ChessDirSubmit
Discord$5/mo~115 Patreon supporters; Discord access via Patreon ($5+/mo) or a course purchase

ChessGoals

Structured 12-week study plans with an accountability Discord.

By Antoine - 2250 Lichess

Focus

Adult improvement · Tournament prep · Openings study · Coaching

Rating band

800–2000

What it is

A paid improvement community for adult improvers, built around structured study plans, opening courses, and a Discord for accountability and discussion. Access to the Discord comes via a Patreon tier (from ~$5/mo) or by buying a course. A free study plan and a free Chess.com club also exist. Data-driven, with published rating-improvement surveys.

Review

ChessGoals does the unglamorous thing well: it hands an adult improver a 12-week plan, a place to be held accountable, and survey data on what rating gains are actually realistic. That accountability framing is rare - most communities give you content and hope you use it, where this one is built around following through.

It's small, and the public pricing reads as somewhat dated, so confirm the current Patreon tiers before committing. The closest comparison is Chess Dojo, which is larger and more culturally dense; ChessGoals is the leaner, data-forward alternative for someone who wants a plan more than a crowd.

What works

  • Structured 12-week plans with explicit accountability - rare among chess communities.
  • Multiple entry price points (from ~$5/mo) make it accessible.
  • Data-driven and improvement-first, built for adult amateurs who want a measurable path.

What doesn't

  • Small (~100+ supporters), so the community is intimate rather than bustling.
  • Some site and pricing details read as dated - confirm the current Patreon tiers before subscribing.
  • Value is heavily tied to self-discipline; the plans are only as good as the follow-through.

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