Arbor Chess
Virtual chess classes begin the first week of October! Register now...
For the Friday Beginning class, register by this Thursday NOON, Sept. 30
For the Tuesday and Wednesday class, register by this Friday, Oct. 1
If you have already registered, thank you! We will email you zoom links and details this coming weekend. (For the Rec and Ed class, Rec and Ed will email you.)
The Tuesday and Wednesday classes are offered directly through www.arborchess.com the Friday beginning class is offered through the Ann Arbor Rec and Ed program.
Mr. Garrison is the primary instructor for all classes. All classes are a mix of instruction and virtual play time on the www.lichess.org platform.
- Friday Beginner Rec & Ed Class 4:30-5:30pm eastern, begins THIS FRIDAY Oct. 1 (HURRY registration ends this THURSDAY, 12 noon eastern time)
- Tuesday Int/Advanced class, 5:15-6:45pm eastern, begins next Tuesday, Oct. 5 (Register by this Friday)
- Wednesday Multilevel class, 4:30-6pm eastern, begins next Wednesday, Oct. 6 (Register by this Friday)
The multilevel class is open to anyone with some experience. Stronger students will enjoy the Tuesday int/adv class. Beginners with very little experience should join the Beginning class.
Registration is open now:
arborchess.com/virtual-chess-classes
In Person tournament THIS WEEKEND in Ann Arbor:
Ray Garrison is recommending the "Bottom Half Class" Championships THIS WEEKEND (OCT 2 and 3). Students with USCF rating of 900 or lower (or unrated) may play the one day tournament this Saturday, Oct. 2. Students over 900 play in the two day event. This event is sponsored by the Michigan Chess Association. The event will be in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Masks are required. For more information, please visit :
Registration is Open for Virtual Chess Camps
The next camp is the Gobble Gobble camp over Thanksgiving weekend.
Arbor Chess offers virtual camps during school breaks.
- Gobble Gobble Virtual Camp, 2 days, Thanksgiving weekend
- Winter Break Virtual Camp, 4 days, the week before Christmas
- Ring in the New Year Virtual Camp, 4 days, the week after Christmas
- MLK Virtual camp, one day, Jan. 17, 2022
- President's day Virtual camp, one day, Feb. 21, 2022
- Spring Break Virtual Camp (five days)
Register for any camp here:
arborchess.com/virtual-chess-camps
General Information for classes/camps:
Requirements for classes/camps: All students will need a free account at www.lichess.org and all students should know the basic movement of chess pieces. To learn the basics, have your child work through these exercises: Chess Basics
Ray Garrison has been teaching chess in Michigan since 1996 (full time since 2000). In March of 2020, everything switched to virtual, and this virtual format has been very popular with students. Due to excellent lichess teaching tools, students improve very quickly via the online teaching method vs. traditional in person formats.