Chess Club - Learn and Play

Completed by 366 learners

Ages 8-11

Live Group Class

In this ongoing chess club, kids practice strategic thinking, problem solving, and social conversation skills while playing one of the world's greatest games. We primarily focus on Standard chess, but also play variants and puzzles.

Andrew Linke (Chess, D&D, Photography)

Average rating:

4.9

Number of reviews:

(286 reviews)

Popular

Live video meetings

1x per week

2-8 learners per class

50 min

About Learning Overview Teacher Reviews

What's included

1 live meeting

50 mins in-class hours per week

Class Experience

US Grade 3 - 5

Beginner - Intermediate Level

♟️ This is an ongoing club for *Elementary School* aged learners to practice playing chess in a friendly and mildly competitive environment. All skill levels are welcome! We have a solid mix of beginner and intermediate players in most classes.

🤔 Class Experience

- Top of the Hour: Welcome to new members and sharing from experienced members.

- First ten to twenty minutes: Discuss opening, mid-game, or end-game strategies, and practice puzzles.

- By about quarter after the hour we have generally settled into a comfortable rhythm of playing chess, discussing moves taken, and analyzing each other's strategies. Most groups are a pleasant mix of chess discussion and social conversation about recent movies, comics, favorite books, and gaming.

👑 If you'd like to join an advanced class or one which is more quiet to allow for careful thinking, please message me for recommendations of which days/times will fit your needs.

Learning Schedule
We explore chess strategies in a fun way according to the needs of the learners in each class. I've got a full schedule of planned lessons for all of 2025 listed in the Learning Goals section. 

Common Discussion topics:
- Suggest a **Chess Opening** you would like to share or learn about.
- Name a **pro chess player** you're excited to talk about. Be prepared to share what you're most enthusiastic or curious about related to their career.
- **Share** a chess book, guide, or article that has been helpful.
- Share the **PGN** of an interesting chess game that you want to explore.
- Post the FEN or PGN of a **Midgame Position** you want to discuss.
- Ask about an **Endgame** position you'd like to study.

Chess Formats played:
- 1 v 1 Untimed
- 1-3 Minute Bullet
- 5 Minute Arena
- 20 Minute direct challenges.
- Everyone against Linke group vote chess
- Team Chess
- Four-Player Chess
- King of the Hill
- Bughouse
- Crazyhouse

Learning Goals

January
Openings: Italian Game
Midgame: Attacking the F File 
Midgame: Clearance
Endgame: Pawn Endgame

February
Openings: Queen's Gambit
Midgame: Capture the Defender
Midgame: Defensive Move 
Endgame: Knight Endgame

Other Details

Parental Guidance

Students have the option of playing chess using Chess.com or Lichess.org. - All Lichess games are anonymous unless you choose to create an account for your child. Parents are responsible for their child's Lichess account if you choose to make one. - All Chess.com games require sharing a registered username. Parents are responsible for their child's Chess.com account if you choose to make one.

Pre-Requisites

Please ensure that learners are comfortable clicking on and copy / pasting website links, as we start games through the Zoom chat. Learners should understand to raise their hand if they have a question while someone else is talking.

External Resources

In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:

Sources

I will use the following external resources to enrich your child's learning experience: https://www.andrewlinke.com/chess Learning notes from class discussions, basic chess lessons, links to my other outschool classes. https://www.chess.com Articles, puzzles, video guides, and interactive chess guides. Advertising on free tier. Account required for playing. Chat rooms, forums, and comment sections are present on the site. https://lichess.org/ Articles, puzzles, and interactive chess lessons. No ads or mandatory accounts, but does have chat rooms and forums.

Meet the teacher

Andrew Linke (Chess, D&D, Photography)

Joined May, 2020

4.9

286reviews

Popular

Profile

Teacher expertise and credentials

Virginia Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts

I have been teaching students how to play chess and managing a middle school chess club for over a decades, with a special focus on exceptional learners (gifted learners, students on the autism spectrum, LQBTQ+ inclusion groups).