Impact
Our Numbers
180 students taught
5 countries represented
$330 raised
Raise Chess Academy Lessons
We are working with Raise Chess Academy, a nonprofit dedicated to using chess as a tool to help refugee children combat psychological trauma based in Kampala, Uganda, to provide 5 weeks of high-quality chess training to advanced students. We focus on middlegame exercises that combined positional understanding with concrete calculation, highlighting the nuances of the game. This training is meant to prepare these students for tournaments with other youth chess groups. We've been overjoyed with the excitement and curiosity these students demonstrate and their willingness to dig deeper to better understand a position. Our work has instilled confidence in refugee students, supplementing an important creative and recreational outlet in their lives.
2023, August Summer Camp
This three-day camp dedicated to intermediate and advanced players covered the topics of prophylactic thinking, attack and defense, conversion, and practical endings. Students were given exercises from high-level games and encouraged to think in their opponent's shoes, finding ways to practically and psychologically disturb their competitors. Despite the concepts being fairly advanced, students were able to participate, ask questions, and find interesting solutions to the problems posed (even valid alternatives to the gameplay!).
Shanti Bhavan Virtual Lessons
Given that chess has the ability to equip students with the skills needed to break the cycle of poverty, we are working with Shanti Bhavan Children's Project's India location to offer a 5-week chess camp to 18 middle schoolers from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are introducing students to the game and enhancing their current understanding through discussions on checkmates, opening principles, tactics, endgame themes, and more.
Classes started in late January and spanned until mid-March of 2023. We plan to resume in July 2024 for new students.
Jay M. Robinson Chess Club
In conjunction with Charlotte Chess Network's National Master Shawn Pealer, we have begun assisting with the school's chess club. So far, we have run a simul with over 30 eager students and plan to conduct lectures in the future.
CMSCA Free Chess Lessons
Through our partnership with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Scholastic Chess Association, we offer monthly chess lessons, free-of-cost. Lessons are targeted at those just starting out to those with more experience. We cover a variety of topics, ranging from how to move to the pieces to mastering piece activity. Students have the chance to test their newfound skills by playing with their peers in friendly games.
2022, November Weekend Camp
This weekend-long camp was designed to give fairly new players exposure to the game and its richness. We garnered massive interest in the camp and nourished engaged, young minds. We saw students from Canada, India, the Netherlands, and the United States. We hope to see these students excel as they continue to learn more about the game.
2022, August Summer Camp
In this camp, we had a small group of unrated players interested to learn more about the basics of the game. They studied checkmating patterns and opening principles. $200 in proceeds were donated to VTSeva for the education of blind and tribal students.
2022, July Summer Camp
This camp marked the first ever Fighting Knights chess camp, which was held free-of-cost! We had a wonderful turnout with students of a variety of ages and skill levels. Students learned about the wonders the game had to offer: its complex middlegames, exciting endgames, tactical flares, and so much more!
"Every chess master was once a beginner."
Irving Chernev, Chess Author, World Chess Hall of Fame Inductee