Class and Course Descriptions and Scheduling

100 Beginning Chess I: Set-up, Moves, Basic Ideas

This class is directed toward beginning students. Students will learn the basic story of chess, how the pieces move, the starting position, and the general outline of the game.

Requirements: None

Each student will receive a flyer of basic information

Price: $50 for three 55-minute sessions

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Location: Online or in-person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of four students for the class to be held.

102: Beginning Chess II: Basic Checkmates, Basic Openings, Basic Tactics

This class is directed toward beginning students. Students will learn the basic story of chess, how the pieces move, the starting position, and the general outline of the game.

Requirements: Must know everything covered in Beginning Chess I

Each student will receive a flyer of basic information

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: $50 for three 55 -minute sessions

Location: Online/In-person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of four students for the class to be held

102-A: Beginning Chess II: Basic Checkmates, Basic Openings, Basic Tactics - Adjusted for class length and student experience.

This class is directed toward beginning students. Students will learn the basic story of chess, how the pieces move, the starting position, and the general outline of the game.

Requirements: Must know everything covered in Beginning Chess I

Each student will receive a flyer of basic information

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: TBD

Location: Online/In-Person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of four students for the class to be held. 

105: Introduction to Tournament Chess:

This class is for all ages, although we anticipate the class will typically have a majority of younger players. If you’ve never played in an over-the-board tournament, your first experience can be daunting.

This class walks through the procedures of a chess tournament, the equipment you should have, tournament processes, and key tournament rules. Additionally, we provide you opportunities to practice experiences so that you’ll better understand what you need to do before entering your first event.

Topics include checking in, getting your pairings, finding your board, setting your clock, keeping notation, key tournament rules, reporting your results, verifying wallcharts.

Requirements: Must know everything covered in Beginning Chess I

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: $50 for three 55 -minute sessions

Location: Online/In-Person

Multiple sessions may be opened based on interest.

Minimum of four students for the class to be held. 

120: Survey of Chess I

An ongoing class focusing on the first level of chess understanding. This class assumes the student knows all the topics of Beginning Chess 100 and 102, and preferably 105 Introduction to Tournament Chess. The class will have the greatest impact if a player can regularly attend a rated chess tournament.

This class is intended for players below a US Chess rating of 1200.

Requirements: Must know everything covered in Beginning Chess I

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: Flat fee of $70/month irrespective of number of sessions, holidays, etc. unless instructor must cancel; then a per session credit will be carried forward to the next month. This class will typically have a prorated charge for the first month, and will be invoiced thereafter.

Location: Online/In-Person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of four students for the class to be held. 

130: Survey of Chess 2

An ongoing class focusing on the first level of chess understanding. This class assumes the student knows all the topics of Beginning Chess 100 and 102, 105 Introduction to Tournament Chess. The class will have the greatest impact if a player can regularly attend a rated chess tournament.

This class covers similar to 120, but more in-depth and with greater rigor. The class is intended for players with US Chess ratings of 1000 to 1500. Some players above 1500 may find this class useful if there are “gaps” in their fundamental knowledge. Dedicated students below 1000 or novices will find the course useful. Chess coaches will also find the course beneficial.

Requirements: Must know everything covered in Beginning Chess I

Meeting times: Wednesdays, 7-8 Central Time, February 15 - May 3, 2023 (12 meetings)

Price: $180

Registration: https://www.cavemanchess.com/course-registration

Location: Online, Microsoft Teams connection. Please be sure that you have a stable Internet connection and limit background noise - using headphones if necessary. It’s important that your connection not be disruptice to the class.

If you don't have a FREE Chessbase username, please go to https://account.chessbase.com/en/create-account to create a free account and share the username with us.

Topics:

1) The Fundamentals for Understanding Chess

2) Basic Theory of Positional Play

3) Using Classical Games to Study

4) How to Attack

5) Pawn Play: Pawn Storms; Minority Attacks; Bayonets

6) Pawn Play: Holes; Backward, Isolated, Doubled Pawns; Pawn Chains

7) Open lines; Ranks; Files; Diagonals

8) Moving to endgames: Passed Pawns and basic K+P endings

9) Rook Endings

10) Minor piece endings

11) Examples of Typical Sacrifices

12) TBD based on class need

Homework: The class will have weekly homework.

Instructor: Kevin L. Bachler FIDE Master, FIDE Trainer, Life Master, US Chess Professional Chess Coach. See https://www.cavemanchess.com/kevins-credentials

There is a minimum of four students for the class to be held. 

150: Introduction to Tactics Through Classic Games

Caveman Chess adheres to the theory that individual chess understanding develops in the same order as collective chess understanding, and is one of several key principles to improve. This approach has been advocated by many chess theorists, including World Champion Botvinnik who was renowned for his work on chess training.; World Champion Euwe, and top theorist Réti. This makes the study of classic historical games important as a means to improve.

In this class, we study tactics arising from classic players and games. This will also lead us to question chess strategy because these classic players often (but not always) focused on tactics without strategy - thereby playing a lower level of chess.

Our goal is to understand strategy and tactics in tandem.

Requirements: Must know everything covered in Beginning Chess 100 and 102.

Each student will receive a handout

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: $70 for four 55-minute sessions

Location: Online or in-person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of four students for the class to be held. 

160: Introduction to Key Tactical Themes - I

Beyond pins, and forks and x-rays are Greek Gifts, Triple Links, Windmills and other important tactical positions. Do you know the right plan and how to use these forms of advanced tactics?  Often there is a specific methodology that can be followed to win such positions.

Intended for players 800 - 1500(ish). Students will have weekly homework

Each student will receive a class booklet with session lessons.

Price: $70 for four 55-minute sessions

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Location: Online or in-person

Minimum of six students for the class to to be held.

 210: Introduction to King and Pawn Endgames

Perhaps your chess player thinks they’ve learned all about these endgames in the school chess course. While they may have been taught some techniques, did they learn key ideas like “the T”, square of the pawn, advanced forms of “the opposition”, straight lines can be crooked, shouldering, bypassing and other key ideas to make them a fundamentally stronger chess player? Championships are won or lost in the endgame.

Required: Students must know all the piece moves and be able to read chess notation.

Students will have weekly homework.

Each student will receive a class booklet with session lessons.

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: $70 for four 55-minute sessions

Location: Online or in-person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of six students for the class to be held. 

300: Understanding the Basics of Positional & Tactical Play - Level 1

FT/FM Bachler has taught variations of this class for years to players ranging from 600 to 2200, and to chess coaches of all levels.  Many coaches and players have called this the best class they have ever had, because it provides them a solid framework and methodology for understanding chess.

This class is directed toward students from 800 - 1300. The class outlines the key points in the evolution of chess theory and defines the key links between strategy and tactics by outlining the evolution from Philidor to Morphy, to Steinitz. It shows the impact that Steinitz' theories had on attack and defense, such as attack arising from positional considerations, not from the brilliance of the attacker. Students may sometimes feel they are beyond some of the material in this class, only to find that they have significant gaps in their knowledge of fundamentals. Examples from classical to modern games illustrate the concepts. This is a perfect class for both students and coaches.

Required: Students must know all the piece moves and be able to read chess notation.

Students will have weekly homework.

Each student will receive a class booklet with session lessons.

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: $90 for five 55-minute sessions

Location: Online or in-person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of six students for the class to be held. 

400: Understanding the Basics of Positional & Tactical Play - Level 2

FT/FM Bachler has taught variations of this class for years to players ranging from 600 to 2200, and to chess coaches of all levels.  Many coaches and players have called this the best class they have ever had, because it provides them a solid framework and methodology for understanding chess.

This class is directed toward students from 1300 - 2000. The class outlines the key points in the evolution of chess theory and defines the key links between strategy and tactics by outlining the evolution from Philidor to Morphy, to Steinitz. It shows the impact that Steinitz' theories had on attack and defense, such as attack arising from positional considerations, not from the brilliance of the attacker. Students may sometimes feel they are beyond some of the material in this class, only to find that they have significant gaps in their knowledge of fundamentals. Examples from classical to modern games illustrate the concepts. This is a perfect class for both students and coaches.

Required: Students must know all the piece moves and be able to read chess notation.

Students will have weekly homework.

Each student will receive a class booklet with session lessons.

Meeting times: See Events & Calendar

Price: $100 for six 55-minute sessions

Location: Online or in-person

Multiple sessions may be opened based upon interest.

Minimum of six students for the class to be held. 

410: Evolution of the Closed Ruy Lopez from Zukertort to Fischer

Develops an understanding of the Closed Ruy Lopez and key themes of the opening by following the evolution of its underlying theory beginning with Evan's Gambit games by Zukertort, and ending in the era of Fischer and a young Karpov.

By understanding underlying concepts the student is better able to find strong moves and ideas in any Ruy Lopez position, and will develop additional positional strength for all positions.

Intended for players rated 1200 - 1600. Students will have weekly homework.

Each student will receive a class booklet with session lessons.

Price: $ 120 for six 55-minute sessions

Meeting times: TBD

Location: Online or in-person

Minimum of four students for the class to be held.