classes, clubs, & camps
for students
classes, clubs, & camps
for students
Teaching children life skills through chess
Bringing chess to life
Live
Online
Classes
Live, via Zoom, CIC Instructors teach life skills through chess.
Classes are available at all ability levels. All are welcome.
Regular classes run once each week.
Holiday Camps run 4-5 days per week during scheduled school holidays.
Class run from 1-hour to 1.5 hours.
No physical chess sets are required.
What's My Level?
Unsure of where your child fits within our categories? Come to a Free Ability Evaluation Session for new students! One of our highly-trained instructors will ask questions, observe play, and point your child to the perfect class for them. Absolutely free of charge.
Weekly Class Levels
Beginner Classes are quick, introductory lessons where fun is rule number one. They are filled with group activities where children laugh and learn, making friends while absorbing the basics of chess.
Beginner classes are for children aged 5-7. There are two levels of beginner Classes: Playful Pawns and Rookie Rooks.
Intermediate Classes are for children who know how to play to checkmate, and enjoy the game, but wish to play better. Here, at the intermediate level, they will learn the skills to elevate their game.
At the intermediate level, we offer 5 unique terms of Noble Knights classes. Each term is 8 weeks and builds upon the last. Students continue to enjoy puzzles, games, and other activities as they progress through the program improving knowledge and skill. These classes are for children 6-12.
Advanced Classes are for children 7-14 who can demonstrate multiple openings, tactics, and checkmates. These advanced players revel in the intellectual complexity of this chess class. Here, they race against their friends to solve checkmate puzzles, identify discovered attacks, and calculate the profit and loss on complicated piece exchanges.
Elite Classes are players of some skill who wish to play competitively. By invite only.
School
clubs
At lunchtime or after classes, students flock to our extracurricular chess clubs for camaraderie and intellectual challenge. They have a blast playing with their friends and learning the ways of chess, all while developing critical life skills. At a CIC chess club, life skills like Communication, Critical Thinking, and Self-Management are purposefully woven into the fabric of the curriculum.
Students reflect upon and discuss their own life experiences within these areas, then apply their new wisdom directly to the chess lessons.
CIC extracurricular clubs offer your children, regardless of age or ability level, a place to find new friends, discover a new hobby, and learn critical life skills.
Clubs run from September to June, with terms every 8 weeks or so.
Price is $25 per student per hour.
Subsidies are available for students in need.
If you would like CIC to add a club in your school, please send us a request via the form at the bottom of the page.
Club Levels
Kindergarten students play fun, physical games with their friends to learn piece names, movements, and rules. They laugh and sing and solve puzzles and work together in play-based learning activities.
Primary students are in grades one through three. They learn the basics of chess, and a love of chess, through fun, interactive games that are developmentally targeted to this age range.
Junior students are in grades four through six. At this level, students take their basic knowledge and expand into the fundamentals of tactics and strategy. The lessons are still collaborative and engaging, yet they move at a swifter pace and offer greater academic challenge than the Primary Clubs.
Special
Events
CIC hosts many special events. We run chess tournaments, simultaneous-play exhibitions, and giant chess board games, among other events. See below for our current offerings.
Online Tournament on Victoria Day
Monday, May 22, 2023 — 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Online via Zoom
Ages 6-13 — $22
Hey there chess enthusiasts! Get ready to sharpen your skills and have some fun with our upcoming online Swiss tournament! This tournament is not just any ordinary chess competition – it’s CFC-rated, which means your performance will be officially recognized. Plus, with seven rounds of intense gameplay, you’ll be sure to have a blast!
So what are you waiting for? Register now and get ready to show off your skills in our online Swiss tournament. After registration, we’ll send you all the details by email on how to set up your Lichess account (which is free, by the way) and how to join the various tournaments and the Zoom meeting. Let’s make this a memorable event together!1
Full Day In Person Tournament on June 2, 2023
Friday, June 2, 2023 — 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
918 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON
Ages 6-13 — $95
Get ready for an exciting day of chess! Your school-aged children are invited to our upcoming in-person tournament, where players of all levels are welcome. This event promises to be an unforgettable extravaganza, bringing together young chess enthusiasts from all over Toronto.
Our Swiss Tournament format ensures that every player faces opponents closest to their skill level, with no eliminations, so everyone gets to play every round. It’s a fantastic opportunity for your child to showcase their chess skills and receive a CFC rating to boost their competitive edge. The games will be timed using a chess clock, adding to the excitement, and amazing prizes will be awarded to the winners!
We’ll serve lunch, snacks, and drinks, and there will be physical activities to keep your child energized throughout the day. Join us at 918 Bathurst St, on June 2 at 9:00 am for a day of thrilling chess games. The event concludes at 4:00 pm, so mark your calendars! Your child will make new friends and enjoy this opportunity to showcase their chess skills.
We’re excited to see you there!
Live
Online
summer Camps
Live, via Zoom, CIC Instructors teach life skills through chess.
Camps are available at all ability levels. All are welcome.
Camps run Monday through Fridays, excepting holidays.
Purchase one or many weeks.
Camps run from 1-hour to 1.5 hours.
No physical chess sets are required.
What's My Level?
Unsure of where your child fits within our categories? Come to a Free Ability Evaluation Session for new students! One of our highly-trained instructors will ask questions, observe play, and point your child to the perfect class for them. Absolutely free of charge.
Camp Levels
Beginner The 60-minute Beginner Camp is a fun, engaging week of chess for beginner players from senior kindergarten to grade two. If your young one is just starting out, or if they’re already enrolled in one of our Rookie Rooks classes, then this is the camp for them! It’s puzzles, activities, and games they are sure to enjoy!
Intermediate The 60-minute Intermediate Camp is a fun, interactive week of chess for intermediate players from grades one to six. If your young chess enthusiast is already enrolled in one of our Noble Knights classes, or if they’re new to CIC and can already play the game to checkmate, then this is the camp for them! It engages children with entertaining lessons, puzzles, activities, and game play.
Advanced This 90-minute Advanced Chess Camp is a fun, interactive week of chess for advanced players from grades three to eight. If your young chess enthusiast is already enrolled in a Future Masters class, then this is the camp for them! It offers a challenging array of chess lessons, puzzles, activities, and game play.
Partners
CIC Instructors also teach at local chess clubs, for other educational institutions, and at private clubs.
Aspire Learning Academy
Aspire is a West Vancouver service that provides math, language, and now chess instruction for local students. Click the link below to register.
The Boulevard Club
For over a century, The Boulevard Club has built a reputation around time honoured traditions, exemplary service, and unrivalled athletics programs for all ages and abilities, including tennis, badminton, water sports, fitness, swimming, basketball, pickleball, and now, chess. You must be a club member to register. Consider joining The Boulevard Club via the link below.
The Granite Club
The Granite philosophy of uncompromising quality is showcased in its state-of-the-art athletic facilities, world-class events and programs for all ages, delectable dining experiences and personalized services, each tailored to suit the varied needs and desires of its diverse and sophisticated Membership.
For membership inquiries, information packages and tours of the Club, please contact Membership Director Susanne Willans at 416-510-6735 or membership@graniteclub.com.
Hollyburn Country Club
Situated mountainside, overlooking downtown Vancouver, on 47 acres of West Vancouver’s renowned British Properties, sits Hollyburn Country Club. Hollyburn’s facilities are unmatched and award winning. For members, the Club is a home away from home and a private hub for activity, sport, dining, entertainment, socialization and business. A place that brings a unique sense of belonging. Consider joining Hollyburn via the link below.
