Chess Club Overview
General Structure
Each week, students meet with an instructor after school to dive into chess. Sessions begin with a fun puzzle, followed by a lesson, then games where kids can test their skills against classmates. At the end of the semester, students have the chance to join a championship tournament against teams from other local schools. Lessons last one hour and follow the curriculum outlined below.
Curriculum
Intro to pieces + board setup
Rules of Chess + Sportsmanship
How to Win a Chess Game: ABCs of Checkmate
Castling: Rules and Best Practices
Forks, Skewers, and Pins
Stalemate: What it is, how to avoid it, how to use it to your advantage
How to win an endgame
Intro to Pawn Structure
Special moves
Prizes, Free Play, Tournament Prep
“Chess is everything: art, science, and sport.”
Anatoly Karpov