How do you get kids to focus on in-person chess when they’re used to everything being a multimedia extravaganza?

{"type"=>"root", "children"=>[{"type"=>"paragraph", "children"=>[{"type"=>"text", "value"=>"It’s surprisingly easy to keep students interested in playing if you keep the format appropriate to the age level. Younger kids may need to switch games frequently. Have a structured exercise or puzzle prepared to break up longer club meetings. Communicate and reinforce rules of conduct that include putting away all phones and devices during the meeting."}]}]}

Can I use online chess in a club?

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The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Scholastic Chess Club

“Put that chess away, kids!” Not something you might expect to hear, but chess is taking its turn as the hot new thing in classrooms. In 2023, The Washington Post reported online chess websites are becoming a common distraction in schools. Annoying for teachers, sure, but the opportunity has never been better to channel this interest to the right time and place—chess club!

The simple act of playing chess in any form benefits focus and brain development for children. Playing online is fun and immediate, but it’s not the whole experience of chess. Playing over the board fosters social skills, builds friendships, and teaches sportsmanship and emotional regulation. Club play provides the venue for all of this.

girl with t shirt sat in fornt of chess board- pexels-gabby-k — Chess clubs can greatly enrich kids lives and childhood. Credit: Gabby K/ Pexels

The Two Things YOU Need to Start a Club

The most important thing a mentor must have is a desire to encourage kids to play chess. Basic knowledge is enough to get started—you don’t need to be an expert to support scholastic chess. As you progress in your own level of play, your chess instruction can become more challenging.

The only other requirement is time. You’ll need time to plan lessons and perform administrative tasks in addition to meeting time. It’s often helpful to have another person ready to supervise a meeting to avoid cancelling at the last minute.

Starting a School Chess Club

Partnering with a local school is one of the easiest ways to start a chess club. The following steps will get you ready to have your first meeting:

Contact the school principal or activities director with your offer to start a club.
Complete any required background checks for all adult volunteers.
Identify the time and space for club meetings (libraries and cafeterias are better choices than classrooms).
Identify a faculty advisor who will partner with you on communications and logistics.
Obtain chess equipment (see below for tips).
Set your first meeting date and get permission slips (if required).

Parks and recreation districts are another good community partner for scholastic chess. Having your club listed in the activities calendar can be a big boost to getting the word out. Start by contacting the administration of your local district, and they will tell you the steps to follow.

A very young girld moving a playing chess — It is never to early to learn to develop your chess game Credit: Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash

Starting a Private club

If you don’t have a school or recreation district available, you can start a private club. Look for free or low-cost meeting space at public libraries or community centers. Getting the word out about your new club is important, so get those flyers ready. Decide if you will charge a fee or fundraise for supplies. Many clubs get their start with donated boards in a library meeting room!

Equipment Your Chess Club Will Need

The Basics

Most importantly, you will need chess sets comprised of a board and set of sturdy chess pieces with a storage bag. A demonstration board is useful to set up puzzles and aid in chess instruction. A basic club starter kit including all of these items for 10 players can be found here at a nice discount. Use inexpensive plastic totes to store the items for easy retrieval. You’ll want an extra set of chess pieces like these on hand to replace lost ones—mysterious disappearances are a fact of scholastic chess.

Beyond the Basics

Once your club is meeting regularly, you’ll want chess clocks for tournament or competitive play. Additionally, small notation booklets are very helpful to teach proper game notation during play. Libraries often have a selection of chess books that can be checked out by students. You can also build a club library with donated books or your own collection.

Parent groups and booster clubs are often happy to support chess in schools, so get plugged into their planning process and request those funds. Don’t feel like you have to have everything right to start with—you can add to your equipment over time! Simple chess sets are enough to get started.

If your club is based in a school with a high number of Title I students (economically disadvantaged per Federal standards), you may be eligible to get a number of chess sets free from the US Chess Trust “Chess for Youth” program. Find more information and the application here.

Running Chess Club Meetings

Successful scholastic chess clubs start with a shared understanding of expectations both for play and behavior. Treating other members with respect, participating in planned activities, and observing chess rules and decorum are essential. Review these expectations frequently and gently enforce them. It may take a few meetings, so be patient. The kid who has a tough time focusing or controlling themselves might be the kid who needs chess club the most.

A young boy preparing for a chess match — Chess tournaments are a great way for kids to compete and see how they are doing. Credit: Michal Vrba/Unsplash

Kids learn chess by playing chess! It’s up to you to decide how formal your chess instruction will be. An experienced player can observe a few meetings and tailor exercises to the club. If you’re newer to chess, this curriculum guide at ChessKid is free and provides structured lessons you can walk through at your own pace. Chess puzzles like those in Winning Chess Puzzles for Kids by Jeff Coakley or Parker’s Chess Adventure by Dave Schloss teach in a fun way.

Kids of all ages can play chess together with some basic skills, but you may want to group players by age or specify that your club is for members within an age bracket. For example, there’s a huge difference between kindergarten and Grade 5 players, so you may want to specify Grade 2 as the lower age limit and reevaluate as you become more experienced.

Keep a list of club members with parent contact information to communicate upcoming meetings, events, and any emergency schedule changes. If you have a drop-in format, a website or social media page is useful to keep people in the know.

Growing Your Chess Club Membership

If your school has a club fair, plan to be there with game boards set up for hands-on play. Club members can be encouraged to “bring a friend” for a small reward. Advertise via school newsletters and flyers. If your club is not in a school, make sure to share your information at schools, libraries, community centers, and parks and recreation facilities. Parents browse bulletin boards for interesting activities while waiting for swimming lessons or soccer practice.

Chess coach teaching children chess in a classroom-pexels-anastasia-shuraeva — Making learning fun is key to coaching kids Chess Credit: Anastasia Shuraeva / Pexels

Expanding Activities for Your Established Club

Clubs should have an in-house tournament around the end of the school year, even if it’s very informal. This is a fun way to emphasize how much the kids have learned with formal games and ribbons or small awards. Tournaments against other local schools are fun and inexpensive to set up.

If you have players who are more serious about advancing in chess, provide information about local tournaments or organize team/group entries. With some preparation, your club can even hold USCF-sanctioned events. One of the wonderful things about scholastic chess is the unlimited potential for kids who embrace it.

Remember—It’s About Kids Playing Chess Together

Chess is learned best by playing. Your club is valuable even if the sessions are solely informal games. Mentoring scholastic chess doesn’t require expert knowledge or a big investment in equipment—it just requires you! If you have a desire to work with kids and the time to set up a club, go for it. Introducing a child to chess opens the door to a lifelong learning opportunity. Starting a chess club throws that door wide open!

Frequently Asked Questions

Teaching can be about knowledge, but it’s also about preparation. If you play regularly, plan a lesson or puzzle for the group to work on, and commit to finding more information when there are questions you can’t immediately answer, you’re doing everything right! The most valuable thing you can do with a chess club is provide a safe and welcoming place to play. Encourage your players to learn from each other as well.

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