Introduction to Chess
- Grades 3-8
- CTY-Level
-
Session-Based
- Mathematics
Introduction to Chess provides new or beginning students with a strong foundation in the game’s rules and strategies, and a community of enthusiasts to learn alongside. You’ll begin with a brief history of chess and unravel the secrets of chess through quizzes, videos, and games about how each piece moves.
At the end of most lessons, you’ll have the chance to play computerized chess challenges at varying degrees of difficulty, complete engaging and creative projects, and you’ll also have the opportunity to play with your classmates. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to read and write the algebraic notation for chess moves, understand the strategies and rules of the game, and competently attack your opponent’s king while defending your own.
CTY chess students have the option to get together once a week during Game Night, our virtual chess environment, to enjoy playing structured games under the guidance of CTY Staff.
Game Play: Mondays 7-8 p.m. ET
Instructor led sessions to be determined at the start of the course.
Time Commitment: 4-8 hours per week (1 hour of class time, 2 hours of optional meetings, 3-5 hours of independent work).
This course is
ungraded.
Classes
Register for an Online course by selecting an open class below. If no open classes are listed, then course enrollment is currently closed. Note: You will need to have an active CTY Account to complete registration through MyCTY.
Testing and Prerequisites
| Math | Verbal | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Level | CTY-Level | or CTY-Level |
Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.
Sign up for Testing Learn MoreCost and Financial Aid
Tuition
- Varies
Application fee
- Nonrefundable Application Fee - $15 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
- Nonrefundable International Fee - $20 (outside US only)
CTY Financial Aid Availability for Online Programs
Academic Year 2025-26 (Course start dates July 1, 2025- June 30, 2026): Financial Aid funding is currently available for all eligible students while funding lasts. If interested in applying for financial aid, please select a course with start date of July 1, 2025, or later.
Course Materials
Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].
- We recommend that you have a real chessboard to play and practice on at home.
Technical Requirements
This course requires a computer with high-speed Internet access and an up-to-date web browser such as Chrome or Firefox. You must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.
This course uses a virtual classroom for instructor-student communication. The classroom works on standard computers with the Zoom desktop client, and on tablets or handhelds that support the Zoom Mobile app. Recorded meetings can only be viewed on a computer with the Zoom desktop client installed. The Zoom desktop client and Zoom Mobile App are both free to download.
About Mathematics at CTY
Our online Mathematics courses—spanning elementary through high school curricula—cover a wide range of topics, from algebra and geometry to chess, and cryptology and are guided by expert instructors. You’ll join group sessions with classmates to ensure you stay on track with challenging course content. Whether you’re looking for pure math fun and enrichment, to move up the math ladder and advance your academic standing, or to train for mathematics competitions, there’s a CTY course that’s right for you.
Uncover the Exciting World of Cryptology
Unlock the world of secret communication! In Cryptology: Cracking Codes you and your classmates will uncover the logic, patterns, and problem-solving strategies that drive cryptographic systems. Thorugh hands-on activities like encrypting and decrypting messages and creating your own ciphers, you’ll deepen your understanding of how cryptology has developed throughout history to shape our modern encryption systems and secure our digital world.