Bateman Chess Team FAQs
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What is the difference between “Bateman Chess Club”, “Bateman Chess All-Stars”, and “Bateman Chess Team”?
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“Bateman Chess Club” is a CPS Academic Competitions program for 4th-8th grade students. “Bateman Chess All-Stars” is a grant-based extracurricular program for K-3rd grade students. The Chess Club practices in the afternoons, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays. The All-Stars group meets in the mornings every Tuesday and Thursday. There are occasional exceptions to the grade-level groupings, particularly in the case of siblings who need similar schedules. Both groups constitute the “Bateman Chess Team”, which competes at local, state, and even national tournaments.
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How can I enroll my child to the Bateman Chess Program?
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The Bateman Chess coach, Adam Geisler, can be contacted at any time about joining the Bateman Chess Team: acgeisler@cps.edu. Both programs are first come-first served, and when the roster is full (60 total Chess Team members), interested students are placed on a waiting list. When roster spots become available, waiting list parents are contacted.
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When/where does Bateman Chess Team meet?
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Chess Club - Every Monday & Tuesday | 3:15–5:00 pm. Chess All-Stars Students - Every Tuesday & Thursday | 7:15–8:10 am (Please see Bateman School Calendar). All Chess Team practices are held in Mr. Geisler’s classroom in Room 311 on the third floor.
All-Stars are dropped off at Door 1 (North office) for the morning sessions. They are dismissed at 8:10 am to get a free breakfast before going to their classroom for the school day. Chess Club members go to the lunchroom after school for a snack. They are picked up at 3:30 pm to go to the afternoon practice. |
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What is “Free Chess Friday”? Who can attend it?
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Free Chess Fridays are extra morning sessions where chess team members can get a little bit of extra practice. They are held most Fridays from 7:30-8:05 am (Check the Bateman School Calendar). If a parent of a child who is not on the chess team is interested in having their child try out chess on Free Chess Fridays, they can contact Mr. Geisler (acgeisler@cps.edu).
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If my child can’t attend chess lessons for some reason (gets sick, has an appointment, etc.), what do we need to do?
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It would be courteous to send Mr. Geisler an email (acgeisler@cps.edu) to let him know about the reason for an absence to allow it to be excused. Three unexcused absences are cause for removal from the chess team roster.
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How can I purchase Bateman Chess Team gear (T-shirt/hoodie)?
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Chess team apparel orders are usually done in November and December.
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There are a lot of tournaments! Should my child play all of them?
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Your child can participate in as many tournaments as you would like them to attend. It is not expected that they will play in every competition. However, in order for a player to remain on the team roster, they are asked to participate in at least two free tournaments in the first half of the year, and at least two in the second half of the year. Any of the tournaments that are fee-based are optional. Most rated tournaments have some entry fee, but also include potential for cash or material prizes.
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What is the difference between ‘Rated’ and ‘Non-rated’ chess tournaments?
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When a player joins the US Chess Federation, they are assigned a rating. Every time someone plays in a rated tournament, they gain rating points for a win, and drop rating points for a loss. The result of a draw depends on the level of the opponent. A player’s rating is a general indicator of their ability level.
Non-rated events are not affiliated with US Chess, and therefore do not have an effect on a player’s rating. |
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How can my child get USCF ID number?
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Any individual can join the US Chess Federation. We often have offers of discount or even free memberships, so if you are considering having your child join the federation, contact Mr. Geisler first for assistance. Once you have joined, you will be assigned a USCF ID number. This number allows you to enter rated tournaments.
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CAS, CC, FC, CCF, USCF, ICA, CCC, FIDE, CCA, FREE ... What do they stand for?
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CAS - Chess All-Star
CC - Chess Club FC - Free Chess Friday You may see these abbreviations at Bateman Chess Schedule. FIDE - Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation (Visit Website) USCF - United States Chess Federation (Visit Website) ICA - Illinois Chess Association (Visit Website) CCF - Chicago Chess Foundation (Visit Website) CCC - Chicago Chess Center (Visit Website) CCA - Continental Chess Association (Visit Website) FREE - It’s always free :) |
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What is ChessKid.com and how is it different from Chess.com?
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All Bateman Chess Team members get a free gold membership account to www.chesskid.com. Each student has a username and password that allows them to access the website anywhere with an internet connection. There is also a free app that can be downloaded on iPhone and Android devices. The website offers lessons which include video introductions to new concepts and strategies, in addition to puzzles, articles, online games against other ChessKid members, and other interactive activities. It is a kid-friendly site that does not allow chats with adults or other non-members.
ChessKid is owned by Chess.com which is the overall site for online chess available to anyone. There are no parent controls on that site, so it is only recommended for players who have surpassed all of the levels and challenges within ChessKid.com, and parents who are looking for another online resource. The free account offers general access to games and limited access to some of the other features that are available to paid subscribers. |
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My child forgot his/her ChessKid.com login info. What should I do?
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You may send Mr.Geisler an email (acgeisler@cps.edu). Remember to also check your child’s agenda book / student planner, where the login information should be taped.
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Is it mandatory to wear Bateman Chess T-shirts/hoodie to the chess tournaments?
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Mandatory? No. Encouraged? Yes. Wearing any Bateman gear is helpful for team spirit, but also when identifying each other when there are many other people at the tournament.
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Where are tournaments held?
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Tournaments are held at different locations, usually schools or public buildings. The free CCF tournaments typically take place in Chicago high schools. Some of the rated tournaments are often hosted by hotels or college campus buildings. Whenever a tournament is posted or shared, the location will be included.
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Can I drop my child off at the tournament?
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For the free tournaments, you are allowed to drop off your child, but we also rely on parent volunteers for supervision, so please consider helping out when you can. If you do drop off your child, please be on time to pick them up by the time the tournament is scheduled to end. Mr. Geisler is not allowed to transport any student.
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Can I watch my child play at the tournament?
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At the free CCF tournaments, parents are allowed to stay in the playing area during each round. They must stay on the perimeter of the games so that they do not interfere or attempt to communicate to the children during the games. At the rated events, the policy usually keeps spectators out of the playing area, so as to avoid any accusations of cheating or other potential conflicts.
If your child notates their game (writes down the moves), you can review the game with your child after it has finished. |
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How long is the chess tournament going to be?
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Most of the chess tournaments that we participate in are a one-day, four or five-round event. They typically last for about seven hours, with a check-in around 9am and an awards ceremony around 4pm. Usually a round lasts about 45-60 min. Some of the bigger rated events are two or three days, with longer times for each round.
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What if I can’t drop my child off at the tournament. Can the school help us?
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Many parents often organize caravans for helping each other transport to and from tournaments. We encourage you to reach out to each other to help coordinate ride sharing when possible. There are also occasional times when the team gets a bus to some of the bigger events. There is a cost for bus rental, but CPS will sometimes provide funding for buses.
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Can I purchase food/drink at the tournament?
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Food and drinks will be on sale at tournaments. There are often easy options nearby the schools as well. It is always a good idea to bring a snack or two just in case. Parents often bring some snacks to share, so feel free to bring something healthy for our hungry players. :)
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Will my child play children the same age?
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At the free tournaments, the typical sections are K-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 for novice players. Once a player has earned their way into the Intermediate and Advanced section, the grade range is K-8 (see next question).
At most rated tournaments, players compete within a range of their rating, rather than by age or grade level. For example, many tournaments have sections like Under 1000, Under 1200, etc. If a player’s rating is under the listed number, then they will play others with a similar rating. |
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CCF Intermediate section vs. CCF Advanced section. What is the difference?
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The Intermediate section is a newly revisited section this year that was brought back to reduce the size of the Advanced section, as well as balance the level of competition. When a player has earned three trophies (top 7 finish) or wins 1st place in the K-4 Novice sections, they are automatically promoted to the Intermediate section (for grades 5-8, it requires two trophies). For more information on the Advanced section, see the next question. Any player can choose to play in the Intermediate or Advanced sections by request if they are looking for a challenge.
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How can my child be promoted to the Advanced Section?
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With the return of the Intermediate section, now the Advanced section is meant for the strongest players at the tournament. To earn the promotion into the Advanced section, a player must win a trophy in the Intermediate section
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Does my child need to notate games?
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Notation is an excellent way to learn from one’s own games, and is a proven method for improving one’s chess skills. I always encourage students to notate whenever possible. At the free tournaments, notation is only required in the Intermediate and Advanced sections, but again it is encouraged for all players. One of the ways that I can best coach is to be able to help students analyze their choices in each game. At rated tournaments, notation is typically mandatory except for players who are under 8 years old.
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My child won all of his/her games. Why didn’t he/she win the first place?
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In some cases, players may be tied at the end of a tournament. There are different ways to break these ties. If time allows, tournament directors will sometimes have the tied players play a blitz game (5 min. for each player) to break the tie. In other instances, the tournament software uses an internal tie-break formula based on a series of conditions including wins as black (more valuable than wins as white), the performance of the player’s other opponents in the rest of their games, etc. It can get a bit confusing, so here is a link to the actual tie-break systems that are usually employed during tournaments.
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My child says he/she won, but the opponent says that he/she won the game. What should we do?
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At tournaments, whenever there is a disagreement, it is important that the player(s) raise their hand to have the situation assessed by a tournament director or assistant. When the score is written down by the assistant or the players, the player should make sure it is recorded correctly (1 for a win; 0 for a loss; 0.5 for a draw). If the result is still disputed, let Mr.Geisler know immediately so that he can discuss the situation with the tournament director to seek a resolution.
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My child is a 2nd grader. He/She can’t attend morning chess meetings. Can she/he come afternoon instead?
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Ordinarily, the afternoon chess club is designated for 4th-8th grade students. We do make occasional exceptions, particularly if they have an older sibling who is already in or is interested in chess club. However, if a player is really interested in chess, and wants to participate in team events, contact Mr.Geisler (acgeisler@cps.edu) to discuss a possible acceptance.
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Are there any chess camps at Bateman school?
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Yes, we usually host a one-week chess camp in the summer that is sponsored by the Chicago Chess Foundation. Spots are limited (students from other schools are also invited to attend), so when the information is sent out near the end of the school year, be sure to contact Mr.Geisler about signing up.
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What are The Warren Junior Scholar and ICA Rising Stars program?
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For more information about the Warren Junior Scholar and ICA Rising Stars program, please visit the ICA website. Also, you may check out WJS/RS qualifications by clicking the link.
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Where can I find my child's USCF ID?
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If your child is already a member of the US Chess Federation you can find his/her USCF ID number here.
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There are so many different types of chess clocks. Which one do you recommend?
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The clocks that Bateman uses in the club are a good option for practice with a delay. These are a good option between the basic DGT and the tournament DGT clocks - click here.
-- budget clock with no delay (for practice at home) - click here -- chess clock with delay (for official chess tournaments) - click here |
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Does my child need to bring a chess clock to a tournament?
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For our free tournaments, students are not required to bring clocks. However, if it is a rated tournament, players are often asked to bring their own clocks. If you ever have a question about a specific tournament, please feel free to ask Mr. Geisler.
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Do we need to bring a chess set (board and chess pieces) to a tournament?
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For most of our tournaments, players will not be required to bring their own chess sets. However, if you are ever attending a tournament on your own, you should always read the information on the flyer or website. The organizers will say whether players are expected to bring their own sets.
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