IM Jure Zorko

Hello Dear Chess Player!

My name is Jure Zorko, I am an International Master with a current FIDE rating of 2457.

I'm based in the heart of Europe, in a small country called Slovenia.
I've been teaching chess in my home country, Austria, United Arab Emirates and online for the last 15 years.

I've been an active player from around year 2000, I gathered precious experience from European and World Youth and Men Championships, which I successfully use in my coaching sessions.

I gained FIDE Trainer Licence in Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2015.

FIDE Profile: ratings.fide.com/profile/14604051

Youth Tournaments:

- Multiple National Championship Medal Winner
- Shared 10th place at World Chess Championship U14, Spain (101 players)
- Silver medal on 1st board at Youth Olympiad U16, Ukraine

Adult Tournaments:

- 3rd board for Slovenian National Team at Mitropa Cup, Switzerland 2010
- 1st place, National Rapid Championship (2010, 2017), 1st place, National Blitz Championship (2014, 2015)
- 38th place (600 players), European Blitz Championship, Tallin 2016

I am regularly working as a coach in Slovenian, Austrian and UAE chess clubs and Online for the last 15 years.

I've had the honor to represent the Slovenian Chess Federation as the Head Coach at several European and World Youth Chess Championships.

I gained the official title of FIDE trainer, Abu Dhabi in 2015.

My students became:

- Multiple Youth National Champions U8-U18 in Slovenia, Austria and United Arab Emirates
- Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalists at European, Asian and World Championships
- My 4 best male students achieved the title of FIDE Master (ELO 2300+) and International Master (ELO 2400+) before age 20 and won Slovenian Men's National Championship and European U18 Rapid Championship.

IM Vid Dobrovoljc
Men's National Champion
ratings.fide.com/profile/14609843

FM Nejc Amon
ratings.fide.com/profile/14610132

FM David Stevanic
ratings.fide.com/profile/14613921

FM Maj Zirkelbach
Men's National Champion
ratings.fide.com/profile/14613395

- My 3 best female students achieved the title of WIM (ELO 2200 +) before age 20 and won Multiple National Women's Championship, Gold Medal at European Girls Youth Team Championship and top 5 positions in U16, U18 World Youth Girls Championships. The youngest student Rouda Al-Serkal from UAE gained the Bronze Medal at Asian Youth Championship in 2015 and next year in Brasil became the World Girls Champions U8!

WIM Zala Urh
Multiple Girls U8 - U18 and Women's National Champion
Multiple top 5 positions in U16, U18 European and World Youth Girls Championship
European Team Girls U18 Champion
ratings.fide.com/profile/14611481

WIM Ivana Hrescak
Multiple Girls U8 - U18 and Women's National Champions
European Team Girls U18 Champion
ratings.fide.com/profile/14613441

WFM Špela Kolaric
Multiple Girls U18, U20 and Women's National Champion
ratings.fide.com/profile/14607093

Rouda Al-Serkal
Multiple Girls U8 - U18 and Women's National Champions
Asian Girls Medalist
Two-times World Girls Champion
ratings.fide.com/profile/9314318

I worked as an author for Slovenian Chess Magazine "Chess Thought" (Sahovska misel) from 2014 to 2015.

As a content creator, I've been regularly creating Chess Lectures and Game Analysis for You Tube.

I'm also an accomplished UI/UX Designer with over 8+ years of experience in the field. I've been working with successful Crypto Startups Eligma and Kriptomat as well as with one of the biggest and oldest European Banks, the German Bank Sparkasse, part of Erste Bank Group.

I've been known to bring the best in my students and I have many students confirming that.

Some of them barely ranked in top 10 in their Youth Categories and ended up becoming National Champions.
Many of the adult students took their ratings from 1300 to 1800+ and some of the more advanced adult students took their level from 2000 to 2200+ in less than a year after years of stagnation.

I have a very strategic and pragmatic approach to my own chess games and I use the same approach with my students.
My goal is to teach students chess understanding not just learn moves by heart.

I have finished Chess High School and Chess Expert School, officially recognized institutions in Slovenia, taught by FIDE and International Masters.
I bring you a proper Chess School Experience, tailored to your individual needs.

When you first write to me, we will schedule a free 15-min get-to-know each other call on Microsoft Teams.
(You will be sent a link and you don't have to install any software)

After getting to know each other, I will send you a link, where you can choose the desired time slot for our First Chess Lesson.

You will be asked to prepare at least 3 of your recent games (over the board or online) for our joint analysis.
Game analysis will be the primary focus of our first lessons. We will start working on chess understanding first and the move on to other parts of the game (Endgame and Opening theory, Middlegame examples etc.)

After the lesson, you will get a transcribe in pgn. format or Lichess Study and a Home Assignment to strengthen knowledge received during the lesson.