Meet Our Chess Coaches: Who Teaches at Trainstein Chess College
Last updated: October 2026
Trainstein Chess College in Chatswood has more than 20 coaches. This post introduces eight of them: six chess coaches, including Head Coach Thomas Xuan and FIDE Master Clive Ng, plus the head coaches of our Go and Rubik's Cube classes. Each profile sets out their titles, results and qualifications.
Who are the coaches at Trainstein Chess College?
The team is led by Head Coach Thomas Xuan and includes FIDE-titled players, a former Australian U14 junior champion, and club champions. The team has more than 20 coaches, and many of them are on our Our Team page.
Thomas Xuan, Head Coach
Thomas Xuan is a FIDE Candidate Master with an ACF rating of 2250+. He holds a PhD in Mathematics and Statistics from UNSW, was the Norths Chess Club Classical Champion in 2016 and has more than 10 years of coaching experience.
Clive Ng
Clive Ng is a FIDE Master and a three-time City of Sydney Champion (2020–2023). He has achieved an International Master (IM) norm, holds a Master of Teaching from ACU and has more than 10 years of coaching experience.
Ethan Chang
Ethan Chang has a FIDE rating of 2100+. He has represented Australia at the World, Asian and Oceania Youth Championships and was the Norths Chess Club Champion in 2025.
James Spencer
James Spencer is a former U14 Australian Junior Chess Champion and was also U16 runner-up.
Kevin Hu
Kevin Hu was a member of the 2015 NSW Schools State Champion team.
Marcus Li
Marcus Li has a peak FIDE rating of 1930. He was the Challengers champion at the Sydney International Open 2026.
Who teaches Go and Rubik's Cube at Trainstein?
Our Go and Rubik's Cube classes each have their own head coach.
Tom Chen, head Go coach
Tom Chen leads our Go (Weiqi) classes. He is a former Australian National Go Champion and has represented Australia five times.
Alec Scappa, head cube coach
Alec Scappa is our head cube coach. He leads the Rubik's Cube classes, which run across three levels: basics, speedsolving and advanced.
What do titles like FM and CM mean?
FM and CM are titles awarded by FIDE, the international chess federation. They show a player's strength in over-the-board games, and once awarded they are valid for life.
Title | Short form | Main requirement, in brief |
Candidate Master | CM | FIDE rating of at least 2200 |
FIDE Master | FM | FIDE rating of at least 2300 |
International Master | IM | Norms plus a rating of at least 2400 |
Grandmaster | GM | Norms plus a rating of at least 2500 |
A norm is a strong result in a qualifying tournament against a required mix of opponents. Some titles can also be awarded directly for results at certain events. Other numbers you will see on coach profiles are ratings rather than titles: a FIDE rating is international, and an ACF rating comes from the Australian Chess Federation.
A title tells you how well someone plays, not how well they teach children. Teaching experience, how a coach explains ideas and how they communicate with parents matter just as much.
Source: FIDE Handbook, International Title Regulations (B.01): https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B012024
Frequently asked questions
How many coaches does Trainstein Chess College have? Trainstein Chess College has more than 20 coaches, led by Head Coach Thomas Xuan. More of the team is listed on the Our Team page.
Who is the head coach at Trainstein Chess College? Thomas Xuan is the Head Coach. He is a FIDE Candidate Master with an ACF rating of 2250+, a PhD in Mathematics and Statistics from UNSW and more than 10 years of coaching experience.
Who teaches Go and Rubik's Cube at Trainstein? Go classes are led by head Go coach Tom Chen, a former Australian National Go Champion who has represented Australia five times. Rubik's Cube classes are led by head cube coach Alec Scappa.
What is the difference between a Candidate Master and a FIDE Master? Both are FIDE titles. Candidate Master (CM) requires a FIDE rating of at least 2200, and FIDE Master (FM) requires at least 2300.
Next step
You can see more of the team on our Our Team page. The easiest way to meet a coach is a trial class, priced the same as a single lesson: $50 (weekend) or $60 (weekday) in person in Chatswood, and $38–$56 online depending on level. To book, call 0415 228 088, email trainsteinchess@gmail.com or visit our contact page. We are at Level 1, 308 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood NSW 2067.
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