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USA National MasterAsk a question
USA National MasterAsk a question
Holiday programmes
Consecutive-day training for beginners through to competitors. Both seasons run the same teaching, at different intensities — the page below sets out which is which, so you can choose rather than guess.
The outcome
Not a trophy and not a rating. These are the things a coach can point at and say with confidence: your child can do them, and you can check.
A camp is not a holiday childcare scheme with chess at the edge of it. It is chess all day, with games, puzzles and analysis in place of most of the breaks.
It is also not the fastest way to improve. Regular weekly classes beat a camp week for progress per pound — the camp is for immersion and for a child who will not practise on their own.
Same academy, same coach, same curriculum structure. The seasons differ in length, intensity and what a typical day is spent on.
The summer school holiday
Consecutive-day chess training through the school summer holiday.
Summer camps are the fullest format we run: consecutive days, which is why the ideas have time to settle. A child who starts on day one is doing real tournament preparation by day three, whether or not they entered knowing any theory.
We run summer chess camps every year, but this season's dates and prices are not confirmed. Rather than publish a date we cannot honour, we would rather tell you now and let you ask when they are decided.
The assessment is the faster route anyway — if your child is not ready for a camp week, a coach will say so before you spend anything on one.
Curriculum
The core beginner and post-beginner curriculum, compressed into consecutive days so the ideas land before the week ends.
A day at camp
The winter school holiday
Short, focused chess training through the winter holiday.
Winter camps are shorter and more analytical than summer. They suit a child who already competes and wants specific weaknesses fixed, rather than one who needs the foundations — for that, the summer format or regular weekly classes do more.
We run winter chess camps every year, but this season's dates and prices are not confirmed. Rather than publish a date we cannot honour, we would rather tell you now and let you ask when they are decided.
The assessment is the faster route anyway — if your child is not ready for a camp week, a coach will say so before you spend anything on one.
Curriculum
For children who already compete. Preparation, review and time management rather than basics.
A day at camp
Before you book
We have answered these ourselves rather than waiting to be asked, because a parent who has to chase for the answers is a parent who does not book.
Camp groups are smaller than weekly classes, because a consecutive-day format concentrates more individual attention into less time. The exact maximum for a given week is confirmed when you enquire.
Weekly group classes are capped at 6 students with one coach. Camp groups are smaller again, because a consecutive-day format concentrates more individual attention into less time.
Ask us
A child's age and rough level is enough to start. If you are asking about a specific week, the dates are not announced yet — say which school holiday you have in mind and we will tell you what we know.
If the question is really “is a camp the right thing for my child, or is a weekly class better?”, ask that. It is a better question than the dates and it gets a better answer.