San Diego Chess Academy — Scholastic Chess Classes & Club

Program Structure

A program that grows with your child

Juniors

Beginner

First exposure to chess — piece movement, basic rules, board awareness, through games & puzzles.

Jumpstarters

Intermediate · 0–500 USCF Rating

Structured training for developing players ready to improve strategy and competitive skills.

Challengers

Advanced · 500–1000 USCF Rating

Advanced training for competitive players ready to refine tactics and tournament-level strategy.

Outside the Classroom

Community

Friday Night Chess Club

Casual, all levels drop-in. Open play, puzzles, and snacks.

Competition

Monthly Tournament

Open to all club levels to test what you've learned.

Weekly Rhythm

The Schedule

September 13 – November 8, 2026 · No class October 26

Juniors

1:30 – 2:30 PM

Jumpstarters

2:45 – 3:45 PM

Challengers

4:00 – 5:00 PM

Friday Evening — Club Night

6:30 – 7:30 PM

Drop-in, all levels — open play, puzzles & social play.

Starts September 11, 2026

Monthly — Club Tournament

1× per month, Sunday

Open to all club members — rated & unrated sections.

Next tournament date: Coming soon

Pricing

Classes

$30 per class

With 2-month session enrollment

Fall session: Sept 13–Nov 8 (no class Oct 26)
Drop-in classes: $40 per class

Chess Club

$10 per session

Friday night drop-in — open to all levels. Payment can be made at the door.

Tournaments

$25 per sign up

Monthly scholastic tournament.

About Our Coaches

Navid

Head Coach · USCF Expert, 2000 Rating

Navid started playing competitive chess at age nine and went on to earn the title of USCF Expert. But for him, chess was always about more than trophies — as a student who struggled with focus, the game taught him patience, sharpened his problem-solving, and changed how he showed up in the classroom. Since 2021, he's brought that same transformation to schools across San Diego County, and founded the academy to help every student unlock their potential — on the board and off it.

Inside the Academy