Chief Instructor
USA National MasterDilshad Mohammed
Over a decade of competitive excellence and FIDE-standard coaching—building disciplined thinkers for families who expect more than casual lessons.
Decades of Competitive Excellence & Title Pedigree
As a certified FIDE Instructor and USCF National Master, Dilshad Mohammed founded Signa Chess Academy to deliver elite chess education under his direct guidance. A founder of Outplay Chess, his structured programs have helped over 2,000 students worldwide develop the spatial patience and calculation depth that translates into both tournament success and exceptional academic performance.
NM Mohammed Dilshad
Founder of Outplay Chess
A distinguished chess career spanning over two decades, recognized by the world's premier chess federations.
American National Master Title
United Chess Federation
2016Official FIDE Instructor
World Chess Federation
2020Represented India — Asian Chess Championship
Sri Lanka
2015FIDE Classical Rating: 2103
Peak International Rating
USCF Rating: 2306
Peak National Rating
Four Times State Winner
2006, 2007, 2009, 2016
Four Times University Winner
2011 – 2014
Heritage
The journey of a chess master
Explore the milestones that shaped NM Dilshad's competitive record and coaching philosophy.
Competitive Rise
Began competitive chess at a young age, rapidly progressing through state school junior leagues with disciplined calculation training, visual coordinates fluency, and deep positional studies.
Asian Cities Chess Team
Selected to represent India in the prestigious Asian Cities Chess Team Championship, competing against elite international masters and grandmasters on the continental stage.
Asian Chess Championship — Sri Lanka
Represented India at the Asian Chess Championship in Sri Lanka, gaining invaluable international experience competing against top-rated players from across Asia.
National Master Title Awarded
Officially earned the prestigious American National Master title from the United Chess Federation, placing him in the top echelon of competitive chess players in the United States.
FIDE Instructor Certification
Received official FIDE Instructor certification from the World Chess Federation, the highest standard of chess teaching credentials recognized globally.
Signa Chess Academy — Chief Coach
Founder of Outplay Chess and Chief Coach at Signa Chess Academy. Applying decades of competitive experience and FIDE Instructor credentials to develop the next generation of chess champions globally.
Competitive Rise
Began competitive chess at a young age, rapidly progressing through state school junior leagues with disciplined calculation training, visual coordinates fluency, and deep positional studies.
Asian Cities Chess Team
Selected to represent India in the prestigious Asian Cities Chess Team Championship, competing against elite international masters and grandmasters on the continental stage.
Asian Chess Championship — Sri Lanka
Represented India at the Asian Chess Championship in Sri Lanka, gaining invaluable international experience competing against top-rated players from across Asia.
National Master Title Awarded
Officially earned the prestigious American National Master title from the United Chess Federation, placing him in the top echelon of competitive chess players in the United States.
FIDE Instructor Certification
Received official FIDE Instructor certification from the World Chess Federation, the highest standard of chess teaching credentials recognized globally.
Signa Chess Academy — Chief Coach
Founder of Outplay Chess and Chief Coach at Signa Chess Academy. Applying decades of competitive experience and FIDE Instructor credentials to develop the next generation of chess champions globally.
In master chess, calculation is not just about computing variants; it is about building spatial patience. Young players fail not because they don't know the moves, but because they commit to the first candidate move they visualize. At Signa Academy, we train kids to systematically prune their calculation tree, a discipline that translates directly into cognitive academic focus.
”Methodology
Anatomy of a private session
Every 90-minute block is deliberately structured—diagnostics, calculation, repertoire, and championship simulation.
Tactical Error Audit
Extract game logs from chess platforms. Run ChessBase review to identify coordinate blind spots, hasty errors, and planning fatigue limits.
Training focus points:
- ♟ Coordinate blindspot scanning
- ♟ Rapid blunder signature identification
- ♟ Fatigue threshold diagnostics
30 minutes · Free · Includes full cognitive audit report
See if Signa is the Right Fit
Families often begin with a short 15-minute placement assessment call with NM Dilshad Mohammed before committing to a full program. Limited private slots each month.