Coach Of The Month: NM Bojan Lukajic

NM Bojan Lukajic's (@lasker_fiverr) notes on Chess.com are an incredible testament to the affection and appreciation of his students. Probably no coach on Chess.com has so impressed his students with such dedication and effort. NM Lukajic truly cares about his students and has helped many significantly improve their games. If you are looking for an affordable chess coach, you can't go wrong with Bojan!

Readers seeking private instruction can contact NM Lukajic via his Chess.com profile (@lasker_fiverr) and can find numerous skilled coaches at Chess.com/coaches.

Interview with NM Lukajic:

Chess.com: At what age were you introduced to chess, and who introduced you?

Lukajic: At the age of five, I was introduced to the chess by my father.

What is your first vivid memory from chess?

It was in 1974. I was five. Mikhail Tal was a guest in my hometown, Novi Sad, the second most populated city in Serbia, playing a tournament. Before the start of one of the tournament rounds, my father put me in Tal's lap to take a photo while the champion was preparing for the game. Sometimes I hear my father still, rest in the Lord, saying, "Go, sit in Tal's lap!"

Which coaches were helpful in your chess career, and what was the most useful knowledge they imparted to you?

FIDE Master Krasoje Notaros from my hometown, Novi Sad, Serbia, was the best coach I ever had. He trained me at the beginning of my chess development; he taught me to lose. Nothing is more important for a young personality than being taught that you can`t win all the time. It`s important, not in a strictly chess sense, but in general. We know that "chess is a mirror of life."

Which game do you consider your masterpiece?

How would you describe your approach to chess coaching?

Honestly, though I dedicate as much as I can, chess is deep. There is no quick success in training, so I try to make it amusing, both for me and for a student with "a bit of potato, a bit of meat" approach. I do a bit of openings, a bit of endgames, a bit of middlegames during the class.

What do you consider your responsibilities as a coach, and which responsibilities fall on your student?

The student needs to give me a smile at the beginning of class, and the rest is my responsibility.

What advice do you give your students that you think more chess players could benefit from?

He who likes to rush, goes to athletics.

What is your favorite teaching game that users might not have seen?

What puzzle do you give students that tells the most about how they think?

Do you prefer to teach online or offline? What do you think is different about teaching online?

I prefer to teach online. Online teaching provides an opportunity to meet with personalities and characters from all over the world. Someone told me that "chess is a mirror of character."

What do you consider the most valuable training tool that the internet provides?

The analysis board on Chess.com.

Which underappreciated chess book should every chess player read?

"Basic Chess Endings" by Reuben Fine.

Prior coach of the month winners:

• IM Mateusz Bobula
• IM Attila Turzo
• GM Max Illingworth