ASAP's Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge
September 2008- January 2009: Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge Hosts Monthly Saturday Chess Tournaments
Chess Challenge tournaments are open to the public and feature five rounds each of rated, unrated, and open tournament play for kids ages K-12 and adults. Awards and prizes will be given out. These tournaments offer kids and adults the opportunity to compete in an official chess tournament setting with a certified tournament director. For more information, contact Justin Ennis at 215-545-2727 ext. 17 or jennis@phillyasap.org
Tournament Schedule
September 20, 2008
Community College of Philadelphia (CCP)
Winnet Building, Great Hall
1700 Spring Garden Street
Registration 9-9:30am
Tournament 10am-4pm
October 18, 2008 (Sponsored by Target)
Community College of Philadelphia (CCP)
Winnet Building, Great Hall
1700 Spring Garden Street
Registration 9-9:30am
Tournament 10am-4pm
November 8, 2008
October Galleries Chess Tournament and Art Expo Liacouras Center, Temple University
1776 N. Broad Street
Registration 9-9:30am
Tournament 10am-4pm
December 13, 2008
Community College of Philadelphia (CCP)
Winnet Building, Great Hall
1700 Spring Garden Street
Registration 9-9:30am
Tournament 10am-4pm
January 17, 2009
ASAP-Dr. Martin Luther King Family Chess Day
African American Museum of Philadelphia
701 Arch Street
Informal Competition
1pm-4pm
About The Chess Callenge
Since 2004, ASAP has organized nearly 700 chess clubs in public, parochial, independent and charter schools; community and recreation centers,
libraries, places of worship and homeless shelters across the city – making the Chess Challenge ASAP’s centerpiece initiative. Each year,
over 200 clubs and 3,000 students in grades K-12 participate in the Chess Challenge.
Why Chess?
The Chess Challenge provides students with dedicated mentors and surrounds them with a positive peer group, around an activity that fosters creativity and intellectualism. In addition, scientific support for chess is extremely strong. The US Chess Federation (2007) sites numerous research studies on the importance of chess as a means to improving academic achievement, and increasing patience, self-control, and sportsmanship among school-aged kids. Furthermore, a recent New York Times article reported that ten colleges and universities are providing substantial scholarships to expert chess players because of their critical thinking skills and ability to strategize.
ASAP provides
- Club starter kit (8 vinyl chess boards, 8 sets of chess pieces, and 2 notation notebooks)
- Chess club manual (comes with basic and intermediate tactical exercises and a guide to online chess resources)
- Beginner and advanced chess coach trainings
Site Responsibilities
- Identify a chess club leader (minimal knowledge of chess needed)
- Identify a space and time for the club’s weekly meeting
- Communicate the number of participating students to ASAP
Club Leader Responsibilities
- Minimum one hour a week commitment to their chess club(s) for a period of a semester (September-December. and January-June)
- Share email address with ASAP for weekly communication
- Participate in introductory training (2 hours)
- Communicate good stories to ASAP.
- Participate in special events and tournaments (optional)
- Participate in ongoing trainings (optional)
Philadelphia Scholastic Chess League
In response to the growing demand for chess competition from our newly organized clubs, ASAP resurrected the defunct Philadelphia Scholastic
Chess League in 2004. The League now boasts 57 teams at the elementary, middle and high school levels, competing in weekly matches across the city.
For more info about the league, including how to join, please visit: www.philachess.com/pscl/PSCLHome.html
Philly Girls Play Chess
ASAP is concerned about local and national statistics, which reveal that the number of girls playing chess drops dramatically after fourth grade. Through Philly Girls Play Chess, ASAP staff works with chess coaches, girls’ organizations, and students to specifically target young girls in Philadelphia in an effort to stop the decrease in female players after the age of eight, keeping girls active and involved in chess
ASAP’s Chess Challenge Saturday Tournaments
Throughout the scholastic year, ASAP sponsors six competitive chess tournaments on Saturdays at Community College of Philadelphia. These
competitions are open to the public, but offer discounts for ASAP kids competing in rated and non-rated sections. For more information on
these tournaments, please visit: www.philachess.com/scholastic_schedule.htm
ASAP Chess Events
In addition to the Saturday competitions, ASAP’s Chess Challenge endeavors to bring together kids from diverse socio-economic backgrounds,
neighborhoods, races and ethnic groups to form a chess community of like-minded youth in a series of special tournaments and events.
These tournaments and events promote socialization, a deeper understanding of the rules of the game, and celebrate the accomplishments of
Chess Challenge kids. The Franklin Institute, National Constitution Center, the African American Museum of Philadelphia, the
Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park and the Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field have all been hosts to Chess Challenge tournaments and events
To get started or receive more information click here,
e-mail chess@phillyasap.org or contact us at 215.545.2727.