About Us

The mission of Playing ACES CHESS is to provide a cohesive and comprehensive chess education experience for all K-12 students regardless of: socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, or where the student attends school in the service area (Currently the Albemarle County and Charlottesville City area).

Vision:

• Assure that more than just the game is played that the is related to life and what it can team if you pay attention.
• All public, private, alternative and home schools organizations have active and engaged school-based chess clubs open to all K-12 students as defined in the mission statement.
• With just 7%-12% of world’s chess players as female, work to increase the number of girls introduced to chess and support those interested in becoming elite chess players.
• Achieve a weekly engagement of at 5% with a goal of 10% of the K-12 grade level students in the county learning and playing chess.
• At some future date, be prepared to host the K-12 Chess Championships (USA National or World) in Central Virginia. (Economic impact could be very interesting.)
• Every 5 years be host to the Virginia K-12 Scholastic Chess Championship.

See how Chess has changed someone’s life.

Playing ACES CHESS reaches out to all K-12 students not just gifted kids, not just under-served, but all K-12 students who deserve to opportunity to learn and master this game.

Charlottesville City

Estimate growth rate by 2012 – 1.1%.  This about half of the growth rate for Virginia as a whole.
In terms of the K-12 (aka >5 yo <18 yo age range) population in 2010, this group was approximately 9.6% of the total population.  In general, the city in 2010 had a 52.3% female population.

Albemarle County

Estimate growth rate by 2012 – 3.3%.  This about half of the growth rate for Virginia as a whole.
In terms of the K-12 (aka >5 yo <18 yo age range) population in 2010, this group was approximately 15.6% of the total population.  In general, the county in 2010 had a 52.1% female population.

Chess Advocacy for All Students

Parents and educators can play a major advocacy role for a greater K-12 chess presence in all our area schools that will support S.T.E.M. education for all our students, especially those in our area considered under-served or disadvantaged.

Playing ACES CHESS works collaboratively with the leadership and members of the UVA Chess Club/Team, the Madison House Volunteers and the Charlottesville City Chess Club to bring some of the area’s best adult chess talent together, many of whom are United States Chess Federal (USCF) rated Class B (>1600) to Master > 2200 level players, in order to support K-12 chess education and provide chess event experiences within Albemarle County and Charlottesville City.

Playing ACES CHESS is also working with:

• Tthe Boys and Girls Club and the Jefferson-Madison Central Library to develop an ongoing chess program at these venues.
• Scouts desiring to earn achievements regarding chess: Cub Scouts (Chess Belt Loop/Academic Pin); Boy Scouts (Chess Merit Badge) and Venture Scouts (Hobbies Award).