Skip to content

Chess Camp

Summer Camp Season Continues in Northern Virginia

Starting with the first full week of July, our summer camp season moved back across the Potomac to Fairfax County, Virginia.  From July 7-11 we held camp at Churchill Road Elementary in McLean, an annual summer stop of ours for many decades, and were pleased to teach many new and returning campers.  The next week we moved a short distance down the road to Colvin Run Elementary in Vienna, where we drew nearly 30 students of all ability levels.  

Most recently we spent the week at Haycock Elementary; the Haycock camp strongest group of players that we’ve taught this summer.  Mr. Anderson used a Fischer-Kavalek game as the basis for many of the lessons, and Mr. Mehler provided personal anecdotes about Grandmaster Kavalek, as well as stories about Fischer, to bring the game more to life. 

All of our camps incorporate tournament competitions, large and small group lessons, and individual one-on-one evaluations to help the students master important skills.  No matter what their playing strength entering the week, each student leaves camp on Friday knowing more than when they arrived the Monday before.

Photos from Chess Camp at Takoma Park Middle School

Our summer camp season continued last week with a camp at Takoma Park Middle School in Montgomery County, MD.  Nearly 30 students showed up, ranging in strength from beginners to experienced tournament players.  No matter their ability, everybody learned something new over the course of the week, and the camp concluded with a tournament during which the students put their knowledge to use.

We returned to Northern Virginia this week with our camp at Churchill Road Elementary, and next week we start at Colvin Run Elementary.  There’s still space open at most of our camps over the remainder of the summer, so come sign up to join us!

New Season of Summer Chess Camps is Up and Running

Our summer season started yesterday with a camp in West Springfield, VA. The kids are enthusiastic, enjoyed playing in a tournament to start the week, and are learning a lot of the strategy of the game. We will have another tournament on Friday, and the winner of that tournament will receive a trophy.

Next week, we will be in Takoma Park, MD, and after that in other schools in the area, each for one week.

Several students who have been with us in previous years have registered for more than one week, and we look forward to watching them learn new things.

Our tradition of running summer chess camps is among the longest running in the country, and we always have at least one teacher per every ten students.  Space is still available in most camps, and registration is open at https://chessctr.org/summercamps/.

Photos From a Great Season of Summer Camps

Our last week at Alpha STEM in Chantilly brought the curtain down on a fun summer of chess camps, during which we had around 150 kids enrolled with us.  We spent time teaching students in Springfield, Chevy Chase, McLean (two weeks) and Vienna (two weeks) prior to the aforementioned camp in Chantilly.

Some of our summer students we knew already from our after-school chess programs, while there were others we were happy to meet for the first time.  As usual during our camps, we had all ability levels represented; some of the kids were beginners who learned the rules and strategy of chess over the course of camp.  Other students used the time to build on the basic knowledge of the game that they already had.  All of our lessons were structured and stratified so that everybody was challenged to learn something new.

In between the lessons, the kids relieved some tension in the school gymnasium and made new friendships over skittles games.  Each Friday of camp finished up with a tournament, during which the students got to put what they’d learned during the week on full display.

Chess helped us all make a lot of great memories this summer, and with the new school year nearly upon us, we are already looking eagerly ahead to the start of our after school clubs in just a few short weeks.

Summer 2024 Chess Day Camps – Registration Now Open

REGISTER NOW for Summer 2024 Chess Day Camps

Since 1992, we have been providing challenging instruction and making chess fun for students.  Our nationally certified chess teachers are experienced with all levels of ability.  Camp will be challenging and interesting for all and our focus is on improving chess skills through practice and lessons.  The teachers place more emphasis on learning than on winning.  Good sportsmanship is the key to having fun.

Thousands of students have participated in our camps, with many enjoying camp so much that they return year after year and dozens continue to play at a master level.  Our students have won more than a dozen national championships, hundreds have earned academic college scholarships, and more than 20 have become national masters. 

Our summer chess day camps consist of chess instruction and play, as well as recreational activities.  Camps start at 9:00 am ET and end at 3:00 pm ET.  Aftercare (until 5:00 pm ET) is available for an added fee.  Campers need to bring/pack a bag lunch each day. 

There will be about one teacher per ten students and enrollment is usually capped at 32 campers total for each week. Depending on the week and camp location (see below) students rising into grades 2-7 or rising into grades 3-9 are welcome.  

CRES Week 1f
chesscamp2023
CRES Week 1e
2022-06-28 10.18.12
CRES Week 1g
CRES Week 1b

Camp Week #1:  June 24-28, 2024
     White Oaks Elementary School in Burke, VA (Map)
     Rising Grades 2-7 (Beginners to Intermediate)
     REGISTER HERE for Camp Week #1 

Camp Week #2:  July 1-5, 2024 [No Camp on July 4th]
     Location TBD (in Montgomery County, MD)
     Rising Grades 2-7 (Beginners to Intermediate)
     More details and registration available the first week of May 2024.

Camp Week #3:  July 8-12, 2024
     Churchill Road Elementary School in McLean, VA (Map)
     Rising Grades 2-7 (Beginners to Intermediate)
     REGISTER HERE for Camp Week #3

Camp Week #4:  July 15-19, 2024
     Churchill Road Elementary School in McLean, VA (Map)
     Rising Grades 3-9 (Intermediate to Advanced)
     REGISTER HERE for Camp Week #4

Camp Week #5:  July 22-26, 2024
     Colvin Run Elementary School in Vienna, VA (Map)
     Rising Grades 2-7 (Beginners to Intermediate)
     REGISTER HERE for Camp Week #5

Camp Week #6:  July 29-August 2, 2024
     Colvin Run Elementary School in Vienna, VA (Map)
     Rising Grades 3-9 (Intermediate to Advanced)
     REGISTER HERE for Camp Week #6

Camp Week #7:  August 5-9, 2024
     Alpha STEM for the Gifted in Oakton, VA (Map)
     Rising Grades 3-9 (Intermediate to Advanced)
     REGISTER HERE for Camp Week #7

For more information about our summer chess day camps, call us at 202-857-4922 or email admin@chessctr.org.