CURRICULUM
Nine Points Chess Program Curriculum
Early Beginners (Age 5-7) - $432 (12 sessions)
Offered as In-Person Group Lessons Only
Understanding the Chessboard and Coordinates, Name the Chess Pieces, and their Spelling, Make your own Chessboard, Board Setup, Chess Pieces Movement and Value, The Pawn Game, Legal vs. Illegal Moves, Chess Vocabulary, Quizzes, and Regular Homework assessments.
Early Beginners Strategy (Age 5-7) - $432 (12 sessions)
Offered as In-Person Group Lessons Only
Phases of the chess game: The Opening, the Middle game, and the Endgame. Attacking & Capturing, Pawn Promotion, Rules to remember, Difference between Check, Checkmate, and Stalemate. Special moves in chess. Escaping from Check and points to consider before each move.
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Early Beginners (Practice Tournament (Age 5-7) - $144 (4 sessions)
Offered as In-Person Group Lessons Only
Students will use their chess knowledge to play a complete game over the board using a chess clock to transition to OTB practice tournaments.
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Beginners – Basics and Tournament (Age 8-16) - $360(16 sessions)
Offered as On-line Group Lessons Only
12 Online Lessons and 4 Online Practice Tournaments
Basics of the Chess Game and Vocabulary, Division or Structure of the chessboard, History of Chess, World Champions, The purpose of the game: Checkmate. Attacking & Capturing, Overview of the Phases of the Chess Game: The Opening, the Middle game, and the Endgame, Understanding Special Moves like En passant, Castling & Artificial Castling, Pawn Promotion, Pawn Under-promotion, Understanding terms like Centering, Space and Tempo in chess. Difference between Check and Checkmate, Helper Checkmate, Escaping from Check. Chess Traps like Fools mate and Scholar’s mate, Touch Move Rule. Standard International Chess Notation: Learn to notate a game. Rules to remember, Chess Etiquette, Patience, Attention/focus, Concentration, Confidence, Learning Commitment, Consequences, Cooperative behavior, Process of decision making, How to Plan, and
Sportsmanship. Regular Homework Assessment.
Strategy & Tournaments (Age 8 -16) - $360 (18 sessions)
Offered as Online Group Lessons Only
12 online lessons and 6 online practice tournaments
A Strategy is a Plan or Idea. Learn the Overall Scheme of the Chess Game: Golden Rules and Opening Principles. Middle Game Strategy, End Game Strategy, Why are Pawns Important, Hanging Pieces, Ways to Draw a Game, Difference between Check, Checkmate, and Stalemate. When not to Castle, Attacking the Castled King and How to prevent your opponent from Castling. When to Trade, Create an Attack, Profitable Exchange, Attacking, and Defending. Learning to count and calculate moves. How to create an Outpost. Writing International Algebraic Chess Notation indicating the purpose for the move. Checkmate in One and Two Moves, Quizzes & Puzzles, Intermediate Strategy Assessment, Regular Homework assessment.
Tactics & Tournaments (Age 8 -16) - $360 (24 sessions)
Offered as Online Group Lessons Only
12 online lessons and 12 online practice tournaments
Course Prerequisite: Strategy
This class meets twice a week.
Chess Tactics is a Short Sequence of Moves. Optimize your Chess Thinking - Points to consider before each move. When to check successfully. Learn three basic types of Tactics. Tactics that give more attacks than your opponent can handle, Tactics that make the opponent's piece less mobile, and Tactics that Remove the
Defender. Combination with Tactics. End Game Concept: The Opposition & The Square of the Pawn. How to Plan and things to consider if you get Stuck. Learn how to analyze your chess game. Regular Homework Assessment & Internal Tournaments to enhance the skillsets of the students.
The Bridge (Age 8 -16) - $360 (24 sessions)
Offered as Online Group Lessons Only
12 online lessons and 12 online practice tournaments
Course Prerequisite: Tactics
This class meets twice a week.
Visualize the Chessboard and Improve Muscle Memory. Explore Popular Chess Game Variations for Openings and Defenses. Understanding the Purpose of Learning Chess Openings or Chess Theory. Open Games (King’s Pawn Opening); Semi-Open Games (alternative defenses to the King's Pawn Opening); Closed Games (Queen’s Pawn Opening); Semi-Closed Games (alternate defenses to Queen’s pawn opening) and Flank Opening. Popular Gambits.
Solving Skill Based Puzzles, Regular Internal Tournaments, and analyzing played games to enhance the skill sets of the students.
Advanced 1 (Age 8 -16) - $360 (24 sessions)
Offered as Online Group Lessons Only
12 online lessons and 12 online practice tournaments
Course Prerequisite: The Bridge Course
This class meets twice a week.
Learn to spot every checkmating opportunity.
Practice Piece Checkmates and Famous Winning Patterns (A-F) for example Anastasia’s Mate, Arabian Mate, …. Epaulette Mate, Fool’s Mate. Chess Vocabulary, Homework Assessment, Regular Internal Tournaments, and analyzing played games to enhance the skillsets of
the students.
Advanced 2 (Age 8 -16) - $360 (24 sessions)
Offered as Online Group Lessons Only
12 online lessons and 12 online practice tournaments
Course Prerequisite: Advanced 1
This class meets twice a week.
Continue Learning and Practicing Advanced Piece Checkmates and Famous Winning Patterns (G – Z) for example
Greco’s Mate, Gueridon Mate…. Triangle Mate, Vukovic’s Mate etc... Assessment, Regular Internal Tournaments to enhance the skillsets of the students
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Tournament & Coach Analysis - $369 (18 sessions)
Offered as Online Private Lessons Only
Prerequisite: Tactics
Students who want to focus on improving their game and skip the Bridge Class (Chess Theory - Famous Chess Openings) may join this. Students will play in 12 Tournaments and attend 6 private game analysis classes. Time: approximately 35-45 min.
Nine points Chess Tournaments(Age 8+) - Price Varies (12 Sessions)
Offered as Online Tournaments (Saturday) - $180
Offered as In-Person (Sunday) - $240
Nine Points Chess weekend tournaments (12 Tournaments) per session. No make-up is available for missed tournaments.
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Coach Analysis - $108 (3 sessions)
Offered as Online Private Lessons Only
45 minutes coaching sessions - Content varies
Students already participating in Nine Points Chess Tournaments who are interested in improving their game with 3 private 45 minutes game
analyses with the coach.
Offered to students already enrolled in Nine Points Chess Tournaments.
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Private Class (Age 5+) - Price Varies (12 sessions)
Offered as In-Person Lessons - $480
Offered as Online Lessons - $432
45 minutes coaching sessions - Content varies
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Congratulations on completing the course - CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Note: Students who complete the Nine Points Chess Course (Advanced 2) are eligible to participate in all future online Nine Points Chess Team Practice Tournaments.
TESTIMONIALS
I am so excited at the prospect that Ms. Soni is going to be teaching chess! I have known her for about 5 years. I have personally had the opportunity to witness Ms. Soni’s expertise in working with Prodigy to learn chess. She was amazingly organized and patient as well as creative about keeping him focused and engaged. Being that my son Prodigy is a very high energy child, I was amazed to see him sit still and calmly and attentively participate in the process. As a result of just a couple of classes with Ms.Soni, Prodigy’s interest in chess skyrocketed. He felt like chess classes with her were fun and exciting! He loved her creativity and kind heart too. I would love this opportunity for our K-3rd Meridian students, who would definitely excel in their academics as a result of the practices of this class and specifically Ms. Soni’s comprehensive methodology. Studies have shown that younger students that start the game at a young age later score higher on standardized reading & math assessment tests. Furthermore, they also later score higher on creative and critical thinking tests. I believe that if Ms. Soni is able to teach Kinder through third-grade chess classes that the students will have a stronger showing at competitions to represent the Meridian campus and their knowledge of the basic skills of Chess will be greatly reinforced. I would highly recommend her to teach this class, as I know that she can take our students to a high level of performance if given the chance.
Kimberly Pollini
It's under Mrs.Soni's great guidance where my kids started learning chess and proud to see where they are now. My kids did really good in chess and won in several tournaments and she is the foundation."
I remember the patience that you used to show to all the kids that were in the chess class and you are so friendly in updating the parents on the status of the kid's performance and also the way you encourage the kids and learning new tactics.
My kids talk about you so much. I really appreciate and I wish you the best in your next endeavor and I wish my kids get in your class again.
Dev
My name is Jennifer Reihman and I am a teacher at Meridian World School and I have a 5th-grade son, Harrison, who attends the Triple-A After School Program. Mrs. Soni has played an integral role in Harrison's positive experience in this after school program. Mrs. Soni started out as an enrichment leader for 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade. After this, she was promoted to the Enrichment Coordinator position and then she was promoted to the assistant manager as well as overseeing the enrichment curriculum. It was in this position that Mrs. Soni showed the most impact in Harrison's development.
She planned and supervised enriching activities, including switch days where the students rotated between teachers, allowing them to benefit from the teacher's specific skills and interests. She also provided opportunities for students to grow and demonstrate their skills through the spelling bee, chess tournament, and talent show. Harrison is a very active child who sometimes has difficulty managing his own behavior. She always approached these incidents with patience and understanding with an emphasis on personal growth while still maintaining the high standard of behavioral expectations. Mrs. Soni encouraged Harrison to take on leadership roles, such as emcee of the talent show, which re-directed his energy and allowed him to express himself in a positive way. She also organized chess enrichment and tournaments that were held in Triple-A. This was always an exciting time of the year for all of the students. You could hear a pin drop as the students witnessed the final match! She would encourage Harrison to not only take his skills to the next level but to mentor, younger or less experienced students work on their skills in chess strategies as well.
She is an effective manager of the other professionals who work with the children. Their overall program is outstanding. In the back to a school staff meeting for the entire staff of Meridian, they received a roaring ovation. Parents always know that their child is safe and being enriched after school.
Mrs. Soni is also active as a parent of an amazing daughter at Meridian who I had the pleasure to teach. Volunteering her time and talents, she is a big part of our community.
I would wholeheartedly recommend Mrs. Soni to any position that involves the coordination of enriching activities for children, including after school chess programs.
Jennifer Reihman
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
IMPORTANT – Please read and acknowledge these terms and conditions.
By signing below, I acknowledge that I and my student have read and understood the online chess class etiquette, rules, and expectations
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For Students:
I agree to find a quiet place and sit on a table and chair, free from distractions (siblings, pets, parents, television).
I agree to show up to chess class on scheduled time, a couple of minutes early to ensure proper connection
I agree to turn on the video and wait to be admitted into class.
I agree not to use a virtual background on zoom meeting for the duration of the class
I agree to mute myself except when talking; this limits background noise. (When the teacher calls on you, she will unmute each student. Only one student should contribute/ talk.)
I agree to raise my hand when I have something to say, and wait for the teacher to call, maintain eye contact, treat it like a regular classroom
I agree to be respectful and take permission from the teacher before leaving the video screen for any reason (example restroom break).
I agree to refrain from taking help from parents or siblings when answering questions
I agree to complete the chess homework before class begins. (the solutions will be discussed in class.)
I agree to be in an appropriate environment & dress appropriately – (your peers will see you!)
I agree to refrain from chewing gum, eating, or drinking or doing other tasks in front of the camera, while the class is going on.
I agree to come prepared, participate, and have fun!
Remember this is a class, so treat it as such.
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For Parents:
Reminder: This is a special time for the teacher to connect with the students. We appreciate you being quiet observers.
Parents are encouraged to help their children be independent learners’ and students to be good communicators.
If there are technical difficulties, please help out. If you have questions or concerns, please wait until the end of class.
Please ensure that your student’s video remains on during class to promote focus.
The zoom links will be sent to the primary parent's email it is the parent’s responsibility to help your child to log on and be on time for class. There is no makeup class offered. If students have additional questions they may stay and ask for clarifications after the regular class ends.
If the student plans to be absent and wants class recording, a text must be sent to the instructor.
Thank you for supporting the Nine Points Chess Program
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