Azeri Chess Academy brings Azerbaijan’s chess heritage to students in Houston and online. Founded by Grandmaster Ulvi Bajarani, the academy connects a rich competitive tradition with a straightforward mission: to make thoughtful, structured chess instruction accessible to players at different stages of their development.
Our Azerbaijani Chess Heritage
Chess holds an important place in Azerbaijan’s sporting culture. Baku is the birthplace of Garry Kasparov, who became World Chess Champion in 1985. The city also hosted the 2016 Chess Olympiad, bringing players from around the world together at the board.
Azerbaijan’s achievements extend beyond individual players. In 2017, the national team won its third European Team Chess Championship title in the open section. These milestones reflect the country’s longstanding presence in international chess.
For our academy, this heritage is a source of inspiration. We want to share the enjoyment of studying chess, the discipline of preparing for competition, and the habit of learning from each game. Those values matter whether a student is learning the rules or working toward a competitive goal.
The Birth of Azeri Chess Academy
Our founder, Grandmaster Ulvi Bajarani, won the 2014 Azerbaijan Chess Championship and represented Azerbaijan’s second team at the 2016 Chess Olympiad in Baku. His experience as a player and coach connects the academy’s Azerbaijani roots with its work with students today.
Azeri Chess Academy was founded to share that chess culture beyond Azerbaijan. Our mission is to help students understand the game more deeply through structured instruction, individual attention, and opportunities to compete. We welcome beginners as well as experienced players, with coaching shaped around each student’s level and goals.
Learning and Competing with the Academy
Students and families can explore the academy through:
- Private coaching: Explore chess lessons in Houston and online, and discuss your goals with a coach.
- Our coaching team: Meet our coaches and learn about their playing and teaching backgrounds.
- Tournaments: Visit our tournament page for event details and competition opportunities.
- Group learning: Contact us to ask about group lesson availability.
The aim is to connect study with practical experience. Lessons provide space to ask questions and examine ideas; tournament play offers a chance to put those ideas to the test. Both are part of a continuing process of learning.
Contact Azeri Chess Academy
To ask about coaching or current program availability, please use our contact form. We welcome the opportunity to share Azerbaijan’s chess tradition with you.