Perth Chess Academy
Term 2 2023: Starts Saturday 29 April 2023 and runs for 7 Saturdays excluding , 3 June 2023.
GATCA members are invited to take up the offer of a free trial lesson in the Beginners Class (contact Colleen: coll.mccallum@gmail.com)
Please bring your printed ticket (or on your phone) for admission on the first day (no door registrations).
The instructor for all four classes is experienced chess coach Jay Lakner and the classes are available to anyone between the ages of 5 and 17.
The academy consists of 4 classes of different levels.
9 am – 10.30 am Beginners Class.
Appropriate for students new to chess. Here students learn the rules of chess and some basic concepts and strategies
11 am – 12.30 pm Saturday Development Class.
Appropriate for students who know all the rules and have a bit of experience but are unaware of basic chess tactics, strategies and endgames.
1 pm – 2.30 pm Advanced Class.
Appropriate for students with lots of experience and have a good grasp of basic tactics. Here they will learn advanced strategies and tactics and learn the basics of how to calculate variations.
3pm – 6pm Master Class.
This class features some of the top junior chess players in W.A. Each term the class runs an ACF rated 7 round Swiss tournament with 60 min on the clock. All games are thoroughly analysed and a weekly report is provided. As these classes are ACF rated all participants must be members of CAWA (www.cawa.org.au). A registration form can be filled in at the venue prior to the start for the first round game if required (cost $10 per year)
Cost: $122 for GATCA members and $152 non-members
Venue: Perth Modern School Lecture Theatre (Parsons Building Lecture Theatre)
Contact: coll.mccallum@gmail.com
Perth Mod 2017 Map Car Park No. 4 off Subiaco Road or main car park off Roberts Road. Chess is available to anyone between the ages of 5 and 17 years.
The instructor tries to ensure that students are placed in the class which will most benefit them. Therefore, if part-way through the term, the instructor believes a student is registered for a class of inappropriate level, he will collaborate with the student and parent to suggest a more appropriate level which they can immediately switch to.
| Jay Lakner | mob: 0411719317 email: jaylakner@hotmail.com |
One-on-one chess sessions for students who wish to gain additional instruction.
Every coach is an experienced tournament player; most have represented WA in national events, and most are former or current WA title holders in various age categories.
Here is our list of coaches:
Shannon Koh: Available from 9:30am onwards.
Minh Nguyen: Available from 9:30am onwards.
Alex Pimenov: Available from 12:00pm onwards.
Anoushka Gupta: Available from 11:00am onwards.
Aarnav Gupta: Available from 1:00pm onwards.
The coaching sessions will take place in Perth Modern’s Library on Saturdays between 9:30am and
2:30pm. Sessions are 30min long, but you may be able to book several sessions back-to-
back for a longer coaching duration. The cost for a 30min session will be $15.
Please contact Jay to book a session.
Why Chess
GATCA’s chess club is an opportunity for like minded children to meet. Dr Peter Dauvergne, in his article The Case for Chess as a Tool to Develop Our Children’s Minds (July 2000), surveyed educational and psychological studies to examine the benefits for children of studying and playing chess. These show that chess can:
- Strengthen problem solving skills, teaching how to make difficult and abstract decisions independently
- Enhance reading, memory, language, and mathematical abilities
- Foster critical, creative, and original thinking
- Provide practice at making accurate and fast decisions under time pressure, a skill that can help improve exam scores at school
- Teach how to think logically and efficiently, learning to select the ‘best’ choice from a large number of options
- Challenge gifted children while potentially helping underachieving gifted students learn how to study and strive for excellence
- Demonstrate the importance of flexible planning, concentration, and the consequences of decisions
- Reach boys and girls regardless of their natural abilities or socio-economic backgrounds
Given these educational benefits, the author concludes that chess is one of the most effective teaching tools to prepare children for a world increasingly swamped by information and ever tougher decisions.
Parent Feedback
I wanted to let you know Jonathan Beringer will be continuing with chess club – it is the highlight of his week, literally. He learns so much from the club, the chess is challenging him and I think we have found a life long outlet for him, all due to the opportunity of coming to the chess club – thank you so very much for organising it, and please pass on our thanks to Jay too – although I have not met him, I know my husband has been impressed by the way he teaches a concept each week, the respect he shows even the young children and the excellence of both his group teaching and individual instruction.