Hoosier Chess Academy General Club Meetings

Welcome to chess club! At our general club meetings, children get to experience chess away from home or a computer—playing peers, learning tactics and strategies, and developing essential life skills. We offer a learning and playing environment inclusive of all kids, regardless of skill level or background. 

When and where is chess club?

Our general club meetings take place each and every FIRST Sunday of the month, FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1:30-3:30pm. Note: The church is simply our community venue. We are a secular organization.

No time changes to that schedule, ever. It may seem simple to check the calendar, but just to be helpful, we have laid out the specific dates of each first Sunday of 2025 below (when we will be meeting):

  • January 5

  • February 2

  • March 2

  • April 6

  • May 4

  • June 1

  • July 6

  • August 3

  • September 7

  • October 5

  • November 2

  • December 7

The address for Faith Lutheran Church is: 2200 S High St, Bloomington, IN 47401. Free and ample parking available.

In the event the church closes or holds a conflicting event, the affected meetings will take place at one of the following locations (in order of likelihood):

  • First Presbyterian Church, 221 E 6th St, Bloomington, IN 47408

  • Monroe Co Public Library Southwest, 890 W Gordon Pike, Bloomington, IN 47403

  • Indiana Memorial Union, 900 E 7th St, Bloomington, IN 47405

  • St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 100 IN-46, Bloomington, IN 47408

  • Holiday Inn Bloomington, 1710 N Kinser Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404

Changes to the meeting location will be clearly communicated with advance notice. We will:

  • Send an email blast 

  • Post on Facebook

  • Call or text pre-registrants

A Hoosier Chess Academy volunteer will be waiting for you to arrive to show you how to get to chess club. The times of our meetings are 1:30-3:30pm, always. 

Families may arrive as early as 1pm. Set-down begins promptly at 3:30, and there may be some extra minutes to finish a quick game or analysis during this period. We kindly request that folks help set up and clean up if they arrive before 1:30 or stay after 3:30. Our community makes chess club go ‘round!

What does chess club look like?

All children learn in different ways, and chess education is most successful when it incorporates a range of different instructional methods. When children first arrive, there is plenty of chess play time. Think of it like going to school without eating breakfast or brushing teeth, or starting a band concert without warming up—practice time is a necessity to get minds sharpened, motivated, and enthused. Chess play is always first in order to do those things, although coaches will be available at all times to play or look over games one-on-one during this period, too. 

At around 2pm, lessons begin. Sometimes they will occur all at once, and sometimes they will be staggered (i.e. one lesson happens, then another lesson once the first one finishes, etcetera). Children are grouped into one of three lesson groups: Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced; coaches who are on site determine the level of each child if not already placed previously. Children must attend their lesson group during lesson time, but they are welcome to attend the other lessons to keep the gears moving in their brains (keep learning and growing!). 

Here are some of the topics we teach in each lesson group (may change based on student prior knowledge and scaffolding):

Beginning: 

  • Piece movement 

  • Check and checkmate 

  • Piece values

  • Basic checkmate puzzles 

  • Draws 

  • Fundamental chess etiquette 

Intermediate:

  • Basic tactics (e.g. fork, pin, skewer)

  • Opening principles 

  • Basic endgame checkmates 

  • Checkmates in 1-3 moves 

  • Notation and annotation

  • Introductions to tournament play

Advanced:

  • Higher-level tactics (e.g. intermezzos, interferences, decoys/deflections, sacrifices

  • Positional motifs (e.g. isolated pawn, open/closed positions, active/passive pieces, holes/outposts)

  • High-level opening, middlegame, and endgame theory

  • Complex checkmate combinations and multi-step tactics puzzles

We scaffold and we differentiate! That means we do not introduce new concepts until it is clear children have mastered them, and we build upon new concepts little by little and in accessible ways to ensure understanding. This involves putting ideas into practice by playing games with peers, analyzing master games featuring lesson content, and engaging with interactive activities. Children are invited to engage fully in lessons and ask questions to clarify understanding. We like to hear the voices of all students, because even if an idea about a chess concept is wrong, it still builds understanding and confidence. And sometimes there is no wrong answer, so long as you can justify it! 

Lesson groups typically go from 2 to 3pm. From 3pm onwards, children partake in a whole-group activity. Not only is this FUN, but it reinforces the content taught in lessons and provides coaches a formative assessment to gauge what we will teach next time. Some popular activities we do include:

  • Opening principles races

  • Cookie Values

  • Notation Game Match

  • Notation Scribe

  • Mark the Matches

  • Tactical Chairs

  • Tactical Scavenger Hunt

  • Simultaneous exhibitions

  • Blindfold chess

  • Bughouse chess and other variants

  • Giant chess

In addition to purely chess concepts, children at our meetings interact with chess’s hidden curriculum: skills like teamwork, sportsmanship, respect and responsibility, patience, critical and multi-step thinking, and problem solving. Chess is a tool for life more than one might imagine!

Who are our main coaches?

Hoosier Chess Academy is proud to work with many exemplary local coaches. Here are just a few:

  • Jimmy Brown, online 2000-2200: 

    • Coach Jimmy has been a staple of Bloomington chess for over twenty years, coaching at several local elementary schools and teaching thousands of kids. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and it keeps kids fully engaged in the learning process.

  • Adrian Polit, USCF 1800: 

    • Coach Adrian has played chess nearly his entire life and has coached with us as a volunteer starting in early 2024. He is funny, talented, and dedicated to teaching important chess skills kids may often find in their own games.

  • Ben Foley, USCF 1750: 

    • Yes, I teach too, but I don’t like writing my own bio!

What are payment options for chess club meetings?

We have you covered through lots of payment bundles to suit your children’s wants and needs! 

First and foremost, each child can attend their FIRST club meeting session free of charge. 

The simplest way to pay is per session per child, which is $10 per session per child. Unlimited siblings can attend for $5 per session. This option is best for children who may not always want to attend or whose interest in chess may not be clear. 

If it is clear your child(ren) may wish to attend all club meetings in a given semester (spring or fall), you may purchase spring or fall sessions up front. See below:

SPRING 2025 (February-May):

  • $40 for all club meeting sessions; $60 for unlimited siblings 

FALL 2025 (August-December):

  • $50 for all club meeting sessions; $75 for unlimited siblings 

INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS (including summer sessions):

  • $10 for each session; $5 flat fee for unlimited siblings 

For families on public assistance, we offer scholarships for free entry to all our events. Physically present proof of public assistance at our meetings to receive the fee waiver. Public assistance includes free/reduced school lunch, SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, SSI, and other programs on a case-by-case basis. Contact us with any questions.

Payment can be made in many ways: 

  • PayPal to Bloomington Indiana Scholastic Chess Club

  • Venmo to Ben-Foley-15

  • Chime

  • Cash/check/money order

  • Others on a case-by-case basis

Payment or proof of public assistance is due before participation can happen in chess club meetings. There is no set schedule for payment, and if you have been paying per session and wish to purchase the remaining semester sessions up front, you may do so at any time by paying the difference. Payments are not refundable except under extreme circumstances, such as death or debilitating illness/injury. Payments cover specified services between January and December each calendar year. Upon semester payment, we will email or text you a receipt for your records. 

Want to expand your child’s chess exploration? We hold Scholastic (youth) chess tournaments on the THIRD Sunday each and every month at Faith Lutheran Church! These are an additional charge to be paid on-site at the tournaments or online in advance. Visit our website for further information. For your reference, see below for a complete list of the 2025 Monthly Hoosier Scholastic tournament dates:

  • January 19

  • February 16

  • March 16

  • April 20*

  • May 18

  • June 15

  • July 20

  • August 17

  • September 21

  • October 19

  • November 16

  • December 21

*Sunday, April 20 is Easter, so be on the lookout for any changes or cancellations on that particular date.

What to bring to chess club:

We supply chess materials so you don’t have to! There is not a need to bring much, but here are our recommendations:

  • Water bottle and small snack (preferably not crumbly)

  • Small fidget to stay focused

  • Personal chess notation book if you own one

  • Comfortable clothes and shoes 

  • A positive attitude and excitement for chess play and growth!

Safety information:

  • Children in third grade or under must be accompanied by a trusted adult.

  • All children must have a parent or guardian’s valid phone number (plus country code if necessary) in our records in order to participate in chess club meetings. This number must be primary and checked often. We will use phone numbers in case of an emergency.

  • Children who exhibit unsafe, disrespectful, or unproductive behavior after TWO conversations with the child and TWO conversations with family will be asked to leave the meetings for a length of time at the director’s discretion. Bullying, harassment, and discrimination are immediate grounds for removal from meetings. We do not tolerate it.

  • Children must be within sight of club-affiliated adults at all times (e.g. leaving the rooms for activities other than restroom or water breaks is prohibited).

  • All coaches, board members, and volunteers at our club meetings are trusted adults with cleared background checks. We treat everyone with respect and are trained to spot and prevent discrimination, bullying, and harassment. We follow a two-adult rule at all times, meaning children are never watched by one adult alone.

  • If we need to evacuate the church, our refuge point will be at the upper parking lot of Childs Elementary School.

  • If we need to hide from a threat inside the church, we will do so in a designated spot with sufficient blocking of doors and windows. 

  • A first-aid kit is on-site, and adults who are trained in CPR are present at all meetings.

  • It is expected that a trusted adult who is authorized to pick up a child will come promptly at 3:30pm to pick up the child, if there is not an adult already present (third grade/under). Continued late arrivals to pick up children from meetings may result in a temporary suspension. Be on time, and communicate with us if there is traffic or other extenuating circumstances. If an adult comes who is not authorized to pick up, they may not pick up until an authorized adult comes to verify the situation. A list of authorized adults for each child should be written on each registration form. We may ask for a photo ID to verify the identity of the adult picking up.

  • Children clearly suffering from a contagious illness (severe cold, flu, COVID, etcetera) may be asked to stay home until they have recovered.

Emergency contact plan:

  • Step one: We call 911 if there is a life-threatening emergency.

  • Step two: We contact the main phone number on file for the child by calling and texting. 

  • Step three: If no immediate response, we contact an alternate phone number on file by calling and texting.

  • Step four: If no immediate response after waiting approximately ten minutes, we try as many alternate contact channels as possible as brainstormed by the child and club adults.

  • Step five: After a total wait time of 30 minutes, we call local authorities (Bloomington Police Department first and CPS after repeated incidents).

It is your responsibility to pick up your children in a timely manner!

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Thank you for choosing to attend our club meetings! May Caïssa be with you!

Best,

Ben Foley, President and Coach

Rebecca Harris, Secretary

Sam Bala, Treasurer