IM Tadej Sakelšek

I started to play chess at the age of 8. Soon after I began to attend a chess school in a local chess club ZSK Maribor. At the age of 14 I became a Slovenian junior champion U20. In 2004 I became Slovenian men champion. I represented Slovenia in 2 chess Olympiads (Bled 2002 and Calvia 2004). I started to work as a chess coach back in 2005 in a local chess club. After that I was cooperating with the Slovenian chess federation and Maribor chess company Šahohlačnik. I was an official coach in many World and European youth chess championships. Between 2013 and 2018 I worked as a head coach in Al Ain chess club (United Arab Emirates). During 2018 and 2020 I was closely cooperating with the European chess Academy Maribor and in 2020 I became its director.

I obtained the IM title in 2004 and FT title in 2009.

I started to play chess at the age of 8.
My best results:
- In 2004 I was Slovenian men champion
- With my team I won many Slovenian team championships
- I represented my country in 2 chess Olympiads (Bled 2002 and Calvia 2004)

European chess academy Maribor • 2018 and still working
Director, coach, organization
I am working for European chess academy since 2018. Mainly I was working as a coach in summer chess camps in 2018 and 2019. Apart from that I offered individual classes to the players ECA supported. I was also helping with the organization of events.
From 2020 I became ECA’s director.

ŽŠK Maribor • 2006 – 2010, 2018 and still working
Coach, Board member, Arbiter, player

In a local chess club I was working between 2006 and 2010. I was a head coach in the club. In 2018 I returned back to Slovenia and continued to work in the local club. I am a head coach and responsible for the most talented players. Many of them are medal winners in Slovenian youth championships. Apart from coaching I am a board member and an arbiter.

Al Ain chess&culture club • 2013 to 2018
Head coach

In Al Ain (UAE) I started to work back in 2013. I got the position of the head coach which means I was responsible for the most talented players. Together we won many local medals but mostly I am proud to win international medals in Asian amateur championship, Gulf championship, many medals in Asian school championships in Arab championships.

Šahohlačnik d.o.o. • 2009 - 2013
Coach and organizing events
With the local chess company I was cooperating between 2009 and 2013. Mainly I was working as a coach, teaching the most promising Slovenian juniors. We were working online, organizing chess camps and made a lot of individual trainings. Apart from trainings I was helping with organization of the European club cup 2011 and World youth chess championship in 2012.

Individual work • 2006 and still working
Trainer, captain, author
I am offering individual classes since 2006. I was coaching many players and many of them achieved great successes both at local and international levels. I am working with players from Slovenia, Korea, China and other countries.

Team work

I also have experiences with being team captain and trainer:
- Captain of ŽŠK Maribor (best Slovenian club)
- Captain of many team’s of Al Ain chess club (local and international level)
- Captain of UAE women team in Asian games (Abu Dhabi 2016)
- Captain of team Mauritius in Olympiad (Batumi 2018)

I was part of organising team of many official events:
- European club cup 2011
- World Youth chess championship 2012 (Maribor, Slovenia)
- World Youth chess championship 2013 (Al Ain, UAE)
- World Senior chess championship 2018 (Bled, Slovenia)

I am also an author of trilogy The Power of Tactics together with GM Adrian Mikhalchisin.
www.newinchess.com/the-power-of-tactics-1-2

I am a chess clasic and therfore I play and teach chess that way!

- I am good at building up players opening repertoire
- I focus a lot on analyzing games as I think this is one of the most important part of the training
- I like to study classical games
- I teach my players how to play correcty typical pawn structures, endgames and midllegame
- Calculation of the variaiton (tactics) is also very important part of my trainings

I teach chess very systematically, depend on player needs.