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Visit Our St. Olaf Summer OleChess Camp Website
507.786.3031
summer[AT]stolaf.edu
behr1[AT]stolaf.edu
1520 St. Olaf Ave.
Northfield, Minnesota 55057
CAMPER AGES: all ages
TYPE OF CAMP: Overnight/Sleepaway.
CAMPER GENDER(S): Coed Campers.
BRIEF CAMP DESCRIPTION: OleChess offers a week of quality instruction and chess-related activities featuring some of the world’s premier players and teachers. Chess players of all ages, abilities, and experience levels will enjoy a week filled with classes, demonstrations, lectures, tournaments, and games, games, and more games with fellow chess enthusiasts.
CAMP INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES OFFERED:
Team Sports, Academics, and more. Chess.
CAMP LOCATION: St. Olaf College is located in historic Northfield, Minnesota, 40 miles south of the Twin Cities metro area. Please visit our website for lots of camp photos and further information.
CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Chess Exploration:
For players of all ages and strengths. Campers are divided into classes of like ability and age. Campers 9 years of age or younger must be accompanied by an adult escort.
Intensive Study: “All Intensive Study Options automatically include the evening lecture series”
Advanced Youth: Under 18 with 1500+ rating – for strong students. The option includes greater classroom rigor and the evening lecture series after which students join evening camp activities including separate sections of the blitz and bughouse tournaments.
Advanced Adult: 18 and over OR rating of 1700+. This option is intended for serious adult students and includes the evening lecture series, and greater classroom rigor. This session will admit serious, mature-acting youth students who meet the requirements and have camp director approval.
Fundamental Adult: 18 and over. For the novice to moderate strength adult interested in strengthening their chess knowledge for themselves or for the additional purpose of teaching others. This option includes take-away materials, and for those interested in coaching, a letter of recommendation for the USCF Certified Chess Coach Program. Stronger players should consider Intensive Study-Advanced Adult.
Intensive Study – Master Class:
For serious players (including mature-acting youth) rated over 2000. This option includes the evening lecture series, instruction by GMs only, electronic ChessBase format class materials will be provided, and the tournament section will be limited to the strongest players only (allowances for camp size).
Chesscorts:
For parents/guardians escorting their child to camp. This daily class is Chess 101 lite for escorts. Escorts will learn the basics of chess, chess notation, and chess tournaments so that they can better share in their child’s chess experience. It will also include a “mini-tournament” among class members only; parents can share in a tournament experience and learn from their own play. The class and tournament will be in the mornings-only and Chesscorts will be free the rest of the day.
Rated Blitz Tournament:
Sunday, July 24 – 2:00 to 4:00 pm
Open to campers and their families during check-in. Register on site.
How to Be a Good Chess Parent:
Sunday Seminar 2:30–4:00
A brief program discussing the important role of chess parent, based on Kevin Bachler’s article that has been republished around the internet. Key chess basics will be covered: how to select a chess coach, what books to study, what kind of tournaments to attend, and what kind of chess player do I have?
Chess Basics Class:
Sunday afternoon chess class covering the basics of chess moves and chess notation for anyone who needs a refresher in the topics.
CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: The Minnesota Office of Higher Education has accepted the St. Olaf OleChess Camp as part of their 2016 Summer Academic Enrichment Program. The Summer Academic Enrichment Program will provide stipends on a first-come, first-serve basis, to cover the direct cost for Minnesota students to attend OleChess Camp during the summer of 2018. Students MUST BE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. See website for further information.
OTHER CAMP INFO: OleChess Summer Tournament:
July 19-24, 2020
For campers and non-campers.
Boy Scout chess merit badge counselor on staff. Fulfill your requirements at camp.
CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
July 19-24, 2020
Chess Exploration: $695
Intensive Study: $855 - Advanced Youth, Advanced Adult, & Fundamental Adult
Intensive Study – Master Class: $995
Escort Fee: $275
Rated Blitz Tournament: $5
How to Be a Good Chess Parent: FREE
Chess Basics Class: FREE
Be sure to check each camp listing under INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES OFFERED for the range of Special Interest Activities and Programs provided by each Minnesota Overnight Summer Camp or Summer Overnight Recreation Program.
Many Minnesota Day and Sleepaway Overnight Camps offer professional level instruction in a wide-range of Overnight Activities.
For a complete List of Minnesota Special Interest Overnight Summer Camps & Summer Overnight Recreation Programs scroll down to the big black bar at the very bottom of this page.
You can go directly to any of our other 2023 Special Interest Camp Directories from the list in the black bar at the bottom of this page.
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