SUNDAY JUNIOR CHESS
INFO
Our Sunday Junior Class is tailored to inspire young chess enthusiasts, providing them with essential tools to master each phase of the game. Designed for players aged 14 and under with ratings between 400-1200, this program welcomes those with foundational chess knowledge who are driven to sharpen their abilities and reach new heights.
REGISTRATION
The fee for attending one or both sections is $30.00. New Jersey Chess Club members receive a $10.00 discount on each class.
JUNIOR CHESS
The class meets each Sunday from 9-11:00 am and will be divided into two sessions:
(A) 9:00-10:00am
(B) 10:00-11:00am
ADULT CHESS
INFO
The New Jersey Chess Club's in-person beginner chess class for adults! Perfect for unrated or novice players, with instruction and casual play every Wednesday from 4–6 PM.
REGISTRATION
The fee for attending the class is $25.00 for members and $30.00 for nonmembers.
ADULT CHESS
The class meets each Wednesday from 4pm-6:00pm
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Chapter 1: The Basics of Chess – Understanding the Board and Pieces
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Lesson 1: Getting to Know the Chessboard and Pieces
In this lesson, you’ll gain a solid understanding of the chessboard and the pieces. We'll cover the layout of the board, how each piece moves, and their roles in the game. This foundational knowledge is essential for building your skills and confidence as you start playing chess. Join us to learn the basics and set the stage for your chess journey.
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Lesson 2: Understanding Basic Piece Movement and Capturing
By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand how each piece moves, captures, and the foundational rules for these actions.
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Lesson 3: Understanding Piece Value and Exchanges
Learn the relative values of chess pieces, the concept of exchanges, and how to make decisions about trading pieces to gain an advantage.
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Lesson 4: Introduction to Special Moves and Check/Checkmate
By the end of this lesson, students will understand special moves (castling, en passant, pawn promotion) and the concepts of check, checkmate, and stalemate.
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Lesson 5: Basic Tactics and Patterns
Learn essential chess tactics and patterns to improve decision-making and recognize opportunities during games.
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Lesson 6: Introduction to Opening Principles
Understand the basic principles of the chess opening phase to achieve good piece development and control of the board.
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Chapter 2: Fundamental Chess Tactics and Strategies
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Lesson 1: Introduction to Basic Tactics
Objective: Familiarize students with essential tactical motifs that frequently arise in games.
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Lesson 2: Advanced Tactical Motifs
Objective: Teach more advanced tactics that can catch opponents off guard or lead to significant gains.
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Lesson 3: Common Checkmate Patterns
Objective: Learn to recognize and execute basic checkmate patterns.
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Lesson 4: Understanding Piece Exchanges
Objective: Gain insights into when and why to exchange pieces.
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Lesson 5: Tactical Combinations
Objective: Recognize and execute multi-move tactical sequences to gain material or deliver checkmate.
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Lesson 6: Positional Sacrifices and When to Use Them
Objective: Understand the concept of sacrificing material for long-term positional benefits.
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Lesson 7: Defensive Tactics and Counterplay
Objective: Learn how to defend against tactical threats and create counterplay.
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Lesson 8: Improving Calculation Skills
Objective: Enhance your ability to calculate several moves ahead and evaluate positions accurately.
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What you’ll learn
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Understanding how each chess piece moves, captures, and the fundamental rules of the game.
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Introduction to basic strategies like controlling the center and simple tactics such as forks and pins.
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Learning special rules like castling, en passant, and how to achieve checkmate to win the game.
Course FAQ
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No prior knowledge is needed! This course is designed for absolute beginners. You'll start by learning the basics of the chessboard, piece movements, and rules.
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The course is structured to be completed over 4-6 weeks with weekly lessons and practice exercises, but you can go at your own pace.
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You only need a basic chess set to follow along with the lessons. Online resources will also be provided for additional practice.