Mission Statement

SW Chess Club opened in 2015 with the aim of providing top quality chess coaching in South West London. We run holiday camps, weekly clubs and school chess clubs. Our goal is to introduce children to chess in a fun environment, several of our students have gone on to represent England in international competitions   

Our Coaches

Toni Johansson

Toni currently resides in Southwest London, where he lives with his wife and two children. For the past decade, he has dedicated himself to coaching chess full-time, working in various settings including schools, camps, clubs, and also offering private tuition. His private students are quite diverse, ranging from complete beginners to some of the top-rated young chess players in their age groups nationwide. Toni specialises in teaching students from scratch up to a level where they will be selected to represent their country in international junior tournaments. His most successful students have claimed top spots (gold and silver) in the British Championship for their respective age groups.

In 2023, Toni was awarded the title of FIDE Instructor (FI) by the International Chess Federation. This accolade reflects his extensive coaching experience, the remarkable results achieved by his students, and his long-standing commitment to organising and teaching chess.

Lucas Duda

Lucas caught the bug for the game when he was 12 years old and quickly became fascinated by the depth and rich history of the royal game.

Despite having played in a number of junior tournaments in his native Poland he dropped chess at the age of 16 returning to it in 2015.
Lucas is a qualified history teacher who likes lengthy books and  rock music. He finds chess coaching both intellectually and emotionally rewarding.