Playing Groups

Students are divided into 8 playing groups.  Groups A, B, and C are designed for the competitive players.  These kids are playing in tournaments and have agreed to join and/or maintain their United States Chess Federation membership.  Generally speaking these students are arrayed by USCF rating:

• Group A   USCF rating over 900+

• Group B   USCF rating of 500 - 900

• Group C   USCF rating under 500

The recreational players are arrayed in groups D - H.  Generally speaking,

• Group D is Middle School

• Group E is 4th and 5th graders

• Group F is 2nd and 3rd graders

• Group G is 1st graders

• Group H is Kindergartners

The students in the competitive groups A, B, and C are required to play at least one game on the chess ladder each week.  These games are played under tournament conditions.  Players use clocks and record their moves in their scorebooks.  For more information on the chess ladder rules, please click here.

Students in groups D - H may also play on the chess ladder as long as they agree to participate each week.  Otherwise, they are free to play whomever they wish to play.  The purpose of the playing groups at the recreational level is to help the coaches gauge their instruction.

Students can choose to move between the recreational groups and the competitive groups.  For example, if a second grader decided to start playing tournament chess, he/she would move into Group C as an unrated player.

Coach David John will be working with Groups A and B.  Coach Larry Englebretson will be working with Group C and with all students working at the Bishop level and above.  Mrs. Martha Jenkinson will be providing instruction to all students working at the pawn and knight levels.  For more information on the prerequisites and tests to move up in rank, please click here.