Chess Camp at St. Olaf College
July 25 – 30 , 2010
OleChess offers a challenging week of instruction featuring some of the premier players and teachers in the world. Instruction is supplemented with activities designed to reinforce the new skills you learn and to provide ample opportunities for play. OleChess is for chess players of all ages, strengths and levels of experience. If you want to improve your game, enjoy the company of fellow chess enthusiasts and learn from the masters, OleChess is perfect for you!
Chess Camp Instructional Staff
Each year, Kevin Bachler, OleChess Camp Director and FIDE Master, brings the best available masters. Camp instructors for 2009 were GM Gregory Kaidanov, GM Gregory Serper and Irina Krush, one of the top women chess players in the U.S. and a former U.S. Women’s Champion.
In the past, Kevin has secured the services of the following masters:
Grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov (4th Ranked/US)
Grandmaster Yury Shulman (8th Ranked/US)
Grandmaster Gregory Serper
Grandmaster Irina Krush
Grandmaster Igor Novikov (15th Ranked/US)
Grandmaster Sergey Kudrin (16th Ranked/US)
International Master Jon Schroer
National Master Victor Sherman
Expert Dr. Chris Merli
Other highly qualified instructors and counselors will be added to the camp roster to assure excellent player/instructor/counselor ratios. New faculty will be added to the site when the information becomes available.
Chess Camp Instructional Approach
Our instructors take an historical approach to teaching chess: it’s been noted in a couple of classic works on chess that the development of an individual’s chess mind largely tends to mimic the progression of the “collective” chess mind, meaning that by studying historical games up to now, people are following a sequence of learning that appears to be natural. With this in mind, the games of American Paul Morphy from the 1860s are often used, as well as games of Germans Adolf Anderssen and Johannes Zukertort. The first world champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, is studied as are Emmanuel Lasker, Jose Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine and other more recent world champions. Robert Fischer, Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov are among the modern-era grandmasters used in class, depending on the level of class and the instructor.
Chess Camp Daily Schedule
After check-in, orientation and Sunday dinner, OleChess opens with a simultaneous exhibition pitting all campers against the instructional staff. On Monday through Thursday, campers begin each day with one round of a G/60 tournament in St. Olaf's beautiful Black and Gold ballroom. Campers then proceed to the first of three daily class sessions in which they are divided into groups of approximately ten members and assigned a supervising teacher who is responsible for tracking their progress throughout the week. A rotating instructional schedule allows campers to study with several teachers during the camp. After lunch, students attend two afternoon class sessions, followed by dinner and the evening's special activity. Thursday afternoon is devoted to the final round of the tournament. There is time for individual conferences Friday morning. Friday afternoon includes the closing ceremonies, during which trophies are awarded to winners in all competitions. Sample shedule.
Evening Activities and Recreation
Monday features group sports such as soccer, kickball and basketball. Tuesday is "Blitz night" and Wednesday night includes a quick chess tournament and a simultaneous exhibition on the Internet Chess Club. Thursday evening's activity is Bughouse Mania. There will be a movie night, a camp fire event and a night of bowling. Other events may be added as our schedule permits. The Intensive Study option includes special lectures and other events for the evening activities.
A dinner theatre is optional for adult participants.
Intensive Study
This option is for players rated over 1700 or aged 17 and older and involves additional instructional periods, lectures and classroom rigor.
Residential Aspects
For both the regular option and the Intensive Study option, campers, instructors and the counseling staff live, eat, study and play together on the St. Olaf College campus in Minn. This wooded, hilltop campus in historic Northfield, Minn. provides facilities that rival or exceed those of any other camp.
Supervision
All participants under the age of 18 are supervised 24/7. Parents or guardians of young participants may elect to attend as an escort; an adult escort is required for campers 9 and younger.
Chess Camp Fees
| Resident tuition: received by January 1 | $555 |
| Resident tuition: received by April 1 | $580 |
| Resident tuition: received after April 1 | $630 |
| Resident tuition includes double-occupancy lodging, meals, instructional sessions, special activities and a camp shirt. | |
| Commuter tuition: price listed above less $50 | |
| Commuter tuition includes lunch and dinner, instructional sessions, special activities and a camp shirt. | |
| Escort Fee: | $195 |
| The escort fee is for non-participating adults who accompany a young participant. The escort shares a room with the camper. The fee includes meals, lodging (double occupancy room with participant) and bowling night. | |
Intensive Study Option (players rated over 1700 or aged 17 and older) |
|
| ISO resident tuition: received by January 1 | $655 |
| ISO resident tuition: received by April 1 | $680 |
| ISO resident tuition: received after April 1 | $730 |
| ISO resident tuition includes double-occupancy lodging, meals, instructional sessions, additional evening sessions, all special activities and a camp shirt. | |
| ISO commuter tuition: price listed above less $50 | |
| ISO commuter tuition includes lunch and dinner, instructional sessions, additional evening sessions, all special activities and a camp shirt. | |
| Single occupancy residential option | $60 |
About the Location
St. Olaf College is located in historic Northfield, Minn., approximately 40 miles south of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Arriving by Air
Campers arriving by air should fly into the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport. St. Olaf provides a fee-based shuttle service to the airport. All out-of-state participants will receive information about this service when they register. Shuttle form.
Check-In and Check-Out
Check-in begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday and is followed by an orientation meeting at 4 p.m. Check-out occurs immediately prior to the closing ceremonies on Friday at approximately 1:00 p.m.
Chess Camp Registration
Register now with our secure on-line service. Or complete a printable registration form on your computer and send it in via mail or fax. Registrations are accepted until capacity has been reached.
Family Information
Area attraction for families staying in the area:
Valleyfair
Mall of America
For More Information |
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Register Online
Print a Registration Form
Download a Brochure
Directions
Airport Shuttle Form
Learn more about the grandmasters on staff for summer 2009:
Gregory Kaidanov
Gregory Serper
Irina Krush
Articles of interest:
St. Olaf Chess Camp Review
GM Irina Krush (above) and
GM Gregory Kaidanov (below) challenges campers
Camp counselors
Grandmaster Shulman working with campers
