Student Success Stories
What My Students Say
"Coach Nicholas Saliba has helped me improve tremendously in only 1 year, due to his dynamic coaching style and attitude towards the game. Thanks to him, I went from 1220 FIDE to 1932, a drastic change for 1 year. I honestly recommend him for anyone at any level. However, the most important part is not his efficiency, but the way he makes you love the game. Honestly, he feels more like a friend than a coach."
Jad Eli Akl
Tournament Player | Rating: 1220 → 1930 (FIDE)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I don’t really see Nick as just a coach, but more as a friend who’s been with me since day one. He’s made me a sharper and better player with his unique and effective teaching style, but most importantly, he made the whole process fun and meaningful. Thanks to him, my online rating improved from 1000 to 2400."
Charbel, Garabet
Tournament Player | Rating: 1000 → 2400
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Thanks to Nickolas Saliba, I now have clear opening plans and a much stronger endgame technique. He also helped me build a bigger opening repertoire that I can actually use with confidence. In just a couple of months, my rating on chess.com went up by more than 300 points. Because of his coaching, I managed to take 2nd place in the U16 tournament. I even won the AEFE chess tournament, which wouldn’t have been possible without his guidance."
Sebastien Girard
Tournament Player | Rating: 2000 → 2300
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I was just 1300 online learning chess from gotham chess videos. After 5 months of training with one of the best coaches I became 2000 online and 3rd best U16 in the national Lebanese chess championship 2025. My understanding of the game grew very quickly. I started beating players that I used to lose easily against. Honestly I feel like Coach Nicholas's students are always on top boards fighting against each other and each one has their own opening repertoire."
Peter Haddad
Tournament Player | Rating: 1200 → 2000
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"My 12-year old loved chess, and with Nikolas’ guidance, he has become more confident, skillful, and eager to continue learning and growing. He found a way to connect with my son, which is not an easy task given his reserved nature. My son looks forward to every chess lesson and plans his day around it. I’m so grateful to Nikolas for turning my child’s quiet interest in chess into steady progress he can feel proud of."
Tracy Sawaya Salameh
Parent
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Quick Reviews
"Excellent teacher with deep chess knowledge"
— Robert H. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Helped me gain 200 rating points in 3 months"
— Lisa C. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Professional, punctual, and passionate about chess"
— Mark D. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Makes complex endgames easy to understand"
— Elena S. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Great value for the quality of instruction"
— Tom W. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"My 8-year-old son loves his chess lessons"
— Patricia M. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating Improvements: Before and After
| Student |
Starting Rating |
Current Rating |
Months |
Rating Increase |
| Charbel Garabet |
1000 |
2400 |
14 |
+1400 |
| Jad Eli Akl |
1220 |
1930 |
12 |
+710 |
| Sebastien Girard |
2000 |
2300 |
2 |
+300 |
| Peter Haddad |
1300 |
2000 |
5 |
+700 |
| Sally Hamadeh |
1200 |
1700 |
18 |
+200 |
| Celio Salameh |
1600 |
1888 |
6 |
+280 |
| Emma K. (age 10) |
400 |
800 |
10 |
+400 |
Results may vary. Individual progress depends on study time, natural ability, and commitment to improvement.
Group Class Success
Beginner Fundamentals Class - Fall 2025
"The beginner class was perfectly structured. By the end, all six students could play complete games and understand basic tactics." - Class Participant
Results: Average rating improvement of 250 points for students who continued playing after the course.
Intermediate Tactics Workshop - Summer 2025
"The tactical training was intensive but fun. My calculation skills improved dramatically." - Workshop Participant
Results: 85% of participants reported improved tactical vision within one month.
Parent Feedback
"Outstanding communication with parents"
"Nickolas keeps me informed about my daughter's progress and gives me specific ways to help her at home."
— Parent of 12-year-old student
"Develops both chess skills and life skills"
"My son's focus and analytical thinking improved in school too, not just chess."
— Parent of 9-year-old student
Recent Reviews (This Month)
"Just had my 5th lesson and already seeing improvement"
"Nickolas's teaching style clicks with me. Looking forward to continued progress."
— New Student ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The game analysis opened my eyes"
"I thought I understood my games, but the analysis revealed so much more."
— Recent Analysis Client ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐