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ANNEX CHESS CLUB

On the edge of Toronto's Annex

ACC Class Registration

Upcoming events

    • June 05, 2023
    • July 31, 2023
    • 8 sessions
    • 918 Bathurst Street, Lower level, Toronto ON M5R 3G5
    Register

    Intermediate Chess for Kids - Mondays, 8 weeks, in-person

    This is an 8-week, in-person chess class in which kids will learn intermediate chess concepts. Our goal is to help our students improve both their performance and enjoyment of playing chess. Each class is 1.0 hrs. long. Classes may be purchased on an a-la-carte basis (i.e. as a single drop-in class, or a 4 or 8-class bundle). Students may enter the course in any scheduled week.

    Instructor: David Filipovich, NM

    Topics will be covered from the following areas of play: openings, middlegame, endgame, strategy and tactics. Students should already be familiar with the basic concepts covered in our Beginner Chess for Kids course.

    Classes will be held at 918 Bathurst on the scheduled Mondays from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. Class dates are: June 5/12/19/26, July 10/17/24/31. No classes will be held on July 3 (Canada Day).

    You can learn more about our Intermediate Chess program here.

    Classes are held downstairs at:

    918 Bathurst Centre, 918 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON M5R 3G6.

    Discounted pricing applies to ACC Members.

    • June 05, 2023
    • June 26, 2023
    • 4 sessions
    • 918 Bathurst Street, Lower Level, Toronto ON M5R 3G5
    Register

    Beginner Chess for Kids, Parts I and II - Mondays, 4 weeks, in-person

    This is a 4-session, in-person chess course, taught by experienced ACC Instructor Sue Foster in which students learn various introductory concepts and principles of chess. Kids' beginner classes are an hour in length and begin at 5:00 PM most Mondays. Classes may be purchased and taken on an à-la-carte basis (single drop-in class or a 4-class bundle) subject to the notes below about Parts I and II.

    Instructor: Sue Foster

    A. General Considerations

    These classes are for kids under the age of 14.

    Students that are new to chess should take the entire 4-week course. Some students might skip Part I and just do Part II, if they are experienced and understand the Part I concepts well enough. For parents, a discussion with the Instructor or our staff, prior to skipping Part I, is recommended. Once a student understands the topics covered in this course, they are usually ready to move on to our Intermediate Chess for Kids course.

    Below are the topics covered in this course. Lots of sample chess positions/puzzles are reviewed and this is very helpful to learning.

    B. Topics Covered

    i) Beginner Chess for Kids, Part I: Weeks #1 – 2 (Introduction)

    The first two weeks focus on: the rules of chess including piece movement, castling and other special moves; piece value; elementary mates; and good vs. bad opening moves.

    ii) Beginner Chess for Kids, Part II: Weeks #3 – 4 (More Topics)

    The last two weeks build on the introduction to chess by taking the student through a number of useful technical topics at a basic level, including: the middlegame, tactics, strategy and endgames.


    You can learn more about our Beginner Chess program here.


    Classes are held downstairs at:

    918 Bathurst Centre, 918 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON M5R 3G6.


    Discounted pricing applies to ACC Members.

    • June 05, 2023
    • July 31, 2023
    • 8 sessions
    • 918 Bathurst Street, Lower level, Toronto ON M5R 3G5
    Register

    Advanced Chess for Kids - Mondays, 8 weeks, in-person

    This is an 8-class, in-person chess course, taught by ACC Instructor, FIDE Master (FM) Michael Humphreys, in which students learn various concepts and principles of endgames. These Kids classes are 1.5 hrs. in length and begin at 6:00 PM most Mondays. Students may enter the course in any scheduled week.


    Instructor: FM Michael Humphreys

    General Considerations

    An ELO rating of 1000+ is generally a suitable range for students attending this course. However, the depth of the content for this course may be adjusted upwards or downwards to fit the average level of the students attending. Topics for each successive 8-week iteration of these classes will vary, so there is always new content for advanced students to master should they wish to take the course again.

    Topics Covered

    Here are the latest 8 individual weekly lessons that apply to Advanced Chess Workshop for Kids (Endgames). This is currently taught as an in-person class for kids under 14. 

    • Lesson 1: Elementary Endgames
    • Lesson 2: Playing for Zugswang
    • Lesson 3: Weak and Strong Pawns
    • Lesson 4: King & Pawn Endgames #1
    • Lesson 5: King & Pawn Endgames #2
    • Lesson 6: Good and Bad Bishops
    • Lesson 7: Knight vs Bishop
    • Lesson 8: Bishops of Opposite Colour Endgames
    After each lesson, students are given an online homework assignment where they apply the lessons learned to new chess positions.
    Class dates are: June 5/12/19/26 and July 10/17/24/31. No class will be held on July 3 (Canada Day).

    You can learn more about our Advanced Chess program here.

    Classes are held downstairs at:

    918 Bathurst Centre, 918 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON M5R 3G6.


    Discounted pricing applies to ACC Members.

    • June 05, 2023
    • July 31, 2023
    • 8 sessions
    • 918 Bathurst Street, Lower level, Toronto ON M5R 3G5
    Register

    Intermediate Chess for Adults - Mondays, 8 weeks, in-person

    This is an 8-week, in-person chess class in which adult students will learn intermediate chess concepts. Our goal is to help our students improve both their performance and enjoyment of playing chess. Each class is 1.5 hrs. long. Classes may be purchased on an a-la-carte basis (i.e. as a single drop-in class, or a 4 or 8-class bundle). Students may enter the course in any scheduled week.

    Instructor: David Filipovich, NM

    Topics will be covered from the following areas of play: openings, middlegame, endgame, strategy and tactics. Students should already be familiar with the basic concepts covered in our Beginner Chess For Adults course.

    Classes will be held at 918 Bathurst on the scheduled Mondays from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Class dates are: June 5/12/19/26 and July 10/17/24/31. No classes will be held on July 3 (Canada Day).

    You can learn more about our Intermediate Chess program here.

    Classes are held downstairs at:

    918 Bathurst Centre, 918 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON M5R 3G6.


    Discounted pricing applies to ACC Members.

    • June 05, 2023
    • June 26, 2023
    • 4 sessions
    • 918 Bathurst Street, Lower Level, Toronto ON M5R 3G5
    Register

    Beginner Chess for Adults, Parts I and II - Mondays, 4 weeks, in-person

    This is a 4-session, in-person chess course, taught by experienced ACC Instructor Sue Foster in which students learn various introductory concepts and principles of chess. Adult beginner classes are an hour in length and begin at 6:15 PM most Mondays. Classes may be purchased and taken on an à-la-carte basis (single drop-in class or a 4-class bundle) subject to the notes below about Parts I and II.

    Instructor: Sue Foster

    A. General Considerations

    These classes are for adults and youth aged 14 or older.

    Students that are new to chess should take the entire 4-week course. Some students might skip Part I and just do Part II, if they are experienced and understand the Part I concepts well enough. A discussion with the Instructor or our staff, prior to skipping Part I, is recommended. Once a student understands the topics covered in this course, they are usually ready to move on to our Intermediate Chess for Adults course.

    Below are the topics covered in this course. Lots of sample chess positions/puzzles are reviewed and this is very helpful to learning.

    B. Topics Covered

    i) Beginner Chess for Adults, Part I: Weeks #1 – 2 (Introduction)

    The first two weeks focus on: the rules of chess including piece movement, castling and other special moves; piece value; elementary mates; and good vs. bad opening moves.

    ii) Beginner Chess for Adults, Part II: Weeks #3 – 4 (More Topics)

    The last two weeks build on the introduction to chess by taking the student through a number of useful technical topics at a basic level, including: the middlegame, tactics, strategy and endgames.

    You can learn more about our Beginner Chess program here.

    Classes are held downstairs at:

    918 Bathurst Centre, 918 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON M5R 3G6.


    Discounted pricing applies to ACC Members.

    • June 13, 2023
    • August 01, 2023
    • 8 sessions
    • Online Zoom Class (link will be emailed)
    Register

    Advanced Zoom Classes - Tuesday eve's, 8 weeks, online 

    In this 8-week course, IM Mark Plotkin teaches you Maneuvering – An Essential Skill for the Serious PlayerThese advanced classes are 1.5 hrs. long and start at 7:30 PM each Tuesday via Zoom. Classes may be purchased on an a-la-carte basis.


    Instructor: IM Mark Plotkin

    This course is aimed at club players already playing in rated tournaments.

    Students should already be familiar with the concepts covered in our Adult Intermediate Course. Junior players may attend this course with the instructor's permission, though their parents will pay the adult fees including HST. 

    Maneuvering refers to the strategic positioning of your pieces in a way that improves your chances of winning the game. It involves identifying weaknesses in your opponent's position, creating threats, and improving the mobility and coordination of your own pieces. Maneuvering is an essential skill for any serious chess player.

    Here are the 8 lessons to be covered in this course on Maneuvering:

    Lesson 1: Maneuvering Major Pieces
    Lesson 2: Maneuvering in Queenless Middlegames
    Lesson 3: Maneuvering in the Opening
    Lesson 4: Maneuvering in the Endgame
    Lesson 5: Maneuvering Minor Pieces
    Lesson 6: Maneuvering with a Concrete Idea
    Lesson 7: Maneuvering Inactive Pieces
    Lesson 8: Winning Material

    Class dates are: June 13/20/27, July 4/11/18/25 and August 1.

    You can learn more about this Advanced Chess program on Maneuvering here.

    Classes held online via Zoom.


    Discounted pricing applies to ACC Members. A Zoom link will be emailed after registration.

    • June 15, 2023
    • July 06, 2023
    • 4 sessions
    • Online Zoom Class (link will be emailed)
    Register

    Marvellous Chess Classes - Thursday eve's of Marvellous Chess

    In this series of Marvellous Chess Classes, FM Michael Humphreys teaches  an impressive 90-minute exploration of three specific chess topics each week that are sure to bolster your practical chess repertoire.

    Instructor's Avatar: FM Michael Humphreys

    To us, Marvellous Chess means targeted chess instruction that:

    • is practical and useful, yet inspiring and creative for tournament players;
    • is easy to quickly add to your Monday night tournament-play repertoire;
    • you choose in order to meet your specific needs and interests; and
    • you take less frequently, thereby lowering both your time and overall financial commitment.

    Here are the three topics that we will cover in Marvellous Chess, Session #1 on Thursday, June 15, at 7:00 PM:

    1. Techniques for Fighting Open Files

    The importance of fighting for control over open files is widely understood.  What's frequently lacking in the games of club players however, is a systematized assortment of tools for making the optimal use of them.  In this lesson we'll examine when to exchange rooks, when not to, the importance of the outpost, and the "forepost" (a term coined by GM Efstratios Grivas), and how to ensure domination of the open file before it's even created.

    2. Yifan vs Karpov

    The best examples of fighting for control over open files disproportionately occur from the games of Anatoly Karpov, and this 2010 game against Hou Yifan is one of the best of them all.  In this masterpiece, Karpov implements nearly all of the themes covered earlier.


    3. Black is OK!

      Grandmaster Andras Adorjan passed away recently at the age of 73. As well as being the former Hungarian Champion, Adorjan is best known as the author of the books "Black is OK!", "Black is Still OK!", and "Black is Okay Forever!".  In this lesson, we'll review some of the most important take-aways from these books.

      You can learn more about our Marvellous Chess series of classes here.

      Discounted pricing applies to both ACC Members and Non-Members.


      A Zoom link will be provided after registration.

    ANNEX CHESS CLUB (ACC)

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    Club Manager: +1 (647) 822-4628
    Email: info@annexchessclub.com

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    918 Bathurst Street, Unit L2
    Toronto, ON M5R 3G5, CAN