Colonial Trail Elementary is proud to offer your children an opportunity to join the CTES Chess Team. The Chess Team was created to provide its members with a place to meet, play chess, learn, teach, form friendships and even compete in chess tournaments. Every meeting will begin with a short chess lesson, followed by organized matches. We will provide information about Virginia Scholastic Chess Tournaments held through out the year, and encourage all members to try at least one tournament. Click here for a list of upcoming tournaments*.

 The Chess Team is open to all CTES students who play chess.  Students must know how all the pieces move and be able to play an entire game.   Parents are required to provide transportation to and from meetings, and to sign their children in and out of each meeting.

 Chess Team meetings are held twice each month – the first and the third Thursdays.  The meetings are held from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the CTES cafeteria.  Because pairings for the matches will be set up before the meeting, please let me know if your child will not be able to attend a meeting before 5:00 pm the night of the meeting. Click here for a list of chess team meeting dates.

 Parents are required to chaperone at least 2 meetings each year.  There is a sign up sheet for you to pick the dates you would like to stay and help.  Chaperones should come 10 minutes early to help set up the room.  Chaperones will help with sign in, help keep order during the meeting, sign out, and clean up at the end of the meeting.  Chaperones DO NOT need to know how to play chess.

 There is a $20 fee to join the chess team.  This covers the chess team t-shirt, basic supplies for meetings, and the end of the year party.  Chess boards and pieces are provided at each meeting.  Returning members can re-up for $10, or pay $20 to receive a new chess team t-shirt.  Registration forms and checks made payable to CTES PTA will be required at the first meeting on October 1st. Click here to download the registration form.

 Each August Colonial Trail hosts a chess tournament for kids from Kindergarten through Eighth grade. The Virginia Scholastic Chess runs the actual tournament, but volunteers will be needed to setup and run concessions.

*To play in tournaments, you must be a member the United States Chess Federation.  A one year membership is $16.  Visit:  www.uschess.org

Questions?  You can reach Darrin Curtis at 364-2545, or darrin.curtis@comcast.net.