2025 Fall Chess Class syllabus.
Class 2 (Advanced)
Teacher Contact Information:
Chess Class Director：Yuanhua Wei
(608)335-2292
Master Coach：Alex Betaneli
Associate Coach：Neo Wei
Assistant Coach：Drake Jiang
Course Description:
课程描述:
All students in this class should already have a beginner's understanding of chess. The class will strengthen overall chess knowledge and expertise for each student, regardless of their current skill level. For this semester, I will teach them chess etiquette, the rules of tournaments, and more advanced strategies. The class will encourage students to enjoy the game while developing their skills and deepening their understanding of chess.
Junior Tournaments:
Name
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Date
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Location
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Link
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2025-2026 Wisconsin Junior Open
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November 8-9
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Manitowoc, WI
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https://www.kingregistration.com
/event/2025Jr
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2025 Madison Country Day School Chess Championship
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Saturday, December 13th
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Madison Country Day School (5606 River Road, Waunakee, WI 53597
|
https://www.kingregistration.com
/event/MCDS2025
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2025 North Central Open (top section is FIDE rated)
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December 26-28 (or 27-28 for 2-day schedule)
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Madison Marriott West, Middleton, WI 53562
1313 John Q Hammons Dr., (608) 831-2000
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https://www.kingregistration.com
/event/2025NCO
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www.notamate.com
Notamate helps players convert handwritten score sheets into clean PGNs with AI and intuitive UI, so they can save time, fix mistakes easily, and focus on improving their game.
Course Learning Goals:
课程目标：
1. To develop good learning and thinking skills
2. To be prepared for a chess tournament
3. To learn chess notation
4. To learn and practice sportsmanship and grow as a chess player
5. To learn and have fun with chess
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9/14/2025
Miscellaneous
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Welcome back to chess class!
Introduction to the course. Get to know students
Introduction to the syllabus and the new material
Review chess rules and play some chess trivia
Practice making a list of candidate moves in every position as well as looking at opponent’s threats
Break
Class with Alex
Homework: Play a chess game at home
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9/21/2025
Opening
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Warm up: Chess puzzles
Learn opening principles and the Italian Opening
Break
Play a few games of chess and practice getting a good position after the opening
Homework: Play a game at home, and bring an example from a game showing how you used an opening principle, such as center control, piece development, or castling, to the next class
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9/28/2025
Middlegame
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Warm up: Chess puzzles
Learn middlegame principles through puzzles and example positions
Learn how to decide when to or when not to trade
Break
One to two rounds of chess
Homework: Complete 10 puzzles on Lichess.org or Chess.com
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10/5/2025
Endgame
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Warm up: Chess puzzles
Learn endgame principles and look at king and pawn endgames
Break
Play games where students start from simplified endgame positions to practice king activity, pawn promotion, and piece coordination.
Homework: Play two online games and try to apply opening, middlegame, and endgame principles in each game.
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10/12/2025
Miscellaneous
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Warm up: Chess puzzles
Review how to take notation
Play a few games using only pawns
Break
Class with Alex
Homework: Play a game at home, and take notation of the game you played. We will review these games next class
|
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10/19/2025
Opening
|
Warm up: Review chess games from last week’s homework
Learn the French and Sicilian openings
Break
Play some games using a 10 minute time control
Homework: Finish all the levels in the knight and bishop checkmate pattern on Lichess.
Link: https://lichess.org/practice/checkmates/knight--bishop-mate/ByhlXnmM
|
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10/26/2025
Middlegame
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Warm up: Review knight and bishop checkmates
Look at the Halloween gambit
Middlegame tactics, pawn structure, and piece activity
Break
Play a game with notation using 20 minute time control
Homework: Complete 10 puzzles on Lichess.org or Chess.com
|
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11/2/2025
Endgame
|
Warm up: Chess puzzles
Look at the concepts of opposition, fortresses, and zugzwang
Look at fun puzzles involving pawn breaks like winning when there are 8 pawns vs 8 pawns
Break
Play 5 minute blitz games
Homework: Choose a Lichess practice under the “Pawn Endgames” section and fully complete it.
Link: https://lichess.org/practice
|
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11/9/2025
Opening
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Warm up: King and pawn vs. King opposition practice
Learn the Queens pawn opening and other openings involving a pawn sacrifice
Break
Play games using Queens pawn opening
Homework: Choose one opening we learned this semester and review it thoroughly, including the main ideas, typical moves, and common plans.
|
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11/16/2025
Miscellaneous
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Warm up: Chess puzzles
Have the class work together to perform a knight’s tour on the board
Play chess games with notation and 15 minute time control
Break
Class with Alex
Homework: Complete 10 puzzles on Lichess.org or Chess.com
|
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11/23/2025
Middlegame
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Warm up: Chess puzzles
Learn how to create and attack weaknesses
Learn typical patterns for attacking the king
Break
Play games using an opening we learned in class
Homework: Play a game at home, and take notation of the game you played. We will review these games in the next class
|
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11/30/2025
Endgame
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Warm up: Review chess games from last week’s homework
Study rook endgames, including the Lucena position
Break
Play games with notation
Homework: Choose a Lichess practice under the “Rook Endgames” section and fully complete it.
Link: https://lichess.org/practice
|
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12/7/2025
Miscellaneous
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Warm up: Chess puzzles
Play a 10 minute time control tournament
Homework: Complete 10 puzzles on Lichess.org or Chess.com
|
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12/14/2025
Miscellaneous
|
Warm up: Chess puzzles
Play fun chess game modes
Break
Class with Alex
No Homework!
|
Course Supplies:
Pen or Pencil
Notation booklets will be supplied,
Notation booklet is required for a USCF Tournament.
Note: Please Notify me of any allergies. I may be giving out chocolate as prizes. If you don’t want that, email me or contact me directly.
