♟ Intermediate Chess (Ages 9–14) – Build Strategy & Confiden

This 9-week Intermediate Chess course is designed for students who already know the basics—piece movement, simple checkmates, and opening principles—and are ready to strengthen their skills. Classes are taught live via Zoom on Outschool, where every instructor (including Mastering the Classroom teachers) has completed a background check. Lessons and practice take place on ChessKid, a safe, COPPA-compliant platform. Students also receive free access to the Weekly Open Chess Club during the course, giving them additional opportunities to practice and connect with peers. After completing this class, learners are encouraged to continue in the Club for ongoing play and growth.

Class Time: Saturdays at 10:00 AM Mountain Time (U.S.) — live, 1-hour sessions.

By the end of the course, students will:

• Strengthen knowledge of openings and build a repertoire
   
• Recognize and apply common tactical motifs (pins, skewers, discovered attacks)
   
• Practice stronger middlegame planning and positional play
   
• Improve endgame technique and king activity
   
• Analyze their own games and learn from master examples
   
• Gain confidence in tournament-style play

• Week 1 – Review of fundamentals & assessing student play
   
• Week 2 – Opening principles & basic repertoire building
   
• Week 3 – Tactics I: Pins, skewers, and forks
   
• Week 4 – Tactics II: Discovered attacks & double checks
   
• Week 5 – Middlegame planning: space, center control, piece activity
   
• Week 6 – Endgame I: King + pawn vs. king
   
• Week 7 – Endgame II: Rook endings & key concepts
   
• Week 8 – Master game study & analysis practice
   
• Week 9 – Tournament play & review

• ChessKid account (safe & COPPA compliant — provided upon enrollment)
   
• Access to a computer or tablet with internet connection

 Mastering the Classroom instructors are both experienced educators and passionate chess players. Each teacher is fully vetted through Outschool’s background check process and dedicated to helping students grow as confident, strategic thinkers and problem-solvers. 

 Parents should assist their child in setting up and logging into a ChessKid account before the first session. While students are supervised during live Zoom classes, parent support may be helpful during online tournament play. All activities take place on ChessKid, a safe and COPPA-compliant platform designed specifically for children.