at the Melbourne Chess Club.

2019Australian Girls Champion

The top title in Australian junior girls' chess.

2011–17Four age titles

Australian Girls Champion at Under 8 (2011), 10 (2012), 12 (2015) and 16 (2017).

FIDE titleWoman Candidate Master

Awarded by FIDE, the international chess federation.

Story

From Box Hill to the Olympiad

Jody Middleton smiling at the board before a game in Sardinia, wearing the Australian team shirt
Representing Australia in Sardinia
  1. 2009

    Started chess with Dark Horse Chess, coached by Vanja Rozenblat.

  2. 2010

    First tournaments at age seven, playing regularly at Box Hill Chess Club.

  3. 2011–19

    Competed every year at the Australian Junior Championships, winning five girls' titles. Helped lead the Presbyterian Ladies' College team to five consecutive Australian Schools Championship wins.

  4. 2021

    Started coaching, and played for Australia at the FIDE Olympiad.

  5. 2022–23

    Represented Australia at the World Junior Championships.

Who I coach

Lessons for every stage

Unrated · first tournaments

Juniors starting out

I started at Box Hill Chess Club at age seven, so I know what it takes to get from learning the rules to playing a first rated game. Lessons build good habits early and keep it fun.

Rated · 1000 to 1800

Improving players

An opening repertoire that suits your style, middlegame planning, and endgame technique. We review your own tournament games to find what's really costing you points.

Championship level

Competitive juniors

Preparation for state and Australian Junior Championships from someone who has won them, including opponent preparation and managing nerves and the clock.

How it works

From first lesson to next tournament

I push students outside their comfort zone, and I ask them to teach ideas back to me. Explaining a plan or a pattern out loud is the fastest way to find out whether you really understand it.

  1. 1.

    Assessment

    In the first lesson we play, look at a few positions together, and talk about goals. I work out where the student is and what will help most.

  2. 2.

    A plan

    A short list of priorities for the next few months, such as a first repertoire, tactical pattern work, or specific endgames.

  3. 3.

    Games and review

    Students play, bring their games back, and walk me through their thinking. Going over real games, with the student doing the explaining, is where most improvement happens.

  4. 4.

    Tournaments

    When they're ready, I help choose events and prepare for them, then review the results afterwards.

Testimonials

What families say

Read all testimonials
6th
School programs

Coaching school teams to national titles

As a student I helped PLC win the Australian Schools Championship five years in a row. In 2021 I came back as coach and led the team to its sixth consecutive title.

I also coached Glendal Primary School to victory, and have coached at Korowa Anglican Girls' School and Scotch College, running weekly programs, team selection and preparation for interschool competitions.

  • Presbyterian Ladies' College
  • Glendal Primary School
  • Korowa Anglican Girls' School
  • Scotch College
Jody Middleton sitting on a bench with six students in school uniform, their faces covered by chess queen icons
With the PLC team, 2021
In the media

Press & video

All press & records
Jody Middleton and another player lying on the grass in a park, smiling on either side of a chessboard
Lessons

Where and how

In person

Private lessons in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, at your home or a local club.

Online

Lessons over video with a shared board on Lichess or Chess.com. Works well for students anywhere in Australia.

Schools & clubs

Weekly group sessions, team coaching and tournament preparation. Get in touch to discuss a program.

Get in touch

Book a first lesson

Tell me about the student: their age, how long they've played, and any rating or tournaments so far. Rates are available on enquiry.

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Press & records

In the media

Press & video

Records & profiles

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Testimonials

Kind words from families

From parents of students I've coached in private lessons.

Book a lesson