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ACC General Instructional Programme Description

The Annex Chess Club’s instructional chess programme is designed for all ages (from teenagers right through to seniors) and all levels of chess ability – from general courses, starting at beginner level, right through to special advanced courses, for tournament players up to master level.

Graduates of our general programme will be fluent in chess notation; will be introduced to the full range of tactical skills and to opening, middlegame, and endgame theory; will be capable of in-depth analysis of their own and others’ games; and will be knowledgeable of the range of resources that are available to continue to improve their games after the class finishes.

Students in our advanced training programme are tournament players working on achieving the next rating level.

[Note: We also offer classes for children – see our children’s chess programme.]

Adult Introductory Chess Classes

Beginner: This seven-week class starts at the very beginning of the game, covering such topics as how the pieces move, how to check and checkmate, the relative value of the pieces, an introduction to strategy and tactics, and basic endgames.
Costs | Schedule | Registration

Intermediate: This seven-week class is designed for those who have either graduated from the Beginner course or who already have a basic knowledge of the game. The Intermediate class will cover such topics as tactical themes (skewers, double checks, discovered attacks, zugzwang), opening, middlegame, and endgame strategy, pawn structures, and famous games. We will also play in-class games and analyze them together.
Costs | Schedule | Registration

Instructors

Adie Todd

Adie Todd is a tournament chess player from Calgary, currently living in Toronto. Adie is a strong player in her own right and an experienced chess teacher. She loves to share chess with new people, and her enthusiasm for the game is infectious. She breaks chess down so that everyone can understand it, and teaches fundamental skills methodically.

Geordie Derraugh

Geordie Derraugh is a strong tournament chess player from Tottenham, Ontario. Growing up, Geordie was Provincial Youth Champion four times. At the University of Toronto, he was U of T champion. He currently lives in Toronto, where he has been a chess instructor and private chess coach for the past five years.

Yakos Spiliotopoulos

Yakos Spiliotopoulos is a lively instructor and passionate chess player, who teaches chess to children professionally in Toronto schools. He has also been the club manager at Annex Chess Club for the past two years. An active hockey player, Yakos brings the same scrappy, competitive spirit to the game of chess. If hockey can be translated into chess, Yakos is the right one to show you how to win your games by fighting for the puck in the corner.

Costs

• Our Introductory Chess Classes cost $140 for a 7-week course

Schedule

Winter: Adult Classes – January/February 2013 – starting January 14

Day	Time	Course	Instructor
Monday evenings	8:00 to 9:00 pm	Beginner	Geordie Derraugh
Monday evenings	8:00 to 9:00 pm	Intermediate	Yakos Spiliotopoulos

Spring: Adult Classes – March/April 2013 – starting March 18

Day	Time	Course	Instructor
Monday evenings	8:00 to 9:00 pm	Beginner	Geordie Derraugh
Monday evenings	8:00 to 9:00 pm	Intermediate	Yakos Spiliotopoulos

Registration / More Information

• Register for all classes by cash or cheque at the front desk in the Great Hall at 918 Bathurst between 6:00 and 7:30 pm any Monday night.
• Email info@annexchessclub.com
• Or call 416-655-6556 for more information

Annex Chess Club provides all learning materials, boards, clocks, and pieces
General classes | Special advanced courses | Top of page

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Special Advanced Courses

Advanced Chess Training – Under-1600: This seven-week class is designed for players who have been playing in rated club tournaments, but who wish to improve their game beyond their current rating plateau, and to make the jump over 1600 (B class). Opening, middlegame and endgame theory are given considerable treatment through in-depth analysis of students’ games, historical games, and the instructor’s own games.
This course is not offered this session – please let us know if you’re interested.

Advanced Chess Training – Develop Your Opening Repertoire: The opening is the first battle of every chess game. In this advanced level class, IM Bindi Cheng teaches from the experience of developing and refining his own opening repetoire. The course explores how building a repertoire is connected to multiple aspects of the game: developing a style of play, learning from bad experiences, managing psychological factors, and preparing for specific opponents.

Special Tournament Training Instructors

Bindi Cheng

IM Bindi Cheng is one of the strongest Canadian tournament chess players. In 2006 he was Canadian Junior champion, in 2007 he earned his FIDE Master (FM) title, and in 2012 he earned his International Master (IM) title. He is currently among the top 10 Canadian chess players, by FIDE rating.

Bindi’s teaching comes from a wealth of personal top-level tournament experience, and will teach you how strong players think about chess. Because of the speed of the analysis, Bindi recommends that students have a CFC rating of at least 1400 before taking his courses.

Liam Henry

Liam Henry is a chess master and a well-respected professional chess teacher in Toronto. He has worked with students at all levels, from beginner to grandmaster (he was on GM Mark Bluvshtein’s training team).

Liam is especially known for his attention to training specific skills at each particular level of chess ability. Studying something at the wrong time (e.g. memorizing openings before developing tactical vision) can be worse than not studying it at all, and can hold players back in their chess development.

Liam’s targeted training will help you optimize the benefits of studying – and show you the way to the next rating class.

Costs

• Our Special Advanced Training Classes cost $140 for a 7-week course

Schedule

Fall: Special Advanced Classes – Sept. 13 to Oct. 25, 2012

Day	Time	Course	Instructor
Thursday evenings	7:00 to 8:00 pm	Advanced Chess Training – Developing Your Opening Repertoire	Bindi Cheng

Registration / More Information

• Email info@annexchessclub.com
• Or call 416-655-6556 for more information

Annex Chess Club provides all learning materials, boards, clocks, and pieces
General classes | Special advanced courses | Top of page

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