Teachers with verifiable credentials, real teaching experience, and one shared mission: helping every student improve in a solid, consistent way, whatever their starting point.
Alberto Toval started competing in chess at age 10. One day, his PE teacher signed him up for a tournament without any preparation — he read an old book the night before and won. From then on, chess never left his side. In 2014 he won the International Open for New Generations, one of the most significant achievements of his competitive career.
During his physiotherapy studies, something clicked: in the care homes and associations where he did his placements, cognitive activities were nowhere to be found. There was yoga, pilates, physical stimulation — but almost nothing for the mind. That's where he saw the therapeutic potential of chess and decided that would become his project.
In September 2024 he founded Chesscul. From day one, the school had two pillars: quality online classes for every level, and therapeutic chess workshops at Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis associations in Malaga. A school built with a mission broader than simply teaching the game.
Each teacher has a clear specialization and real teaching experience. There are no generalists — every level has the right professional for that stage of learning.
Beyond online classes, Chesscul runs cognitive stimulation workshops using chess in nursing homes, day centers, and associations in Malaga specializing in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis.
These workshops are not conventional chess classes. They're specifically designed by Alberto — a physiotherapist — to work on memory, concentration, attention, and social connection for people with cognitive decline or at risk of isolation.
The first chess tournament between associations for these conditions in Malaga took place on October 17, 2024 — organized by Chesscul.
Maximum 15 students per group. Once a group is full, we close enrollment. We don't squeeze in extra students just to keep quality of attention high.
Three levels with clearly defined curricula. We don't improvise the content — there's a logical order that ensures students don't move forward with gaps in key concepts.
FIDE Elo is public and checkable. The Senior FADA Coach qualification is the highest chess teaching credential in Spain. We don't list credentials that can't be verified.
All classes are live. Chess is learned by analyzing in real time, asking questions on the spot, and getting immediate feedback — not by watching recordings.
Chesscul has never required a minimum commitment period. If someone stays, it's because they're seeing results — not because they signed a contract.
Progress in chess is quantifiable: Elo rating, tactics accuracy, endgame quality. Chesscul students know exactly how they're improving.
Chesscul in the media
Choose your level and get started in less than 48 hours. No commitment required.
