What’s Hot!
Fall Class Schedule is at www.cavechess.cc/classes
Chess Mastery Training Day for All Players, Sat., October 4th , 3 GMs, 1FM, see below.
Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day Workshop - October 13th, see below
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Chess education - not chess enrichment
For Classes and Lessons, see Education in the menu.
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Indigenous Peoples’/ Columbus Day Workshop
Description
Step into a thrilling environment where students dive into the world of chess while discovering their true potential! Our dynamic program includes energizing outdoor activities (weather permitting) to keep the excitement high. With our passionate & professional staff by their side, your child will master strategic thinking and elevate their chess game to tournament-level play! Get ready for an unforgettable adventure blending skill-building, excitement, & outdoor fun!
Chess Mastery Workshop #1
GMs Avrukh, Gurevich, Shulman, & FM, FT Bachler provide exciting insights on chess.
October 4, 2025
Caveman Chess Center, 222 S. Prospect, Floor R, Park Ridge, IL 60068
This is premier professional-level chess training.
There are four instructors, each with three classes, for a total of twelve classes. Topics are below. Each class is $40, with $20 off for signing up for three ($100 total rather than $120.)
Schedule: Class 1: 9:00-10:30; Break: 10:30-10:45; Class 2:10:45-12:15; Lunch: 12:15-1:30; Class 3: 1:30 – 3:00; End of day. Topics are for a range of strengths and ages. Handouts and electronic copies of the training materials will be provided.
Register at www.cavechess.cc/mastery1.
For this special training, students must adhere to proper decorum; those who fail to do so will be withdrawn without a refund. Parents are welcome to attend class with their child at the regular price. At least business low casual attire is required. This includes nice jeans (without tears, solid color) & suitable tennis shoes, as well as tops such as dress shirts, polos, & blouses. T-shirts, sleeveless tops, & clothing with printing are not allowed. While we aim to have fun, students are expected to dress and act professionally, at all times respecting instructors and others.
Timing
Get ready for an incredible day filled with fun and learning at our exciting workshops! The adventure kicks off at 9:00 a.m. & runs until 4:00 p.m., with options for morning-only, afternoon-only, or an all-day experience that you won't want to miss!
You’ll have a full hour to recharge during lunch—don’t forget to bring a “nut-safe” meal & drink! Additionally, we plan to schedule time for thrilling outdoor activities, weather permitting. Feel free to arrive a whole hour early or stick around an extra hour at the end to soak up every moment!
Schedule
Here’s a sneak peek at the schedule:
- Early Arrival: 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
- Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Lunch: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (Bring a “nut-safe” lunch and drink.)
- Afternoon Session: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Late Departure: 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Location
Join us at Caveman Chess in the vibrant Signature Building, at 222 S. Prospect, Park Ridge, IL 60068, on the 4th (R) Floor.
The schedule and classes are:
9:00 – 10:30
GM Avrukh: Crafting Your Ultimate Opening Repertoire
GM Gurevich: Learning from Great Champions, Mikhail Botvinnik and Anatoly Karpov
GM Shulman: Typical middlegame positions: Approach, Planning, Strategy, and Execution
FM, FT Bachler: Learning to See - Not Calculate
10:45 – 12:15
GM Avrukh: Dynamic play
GM Gurevich: Mastering the Endgames: Secrets of King pawn endgames
GM Shulman: Typical middlegame positions. Tactical play
FM,FT Bachler: Understanding Morphy, Steinitz, and Classical Chess Theory
Lunch 12:15 – 1:30
1:30 – 3:00
GM Avrukh: Pawn Structure Transformation
GM Gurevich: Mastering the Tactics: Attack and Defense
GM Shulman: Complicated positions. Calculation or common principles? Where to begin?
FM, FT Bachler: The Center, Classical Theory, Understanding Classical Attacks
For detailed class descriptions, click her
Orders
Please note that separate registrations are required for each camper, so ensure you select a quantity of "1" for each camp you wish to join. Get ready for an unforgettable exerience!
Registration closes at 6:00 p.m. on the Sunday prior to the workshop.
US Chess Memberships
Caveman Chess, in partnership with US Chess, offers discounted memberships for players aged five to eighteen through a special voucher. The voucher is 50% of the price of an “e-magazine” membership, which is free with the voucher. You can purchase a voucher from Caveman Chess and then redeem it on the US Chess website. For more details, click here.
Email Confirmation
We send an email confirmation after every purchase. The email is "store+81603625235@t.shopifyemail.com". If you do not see the email confirmation in your inbox, please check your junk mail folder, as it may have been filtered there by your email provider.
Caveman Chess Camp 2025 participants can chat with Grandmasters Avrukh and Shulman over lunch.
2026 Caveman Chess Festival
We are submitting bids to US Chess for the 2026 events.
Our target camp week is 7/26-31 with tournaments 7/31-8/2 and a round trip bus to Grand Rapids for the US Open.
Instructional & Competition Pricing
Caveman Chess uses a subscription model for those who are taking classes, lessons, or just want discounts to tournaments and other competitions.
Using a monthly subscription model keeps pricing simple. To see pricing for classes, competitions, and more, go to the subscriptions page.
Registration
You can register for any event by starting at our registration page. This page explains how to register for each type of event.
Go here to register.
Event “Ticket” Flash Sales
Tournaments, Camps & Instruction
The chess industry has few "flash" sales for tournaments, camps, or instruction because organizers prioritize “fairness " and simplicity.” However, like other ticketing sectors, empty seats lead to lost revenue and increased costs. Many businesses run flash sales to fill empty spots; Companies like Trivago thrive by maximizing occupancy. The flash sale process is fair, but the fairness is contingent on whether there are seats to fill.
Caveman Chess strives to be financially efficient and deliver the best possible experiences. More participants generally lead to a better experience. Therefore, we may occasionally offer flash sales to increase participation.
Please note that a flash sale does not provide refunds for those who are already registered. By registering early, you secure your price and spot. We can't predict if flash sales will occur; Refunding existing registrations defeats the purpose. If you choose to wait for a sale to get a better price, be aware you might end up paying more if no sale happens.
Caveman Chess Instruction, Events, Tournaments
Instruction & Competition
Caveman Chess provides instruction and competition. Unlike many providers, we provide education, not enrichment, using classical instruction, training methods, and modern computer techniques. Students will have assignments.
We teach players to do it right and do it well. They will know how to use a clock and keep notation so that they can share their tournament games and improve afterwards.
We offer classes, seminars, workshops, day and overnight camps and individual lessons. Each type of instruction meets different needs at different price points. Please see “Our Philosophy”, Camps & Workshops and Instructions and Credentials for more information.
Classes are weekly. Eventually, multiple sections of each course will be available weekly when students have conflicts. Our memberships program, provides discounted classes and tournaments for cost-effectiveness. Refer to the memberships page for pricing.
2025-26 Camps, Tournaments & Events
During the next week we anticipate list tournaments, camps, workshops, and events for the remainder of the year.
Our Playing Sites
Tournaments under 100 players
Caveman Chess Center, Signature Building, 222 S. Prospect Avenue, Floor R, Park Ridge, IL 60068
Tournaments of more than 100 players
Hilton-Chicago-Northbrook, 2855 Milwaukee Avenue, Northbrook, Illinois, 60062. Near Willow & I-294. Corner of Milwaukee & Winkleman.
