LAKE ZURICH CHALET - JUNIOR KNIGHTS CHESS CAMP

AUGUST 10 - 14, 2009
9 AM - 12 PM Half Day
9 AM - 3 PM Full Day
Campers will receive instruction from our staff of world class chess educators, all of whom have vast experience teaching children. Campers will be placed into groups based on ability & age & will be led through various activities, including tournaments, blitz, lectures, bughouse, & game analysis. The instructors will cover openings, endgames, tactics, & strategies. Daily physical activities, swimming, playground, & other fun stuff. Ages 6 - 16. *Tuition includes lunch, camp T-shirt, scorebook, certificate w/group photo & work folder*.
CAMP SITE: LZ Chalet, 200 S. Rand Rd., Lake Zurich, IL
REGISTRATION FEES: $325 full day, $275 additional sibling(s)
$185 half day, $160 additional sibling(s)
ELIGIBILITY: Ages 6 – 16, students of all strengths & experience are invited to attend. Campers will be grouped according to age & ability.
CLOTHING: Wear/bring clothes & shoes for sports activities & swimming.
REGISTRATION: Print out forms below & mail to:
Renaissance Knights, PO Box 1074, Northbrook, IL 60065
PAYMENT: Online or sent in with forms
ONLINE ENTRY - FORMS - FLYER - DIRECTIONS

WRIGHT COLLEGE - JUNIOR KNIGHTS CHESS CAMP

JULY 20-24, 2009
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Full Day
Campers will receive instruction from our staff of world class chess educators, all of whom have vast experience teaching children. Campers will be placed into groups based on ability & age & will be led through various activities, including tournaments, blitz, lectures, bughouse, & game analysis. The instructors will cover openings, endgames, tactics, & strategies. Daily physical activities, including swimming & other fun stuff. Ages 6 - 16. *Tuition includes lunch, camp T-shirt, scorebook, certificate with group photo & work folder*.
CAMP SITE: Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett Ave, Chicago, IL 60634
REGISTRATION FEE: $250 for 5 days of chess, fun activities, lunches & snacks.
ELIGIBILITY: Ages 6 – 16, students of all strengths & experience are invited to attend. Campers will be grouped according to age & ability.
CLOTHING: Wear/bring clothes & shoes for sports activities & swimming.
REGISTRATION: Print out forms below & mail to: Renaissance Knights, PO Box 1074, Northbrook, IL 60065 or register in person at 4300 N. Narragansett, Chicago, RM A120.
PAYMENT: Online, sent in with forms, or in person at Wright College
ONLINE ENTRY - FORMS - FLYER - DIRECTIONS

CPS CHAMPIONSHIP - RKNIGHTS

The night before the CPS Championship, throughout Chicago, snow, snow & more snow fell through the evening, & we had calls of concerned inquiries whether the tournament was canceled. The early morning drive was treacherous from the NW suburbs, but we kept our ‘eyes on the prize’ (a great day, for the 170 CPS students from 37 schools, their parents & coaches), with great hope they would all brave the weather conditions for this spectacular event held at Martin Luther King High School. To our delight almost all the students attended, & the CPS director, 15 of RKNIGHTS staff, the MLK HS engineer, in addition the Sun Times & Fox News, which helped make it a fabulous day.
Congratulations to all the winners !
2009 CPS Championship Standings

IL. SCHOLASTIC CHESS SCHOLARS - RKNIGHTS

IL SCHOLASTIC CHESS SCHOLARS BENEFITS:

ISCS Training Workshops (Monthly - 2 Hrs) - NO CHARGE

$5 off 'selected' RKNIGHTS Tournaments

RKNIGHTS Master Training Workshops - HALF PRICE

Discounts to ‘selected’ RKNIGHTS Summer Camps & Events

Opportunities for Prizes & Awards

Occasions for volunteer w/RKNIGHTS Programs

Certificates & Letters of Recognition to School

Renaissance Knights Shirts

A lot of learning & fun…!

COMMITMENT:

Good Sportsmanship & enthusiasm for learning.

ISCS Training Workshops -Attend 6 (min) in a year. NO CHARGE

RKNIGHTS tournaments -Attend 4 (min) year. Scholarships available

Volunteer at 2 (min) RKNIGHTS Programs (2-4 hrs total)

Learn & have fun…!

IL. SCHOLASTIC CHESS SCHOLARS - CONGRATULATIONS

1. Tarun Rao
2. Mitchell Warren
3. Avery Shuster
4. Matthew Steindel
5. Kevin Noonan
6. Samiylo Habrel
7. Georgia Wolf
8. Penelope Wolf
9. David Silva
10. Spencer Holbrook
11. Fredric Fosco
12. Mathew Corrigan
13. Jonathon Parts
14. Alex Ortiz
15. Sam Spina
16. Joshua Macius
17. Will Madson

IL Scholastic Chess Scholars are chosen on merit basis from the thousands of children participating in Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation Programs. The selected participants are nominated by RKNIGHTS directors and teachers. The criteria used: Good sportsmanship; engaged students eager to learn and have exhibited ability for perseverance; work well within group and team setting; who are able to meet the requirements/commitments of the IL. Scholastic Chess Scholars Program.

Indian Trails Public Library Chess Tournament -RKNIGHTS

The Indian Trails Public Library in Wheeling had it's fifty year birthday, the director's of the library chose to include a 'Chess Tournament' to be part of it's celebration of activities representing this very special passage of time and called the Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation to help. The RKNIGHTS ran the chess tournament and the library staff was excellent in their support and assistance. One librarian confided she didn't think too many players would show up. To every one's delight and surprise over fifty children and adults came to partake in the exciting tournament. Everyone had a good time, the library staff enjoyed it, and some chess player's had asked the library and the RKNIGHTS, to please have more chess tournaments. We will have another one next year! MORE PICS

Boys & Girls Club of America & RKNIGHTS

Fun with chess at Boys & Girls Club of America

by M.R. RKNIGHTS Teacher & Chess Expert

Renaissance Knights sponsored a chess afternoon for the Login Square Boys and Girls Club in Chicago. Many kids showed up for the various daily activities at Boys & Girls Club, but chess seemed to steal the show. A lot of people flocked to come play chess and also to learn about the game. The always popular big chess pieces was also a huge attraction. A large group of kids stayed for the whole three hours and many came to watch as well as learn the basics. RKNIGHTS thanks everyone who participated and played, and to the staff for helping out and encouraging the kids to try something new. RKNIGHTS also works with the Boys & Girls Club in Elgin & Waukegan.

Emerson Elementary School - RKNIGHTS

by M.R. RKNIGHTS Teacher & Chess Expert

A first time chess program (Junior Knights) was kicked off at Emerson Elementary school on February 6, 2009 and the many kids who attended, really loved it. Renaissance Knights would like to thank the alderman of Berwyn for his generous contribution in helping to establish the newly formed and very popular chess program. The new chess enthusiasts were welcomed by the President of RKNIGHTS, Mr. David Heiser, followed by FIDE Master Aung Thant Zin (Burma) and Expert Mark Robledo teaching chess to the eager students yearning to learn the game. Many thanks to the staff at Emerson and Mrs. Shelly Titzer, for bringing chess and its benefits to the school and surrounding communities of Chicago.

Chess Art & Poetry Awards at Galileo Academy

Renaissance Knights has partnered with Ms. Lasisi 5th grade class whose theme for the year is chess. Pictured below is some of the chess art the students made. Personnel from RKNIGHTS judged the students work (art & poetry) & provided awards for the winners. The students did so well it was very difficult to pick the winners. PICS

Ukrainian Chess Federation's VP Visits Galileo Academy

January 12, 2008

Renaissance Knights sponsored the visit of Leonid Timoshenko, Vice President of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, to Galileo Math and Science Academy where he visited with Mrs. Lasisi’s 5th grade class whose theme for the year is chess. The students learned about chess in the Ukraine and the success the Ukrainian teams had at the recent Chess Olympiad. Accompanying Mr. Timoshenko was International Master Stan Smiatankin (Belarus). Also in attendance were Oleksandr Gaman (Consulate General of Ukraine), Lisa Wiersma, (CPS Interim Director of Partnerships) & Darrin Osborne (CPS Sports Department). MORE PICS

Words of Encouragement for Knights Quest Players: You Are Better Than Your Rating!

by Jeff Caveney
RKNIGHTS Teacher & Chess Expert

As an instructor and Knights Quest tournament assistant, I have observed a lot of games of young players under 1000 rating. I have also studied many of those games as a chess instructor for these players. I want to tell all Knights Quest players and their families that in my professional opinion, you are all better chess players than your rating shows!

Watching the under-800 section for many months, I have to say I have never in my life seen so many players with 700 ratings play chess so well. When I compare your games in the Quest to other games in outside tournaments, the 700 rated Quest players are at least as good if not better than the 900 rated players in other tournaments. I am sure the same will be true for the 500 rated Quest players in the under-600 section and the 900 rated Quest players in the under-1000 section this year.

You may wonder why this happens, I think it is because you are all playing most of your games against other Quest players whose ratings are also lower than their real chess strength. If a group of 20 players with 700 ratings all play each other month after month, they will all improve a lot, but their average rating will not go up because they are always playing against the other people in the same group who are also improving along with them. The same is true for the 600 and 500 rated players who have to play against the 700 rated players.

The moral of the story is don't be discouraged if your rating doesn't go up a lot in the Quest tournaments! In reality, the experience of playing in the Quest every month is making you a much better chess player. Later, when you go to other tournaments, you will find yourself beating much higher rated opponents and your rating will suddenly go up hundreds of points in a very short period of time. Other players will wonder how you improved so fast. The answer is:from the experience you gained by playing in the Knights Quest every month! MORE PICS - MORE PICS - MORE PICS