Arizona Chess for Schools

19th Annual Western Alliance Online Summer Chess Camp June 22-24, 2023

admin — Wed, 03 May 2023 03:45:00 +0000

For the past 18 years, International Master Levon Altounian has been working with chess players of all ranks and ages at the Western Alliance Summer Chess Camp. A summertime tradition, this much-anticipated event gives chess players of all ages an opportunity to interact with other chess players like themselves while learning from a group of professional chess instructors. We are pleased to announce that this year, the 19th Annual Western Alliance Chess Camp will be held online, joined by chess players not just from the greater Los Angeles and Tucson areas, but the nation overall. Some quick facts about the camp:

WHO: The Camp will be lead by International Master Levon Altounian and other chess instructors who share his love of the game. The camp will be joined from chess players from across the nation of a variety of ages and chess levels.

WHEN: June 22-24, 2023, 9:00 AM—1:00 PM daily.

4 Blocks per day:
Block 1. 9:00-9:45 AM (Lesson / Lecture)
Block 2. 10:00- 10:45 AM (Lesson / Lecture)
Block 3. FunTime 11:00-11:30 PM (Daily Fun Online Activities)
Block 4. Game Time 11:30- 1:00 PM

HOW:  The chess camp will be conducted through Zoom and chess.com. ICC and Skype will be used as backups.
There will be four groups based on chess rating:
Group 1: Beginner (WILDCATS) (Approx 100 -500 USCF)
Group 2:  Intermediate (COYOTES) (Approx 500 -900 USCF)
Group 3:Advanced Intermediate (HAWKS) (Approx 900 -1200 USCF)
Group 4:  Special (BEARS). (Approx 1200 -1700 USCF)
There will also be a virtual hangout room for students to interact, games and virtual prizes!

VIRTUAL REWARD SYSTEM: Students may win virtual or real prizes based on assignments, overall scores or the daily FunTime scores.

FEE: $110 per day or $275 for all 3 days. Discounts for additional family members. Payments can be made through Zelle, Venmo and Paypal

JOINING THE CAMP: Please contact us to register for the camp:
Levon Altounian (520) 891-3632 laltounian@msn.com

IM Levon Altounian Collaborates with Etsy on Chess Commercial

admin — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:29:28 +0000

Recently, IM Levon Altounian of Arizona Chess for Schools had the pleasure of collaborating with Etsy on a commercial featuring chess. See the full commercial here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tlXIIRZq5U

Tucson Chess Clubs

admin — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 01:53:06 +0000

SATORI / IST / ST LEON / ST PETER CHESS CLUBS: 2021 SUMMER AND FALL CLUBS UPDATE.

Welcome back to regular after school chess programs in Tucson! Thank you all for staying with chess through the pandemic and joining back.

Fun fact: Satori International and IST ( International School of Tucson )clubs this year are off the charts in terms of interest and student level!

CHESS CLUBS: We are happy to start chess clubs at your school. Just drop us a note.

JOINING EXISTING GROUPS: to join any existing clubs, please provide basic info such as age / chess level and dates available and we will help you find a suitable time slot in person or online.

Online groups are instructed by International Master Levon Altounian and are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please call or text us at (520) 891-3632. You can also fill out our online application and we will contact you back at our earliest convenience.

JOIN US AT OUR MONTHLY GROUP CHESS CLASSES TO PRACTICE CHESS.

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 03:21:35 +0000

ALL Levels—From beginner to advanced, are welcome.

Classes are conducted in a fun, interactive setting, where students are actively encouraged to participate in analysis, playtime and chess discussions.

1-3 MONTH SESSIONS, PRORATED BASED ON WHEN A STUDENT SIGNS UP.

$100 A MONTH FEE. REGISTRATION FEE MAY BE WAIVED. NOW YOU CAN ADD A CLASS FOR 50% OFF 2ND CLASS A WEEK.

SCHEDULE: MONDAYS / WEDNESDAYS / FRIDAYS / SATURDAYS

Instructed by Arizona State Chess Champion International Master Levon Altounian. Coach Levon has more than 20 years of teaching experience, leading more than 100 students to state and national championship titles.

For more information, give us a call at (520) 891-3632 or contact us via email.

3rd Annual Back to School Chess Camp ONLINE

admin — Sat, 04 Jul 2020 19:17:26 +0000

July 20-23, 2020 / Open to all up to 1800 USCF
10:00 AM-2:00 PM (Monday-Thursday on Zoom)

How ONLINE Camp Works: Students still get blocks of lessons at set times with different instructors covering a wide range of subjects and suitable for their groups. Students can raise their hands and ask questions and they can also save all the information on their desktops or cloud. They can also leave and join back when needed and participate in discussions.

This camp will implement the same structure as our wildly successful Western Alliance Camp held in June. While the structure of the camp will stay the same, the instructors and subject matter will vary to provide greater learning diversity for our campers. Each day will consist of two lessons covering different subjects and game analysis, along with fun activities and a tournament. The tournament portion will have a different time control each day to make it even more fun and exciting.

Groups: We will aim for 4 groups as usual: No age restriction.
Group 1: Beginner (WILDCATS) (Approx 100-500 USCF) Those who know moves but not much more.
Group 2: Intermediate (COYOTES) (Approx 500-900 USCF). More advanced and experienced.
Group 3: Advanced Intermediate (HAWKS) (Approx 900-1200 USCF). Tournament players.
Group 4: Special (BEARS). (Approx 1200-1800 USCF). Very strong and highly motivated.

Schedule: 4 days: July 20-23 (Monday-Thursday).
4 Blocks per day:
Block 1. 10:00-10:45 AM (Lesson / Lecture)
Block 2. 11:00- 11:45 AM (Lesson / Lecture)
Block 3. FunTime 11:45-12:30 PM (Daily Fun Online Activities)
Block 4. Game Time 12:30- 2:00 PM

Instructors: Professional Instructors and Tournament players. We will pick the final Instructor group closer to
the camp and that way we can incorporate special guest speakers too.

Payments: Price will also mirror the other camp and be set at only $200 per student with discounts for additional family members. Payments will be mostly done via online platforms of Zelle and Venmo (both are our preferred methods) but Paypal and likely Events4chess.com (or a Credit card) as well as a personal check will be acceptable too.

Questions: For all questions relating to the camp, please contact IM Levon Altounian at 520-891-3632 LALTOUNIAN@MSN.COM and for logistics such as setting up the computer or joining the tournament: Molly Coy at 520-349-7580.

Angeleno Chess Club / Levon Altounian / Organizer

Download Camp Flyer

Chess Lessons

admin — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 03:41:35 +0000

Chess is the world’s most popular game and is quickly expanding into every aspect of our everyday life. Many schools in the U.S. and across the globe have chess clubs and several countries have integrated chess into their curriculum. Although there are dozens of reasons to play chess, some of the most important are learning to solve problems, abstract reasoning, remaining calm under pressure, patience, sportsmanship, pattern recognition, strategic and creative thinking. In this hyper-competitive world, learning and mastering these skills puts chess players at a definite advantage.

Group Lessons

Join Angeleno Chess Club at our North Hollywood, Burbank or Van Nuys locations.

Private Lessons

Focused, one-one one learning experiences with International Master Levon Altounian or other professional chess coaches.

Online Lessons

Interactive online chess lessons available for individuals as well as groups.

Chess in Schools

Work with Angeleno Chess Club to set up a chess program at your school or organization.

16th Annual Summer Chess Camp ONLINE: June 22-25, 2020.

admin — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 23:33:07 +0000

For the past 15 years, International Master Levon Altounian has been working with chess players of all ranks and ages at the Western Alliance Summer Chess Camp. A summertime tradition, this much-anticipated event gives chess players of all ages an opportunity to interact with other chess players like themselves while learning from a group of professional chess instructors. We are pleased to announce that this year, the 16th Annual Western Alliance Chess Camp will be held online, joined by chess players not just from the greater Los Angeles and Tucson areas, but the nation overall. Some quick facts about the camp:

WHEN: June 22-25, 2020, 10:00 AM—2:00 PM daily. There will be an orientation at 9:00 AM on Monday, June 22 for all students as a general introduction to the camp.
4 Blocks per day:
Block 1. 10:00-10:45 AM (Lesson / Lecture)
Block 2. 11:00- 11:45 AM (Lesson / Lecture)
Block 3. FunTime 11:45-12:30 PM (Daily Fun Online Activities)
Block 4. Game Time 12:30- 2:00 PM

VIRTUAL REWARD SYSTEM: Students may win virtual or real prizes based on assignments, overall scores or the daily FunTime scores.

FEE: Due to the unprecedented situation and shorter camp hours, the price will be half the usual amount and set at $200 per student with discounts for additional family members. Payments can be made through Zelle, Venmo, Paylal and Events4chess.

JOINING THE CAMP: Please contact us to register for the camp:
Levon Altounian (520) 891-3632 laltounian@msn.com
Molly Coy (520) 349-7580
Once registered, Mrs. Molly Coy, our camp administrator, will contact each student with their personalized schedule and to help set up and check all your connections.

Download Camp Flyer Here: http://www.arizonachessforschools.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/16th-Annual-Western-Alliance-Summer-Online-Chess-Camp1.pdf

Anaconda Winter Chess Camp: December 23

admin — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 23:23:43 +0000

Winter Camp:

Join us for the now-legendary Anaconda Winter Camp! It is specifically designed to enhance chess abilities and help prepare for upcoming chess tournaments. Unfortunately we might be able to hold as of now only a 1-day events though it can easily change. Every age group is welcome to join!

It will be a joint event with Tale of 2 Kings and likely will see Coaches such as IM Aleksei Duilgher, FM Ken Larsen and masters Matthew Coy and Ed Kestler.

For questions please contact Levon Altounian: LALTOUNIAN@MSN.COM / 520 891 3632.

Download it here: winter camp 2019_1

To Pay / Register: https://www.events4chess.com/events/?event_ID=1096

AMERICAN OPEN K-3 WINNER!

admin — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 23:08:14 +0000

We normally don’t post much about students or friends who win tournaments, but once in a while we adjust. Today we are very proud to quickly introduce a special 3rd grader presented by Coach Levon Altounian: Nathan Thomas! He loves chess, always solves puzzles and often works with his brother who plays in higher groups. His current rating of 1485 USCF is admirable for a 3rd grader.

http://www.uschess.org/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,181/

We do hope this is just the beginning. (Side note): How many Chess Apps can he fit into that shiny new Ipod he got?

Thank You Tucson Chess Schools!

admin — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 19:35:12 +0000

It is a good time to be Thankful!

Tucson Chess is experiencing an unprecedented growth in chess interest and we are here to help!

The schools that we would like to mention for their wonderful involvement in the community:

BASIS NORTH: With our own Aleks Bekker (running his first Quick Event ever in November!)

MYERS-GANOUNG ELEMENTARY: For their support through TUSD in bringing chess to so many more students!

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF TUCSON: For hosting numerous events and soon the 16th Annual Western Alliance Summer Chess Camp!

(Scheduled for June 23-27th, 2020).

SONORAN SCIENCE ACADEMY: With Coach Ed and one of the most involved chess parents and organizers ever: Molly Coy.

SAM HUGHES ELEMENTARY: Starting a new year with a brand new chess club!

SATORI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Doing so well at nearly all 2019 official chess events! With also own own and wonderful super strong and super busy Ken Larsen.

If you need a Coach or looking to start a chess club, group or individual lessons, you can reach us at: LALTOUNIAN@MSN.COM or text to 520 891 3632.

Grand Prix #3

admin — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 16:56:49 +0000

Join us for the 3rd Grand Prix. Players from the 15th Annual Western Alliance Summer Chess camp get complementary entry!

Download the file here: WA19 tournament poster 8.5×11

15th Annual Summer Chess Camp: June 25-29

admin — Sun, 17 Feb 2019 23:26:38 +0000

15th Annual Western Alliance
Summer Chess Camp: June 25-29, 2019

Join us for one of the largest Arizona Chess camps 15 years in a row!

If you are interested in getting the most out of Summer Chess camps, this is the one to definitely not to miss. It is a4-day, all-day Camp from Tuesday to Friday. It is paired also with Evening Activities such as a Simul with a Master, Blitz and Bughouse tournaments and a USCF rated tournament on that Saturday! Best of all is that all of those are included in the price, one of the lowest for such events.But the price is guaranteed only for first 50 participants.

We will once again employ most experienced and fun instructors who will cover the widest range of subjects: from Openings and Middlegame to Tactics, Endgame, Game analysis and tournament psychology.There will be at least 4 groups, ranging from complete beginners to 1800 USCF rating players. There is no age limit either.

The event again will be hosted by International School of Tucson, conveniently located between Campbell and Grant streets.

Please remember that June 29th marks the Grand Prix tournament!

To contact us with any chess related questions, please email us at LALTOUNIAN@MSN.COM

To download the Invitation/ Information:camp letter 19

For the flyer to share with friends and schools:WA 19 camp poster 8.5×11

Large Poster:WA19 poster 11×17 1

Grand Prix Tournament:WA19 tournament poster 8.5×11

Sonoran Science Academy: 2019 Session

admin — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 20:16:45 +0000

SSA Winter-Spring Semester

January 29- May 20th 2019.

Join us for the continuation of the wonderful chess program jointly run between ACFS and Coach Ed Kestler.

The first semester of this program was very successful: Dozen new students joined not only the club but also dipped their toes at the competitive aspect of chess- joining the team at the League Matches, State Championship Qualifiers and the 2019 AZ State Grades. The price / duration will be unchanged from the 2018 session and the registration can be easily completed online at events4chess.com in addition to registering through the school or the coach.There will be a limit of 20 students per class unfortunately so please register early.

Download flyer:SSA SESSION 1 _2019

Download Registration form:SSA registration form 2019_1

On a slightly different note, the program could greatly benefit from continuous support from SSA parents and alumni, so anyone interested in helping the club to expand and participate at future events, please lets us know by contacting us at LALTOUNIAN@MSN.COM / 520 891 3632

Winter Chess Camp: December 21-23,2018

admin — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 19:32:05 +0000

Welcome to our Winter Camp at the Sonoran Science Academy!

With its spacious rooms and a good, central location, we are happy to host the yearly event at one of the most prominent chess schools in Tucson. It will be a 3 day, 2 hour per group Camp for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced groups. Each day we will cover different topics so students will be able to join individual days or do all 3 (best option). Coaches will be chosen accordingly and may range between International Masters Levon Altounian and Aleksei Duilgher to FM and one of the most experienced main Tucson coaches Ken Larsen to the Sonoran Science Chess Club Coach Ed Kestler and several experts such as Matthew Coy. Registration is by mail or online at events4chess.com.

downloadable PDF:winter camp 2018_12

downloadable Doc: winter camp 2018_12

Registration:https://www.events4chess.com/events/?event_ID=944

To request info you can email us directly at LALTOUNIAN@MSN.COM

Sonoran Science Academy Chess Club 2018-19

admin — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 04:02:48 +0000

Welcome to the adjusted version of a highly successful Chess Club at the Sonoran Science Academy. It will be organized by Arizona Chess For Schools at the request of the S.S.A Administration. The start date is set for August 28th and it will be based on a system of 2 equal semesters per year. The first one will go until mid December and include 13-14 classes. The 1-time payment of $200 will cover all the classes for that Semester.

The Coach will be Mr. Ed Kestler, who is very successful in advancing chess at the Vail district, its High School. He was instrumental at the Tucson Chess Club as well as the International School of Tucson, where he will again coach and where we hold our Annual Summer Chess Camps.

We wish you good luck at this endevor!

For any questions please reach us at 520 891 3632 and mention SSA.

Download the Flyer here:SONORAN SCIENCE 2018

Download the Registration form here:SSA registration form 2018

Labor Day Tucson Chess Camp: September 1-3

admin — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 22:12:41 +0000

Are you eager to get back to Chess and compete in tournaments? Are you interested in learning new stuff?

Then join us for this Back-to-school Labor Day Camp! It will comprise of 3 different group levels and will be taught by a strong expert. Depending on the day, you will have a chance to learn anything starting from openings to endgames, middlegame to tactics.

The list of Coaches for the top group may includes local IMs and FMs such as Levon Altounian, Aleksey Duilgher, Ken Larsen. Other possible Coaches: Matthew Coy, Zac Cancio, Jacob Song.

Because of the unique system of the camp, there is room to adjust the groups as well as payments, depending how many per school or per family sign up.

To get more information, please email us at Laltounian@msn.com (Levon Altounian) or mcchess@comcast.net (Molly Coy).

To sign up on line, please go to events4chess.com

Download Doc:labor day camp_SSA_molly

Download PDF: labor day camp_SSA_molly

Discounts for families, school clubs of 6+ students per school and 10% off for all fully signed up 14th Annual Western Alliance Summer Chess Camp participants.

It will be held at the Sonoran Science Academy.

Below you find few pictures from the previous June Camp.

June 26-30 Camp / Grand Prix recap

admin — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 01:12:54 +0000

It was wonderful to see so many new faces all across the 4 groups, ranging from Beginner to Advanced.

Thank you all Coaches and helpers: IM Levon Altounian, WGM Anjelina Belakovskaya, FM Ken Larsen, IM Alexey Duilgher, Experts Ed Kestler, Matthew Coy, Jacob Song, Zak Cancio, Rueshil Fadia, Brian Belakovsky, Aleks Bekker and others. And of course big thanks to Molly Coy for running the office and the IST school for allowing us to make use of the facilities.

The next one is scheduled for the last full week of June 2019. See you then and meanwhile enjoy some of the captions from the Camp.

14th ANNUAL TUCSON SUMMER CAMP: JUNE 26-30TH

admin — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 03:58:18 +0000

Western Alliance Summer Chess Camp: June 26-30

It is that time of the year again!

One of the largest Summer Chess Camps in Arizona is here.

Summer Chess Camp + USCF tournament is Tucson is now open for registration! We had over 85 participants in 2017.

The Camp is open to all ages and skill levels, this wonderful Tucson tradition is in its 14th year. Download your registration form below!

General Groups
Invitational basis only. Earliest applicants will be considered first, and spots will be reserved in the order in which they are received. The approximate rating division for the groups will be as follows:
Group A (Wildcat) 100-600 USCF ( 4 years old and up )
Group B (Coyote) 600-1000 USCF
Group C (Hawks) 1000-1400 USCF
Group D (Bears) 1400-1800 USCF

Evening Events: Simul / Blitz / Bughouse.

Prizes in each category.
* Additional groups may be added if groups exceed the estimated participants numbers. Borderline players can be moved up or down at my discretion to better fit the overall strength of that particular group. All ages are welcome.

Small Camp Poster: Download here:

Poster: Download here:

Invitational Letter/ Registration form: Download here: /

Online registration: at Events4chess.com

Location

International School of Tucson. 1701 E Seneca St, Tucson, AZ .

Hours
General: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Lunch Break from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
Evening activities: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Fees
• First 50 registered participants in any group: $350 if registered by June 11th, $25 more by June 17th, and an additional $25 by June 20th (if space is still available). On site- $425
• $100 non-refundable deposit by the due date to reserve a spot.
Please email ACFS with any questions.

Discounts
• Family discounts available
• School discounts for 5+ participants from the same school

USCF-Rated Tournament
ACFS will host a USCF-rated tournament—on June 30th. This tournament is free for all Western Alliance ’18 Camp participants, but non-participants are welcomed to join for a normal fee of $25.

General info
This is an all-day chess camp with the Main event and Side events each day.
The Main Event will take place each day between Tuesday and Friday (9AM-4PM)
The Side events will include a Simultaneous exhibition, Blitz Tournament, Bughouse tournament and on the last day (June 29th) a COMPLEMENTARY USCF Tournament to all Camp participants.

Preliminary/ Possible Coach and helper list: IM Levon Altounian (confirmed), IM Aleksei Duilgher,FM Ken Larsen (confirmed), Angelina Belakovskaya, Experts Andy Lebovitz, Josh Leonard, Andy Lin, Rohan Mittal, Anshul Adve, Bryan Hu, Ed Kessler, Steve Ostapuk, Dallas Elkins, Matthew Coy and others.

Registration and Discounts
To register, please download out camp packet below or email organizer Levon Altounian for details: laltounian@msn.com.

GRAND PRIX #3, JUNE 30TH

admin — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 08:32:53 +0000

o all tournament players,

This event is the follow up of the general Grand Prix series and as usual takes place right after the Western Alliance Summer Chess Camp (June 20-29th).

If you are looking to play chess, practice lines and have fun while trying to gain rating points- this event is for you!

It will have 3 Sections and several possible subsections. Lots of prizes and medals.Please remember that this particular event might be divided into RATED and UNRATED sections, depending on who signs up, but will follow all the same rules of USCF rated events regardless.

Remember that if you are part of the Summer Camp, then this one is complementary so check out the other post about the Summer Camp to get the most of the events.

Please register through Events4chess.com website or by mail.

To download the poster, click here for the PDF version:WA18 tournament poster

To download the Tournament flier in PDF format, click here:GrandPrix#3-2018

Tucson Chess Center July Camp: July 2-6

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 20:29:46 +0000

Join us for a very unique camp, a fine collaboration between TCC and Arizona Chess For Schools.

It will comprise of a very fluid version of camps that students are so used to in Tucson.

It will include Chess History as well as fun games in 1-3 groups fit for many age groups and levels.

A small reminder: TCC is currently the ONLY brink-and-mortar club in Tucson and we need to make sure it stays there to serve all who love chess.

Those who will pair it with the June 26-29th ACFS Summer camp, will also receive additional discount of 10% of the July Camp.
Family and school discounts apply.

Download Doc file here: July 2018 camp

Download PDF file here: July 2018 camp