Author: Sarah Brauner

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2026 St Andrews Summer Chess Camp

Description: A full-day, week-long chess camp, hosted by St. Andrew’s Episcopal School at their Shoal Creek Campus from June 22-26, 2026.  The camp will be run by Gary Gaiffe and a team of local chess instructors. All scholastic players are invited to register!

The Summer Catalog is now online! Registration for camps is HERE

Camp dates: Week #4, June 22 – June 26, 2026.
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
Price: $570
Location: 31st St. Campus
Teacher: St. Andrew’s Summer Camp Specialist, Gary Gaiffe
Target audience: kids grades 1-8

Chess Camp includes formal instruction and play, plus a camp-wide tournament at the end of the week! Beginners learn basic chess theory, game objectives, piece movement, game and tournament rules. Intermediates study chess analysis and decision-making, tactics, checkmate patterns and tournament strategies. Advanced students are taught more sophisticated chess techniques and decision-making, complex tactics, calculated and intuitive sacrifices, opening and endgame analysis.

Contact instructor Gary Gaiffe, ggaiffe@att.net, 512-426-7841 with questions as to camp content and appropriateness for your students.

For all other questions, including those regarding registration procedures, please contact the Summer Camp office, summercamp@sasaustin.org..

Please visit the camp website before making inquiries. The website covers the topics of early arrival and aftercare, drop-off and pick-up, lunch and supervision, student conduct, class sizes, and cancellation policy.

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2026 Paragon Summer Camp: Chess for Enjoyment and Improvement

Description: Save the date!!! A full-day, week-long chess camp, hosted by Paragon Prep on June 8-12, 2026.  Featuring Gary Gaiffe and local area instructors. All scholastic players are invited to register!

Grades K – 8th.  Chess Camp includes formal instruction and play, plus a camp-wide tournament at the end of the week! Beginners learn basic chess theory, game objectives, piece movement, game and tournament rules. Intermediates study chess analysis and decision-making, tactics, checkmate patterns and tournament strategies. Advanced students are taught more sophisticated chess techniques and decision-making, complex tactics, calculated and intuitive sacrifices, opening and endgame analysis.

Date and Time: 3rd camp session: June 8-12, 2026, 9am –4pm

Registration: To register, please register on Paragon Prep’s Summer Camp website (more details and registration coming soon). 

Location:
Paragon Prep Elementary
7938 Great Northern Blvd
Austin, TX 78757

Questions:
Contact Paragon Prep Summer Programs (summer@paragonprep.com, 512-459-5040) if you have questions about registering for this event. Contact Gary gaiffe (ggaiffe@att.net) if you have questions about chess content.8

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4th Austin Chess Tour: Junior Qualifier #5

We are hosting an In-Person USCF Rated Scholastic Tournament on April 4, 2026. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 100 players!

Top 10 places in Section A will earn Junior Qualifier Points – see https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/ for information about the points system.

LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78729
Free parking provided!

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
SECTION A: 1600+ USCF rating
SECTION B: 1200 – 1599 USCF rating
SECTION C: 800 – 1199 USCF rating
SECTION D: 400 – 799 USCF rating
SECTION E: Under 400 USCF rating and/or unrated.
*Players are not allowed to play up or down*

Time Controls:

Section A: G/60, d5 (60 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section B: G/60, d5 (60 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section C: G/45, d5 (45 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section D: G/30, d5 (30 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section E: G/30, d5 (30 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)

4 or 5 Round Swiss System Schedule, depending on section
Number of rounds and round times vary by section. Please read the below carefully!

Sections A & B (all rounds G/60, d5)
●  1st round: 9:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:15 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:30 PM
●  3rd round: 2:30 PM
●  4th round: 4:45 PM

Section C (all rounds G/45, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:45 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:30 PM
●  3rd round: 2:30 PM
●  4th round: 4:15 PM

Sections D & E (all rounds G/30, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:15 AM
●  3rd round: 12:30 PM
●  Lunch Break: 1:30 PM
●  4th round: 2:30 PM
●  5th round: 3:45 PM

Closing ceremony: After the last game of the section finishes.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

Players may not posses cell phones during the tournament. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

ENTRY FEES:

●  Early Bird: $40 at https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/act-4-junior-qualifier-5/ by 11:59pm, April 19, 2026
●  Standard: $50 from April 20 until 11:59p on Mary 4, 2026
●  Late: $65 on or after May 5, 2026
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com

 
PRIZES:
● Trophies for 1st place (in each section)
● Medals for 2nd and 3rd place (in each section)
 

PLAYUP POLICY:

  • Playup fee is $0.50 per rating point below the section up to 100 points. We use the higher of the two ratings: Live rating or Current Monthly Ratings to calculate the fee. Playup fee is a guarantee you will play up. There are no refunds for playup fee including Withdrawals Your rating becomes above the rating needed to play the section Your rating becomes lower than the 100 points less threshold AGAIN IT IS A GUARANTEE YOU WILL PLAY IN THE SECTION YOU ARE PAYING FOR All sales for playup fee are final!

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you do not wish to participate in our tournament after paying the entry fee, please email us at info@austin-chess.com no later than 24 hours in advance for an 80% refund. We reserve the right to charge a service fee for cancellations. NO refunds will be issued if we are notified of cancellation within 24 hours of the start of the event.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director. NO refunds will be issued after the tournament begins.
NO-SHOW POLICY: There are NO refunds or credit for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches.
Please contact us at info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns.
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4th Austin Chess Tour: Open Qualifier #4

The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting an Open USCF Rated Tournament on April 18, 2026 starting at 10:00 AM.  USCF Membership required.  Capacity: 100 players!

LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste 100
Austin, TX 78729
Free parking provided!

 

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
4SS, time controls determined by section
SECTION A:  1800 +  USCF rated
SECTION B:  1400 – 1799  USCF rated
SECTION C:  1000-1399 USCF rated
SECTION D:  U1000 USCF rated

*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*
**Players are not allowed to play up or down**

 

RATING INFORMATION:
● April 2026 official USCF ratings will be used.
● Unofficial USCF ratings will be used if unrated or to play in a
higher section.
● Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, and other over-the-board
ratings. These ratings will be adjusted, if necessary, and may be
used if they are higher than USCF ratings.

 

Sections A & B (all rounds G/60, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 12:15 AM
●  Lunch break: 2:30 PM
●  3rd round: 3:30 PM
●  4th round: 5:45 PM

Sections C & D (all rounds G/45, d5)
●  1st round: 10:00 AM
●  2nd round: 11:45 AM
●  Lunch break: 1:30 PM
●  3rd round: 2:30 PM
●  4th round: 4:15 PM

●  Closing ceremony for any section takes place after the last game finishes for that section.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

Players may not posses cell phones during the tournament. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

 

ENTRY FEES:
●  Early Bird: $50  by March 28th at 11:59 pm.
●  $60 March 29th through 11:59p on April 13th
●  $75 on or after April 13th

For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com

Link for registration: https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/act-4-open-qualifier-2/

PRIZES:
●  Section A : $400, $200, $100
●  Section B: $200, $100, $50
●  Section C: $100, $75, $50
●  Section D: Chess books
Medals will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in each section.

Playup fees will be added to prizes so some section prizes may be higher.

NOTE: Players who win prizes must provide us with their Paypal information or wait until the section is completed to receive cash prizes.

 

OPEN QUALIFIER POINTS:
The top 10 places in Section A will earn points according to the following table
1st Place: 25 OQ Points
2nd Place: 18 OQ Points
3rd Place: 15 OQ Points
4th Place: 12 OQ Points
5th Place: 10 OQ Points
6th Place: 8 OQ Points
7th Place: 6 OQ Points
8th Place: 4 OQ Points
9th Place: 2 OQ Points
10th Place: 1 OQ Points

For more information about the point system, visit https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/

 

PLAY UP FEE: Play up fee is $0.50 per rating point below the section, up to 100 points. We use the higher of Live rating or Current Monthly Ratings to calculate the fee. Playup fee is a guarantee you will play up. There are no refunds for playup fee including Withdrawals Your rating becomes above the rating needed to play the section Your rating becomes lower than the 100 points less threshold AGAIN IT IS A GUARANTEE YOU WILL PLAY IN THE SECTION YOU ARE PAYING FOR All sales for playup fee are final!

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you do not wish to participate in our tournament after paying the entry fee, please email us at info@austin-chess.com no later than 24 hours in advance.  We reserve the right to charge a $20 service fee for cancellations.  NO refunds will be issued if we are notified of cancellation within 24 hours of the start of the event.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director. 
NO refunds will be issued after the tournament begins.

NO-SHOW POLICY: There are NO refunds or credit for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches.

Please contact us at info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns. 

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AGCA Summer Camp 6/15-6/19

Our chess masters will provide the highest level of training for children and teens in Austin, Texas.

Dates

Summer Camp 2: June 15 – 19, 2026

Coaches

GM Kamil Dragun, CM Jeffrey Serna, NM Colin Albert, Shahin Masoumi

Daily Schedule
Drop-off: 8:30 – 9:00 am
Camp start: 9:00 am
Lunch break: 12:00 -1:00 pm
Camp resumes: 1:00 pm
Pick up: 4:00 – 4:30 pm
Location: 12466 Los Indios Trail, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78729

Weekly Fee: $500.00

Day Pass Fee: $115.00 (send us an email at info@austin-chess.com if you choose to use this option)

Groups
Kids will be separated into 4 different groups:

Novice Group: Below 700 USCF
Intermediate Group: 700-1200 USCF
Advanced Group: 1200 – 1600 USCF
Expert Group: 1600+ USCF
**NOTE: It is, however, required for the kids to know all the rules of chess and how each pieces move!

Schedule for Advanced and Expert

Lecture: 9:00 – 10:30am

Break: 10:30 – 10:40am

Training Game: 10:40am – 12:00pm

Lunch Break: 12:00 – 1:00pm

Lecture: 1:00 – 2:30pm

Break: 2:30 – 2:40pm

Puzzle Solving: 2:40 – 4:00pm

Schedule for Intermediate and Novice

Lecture: 9:00 – 10:00am

Puzzle Solving: 10:00 – 10:30am

Break: 10:30 – 10:40am

Puzzle Solving: 10:40 – 11:10am

Training Game: 11:10am – 12:00pm

Lunch Break: 12:00 – 1:00pm

Lecture/Game Analysis: 1:00 – 2:30pm

Break: 2:30 – 2:40pm

Camp Activity: 2:40 – 4:00pm

Food

Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy staff will provide light snacks and beverages during scheduled snack times. Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch.

**NOTE: Please email us at with any food allergies and/or restrictions your child may have!

Cancellation Policy

A full refund, minus a $50 service fee, will be provided for all cancellation requests received 7 days prior to camp start date. No refunds are provided if the cancellation is not received a week prior to camp start date.

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2026 NYOS Summer Chess Camp

Registration is open!

Description: A full day, week-long chess camp hosted by NYOS Charter School.  Located on the north side of Austin, the camp is open to all scholastic chess players, and is run by Mr. Gary Gaiffe. Great price for a full week of learning and fun!

Campers will be broken into skill level groups.  Different topics will be covered depending on which group the camper is in.  From tactics to positional play, game analysis to variant play, the camp will be both instructional and entertaining.  The final day will include a camp-wide tournament.

Dates and Times:  July 6-10; 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location:           
NYOS Charter School
12301 N. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78753

Registration and Payment information:  View or download the  camp registration (pdf) or (docx) form!

Questions:  Contact Gary Gaiffe at ggaiffe@att.net or 512-426-7841

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Wednesday Blitz Night 4/15/26

The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting a weekly blitz tournament on Wednesday evenings for players aged 14+ or younger players with mature ratings (1400+). 6:00-8:30. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 60 players

Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail
Austin, TX 78729

TOURNAMENT STYLE:
9 Round Swiss, one section, Time control: G/3;+2

RATING INFORMATION:
● Published official USCF ratings will be used.
● Unofficial USCF ratings will be used if unrated or to play in a
higher section.
● Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, and other over-the-board
ratings. These ratings will be adjusted, if necessary, and may be
used if they are higher than USCF ratings.

TIME CONTROL & SCHEDULE:
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.

One section: G/3;+2
●  1st round: 6:00 PM
●  2nd round: 6:15 PM
●  3rd round: 6:30 PM
●  4th round: 6:45 PM
●  5th round: 7:00 PM
●  6th round: 7:30 PM
●  7th round: 7:45 PM
●  8th round: 8:00 PM
●  9th round: 8:15 PM

The Closing ceremony for each will take place after the final round of that section.

PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

ENTRY FEES:
● $20 regular entry, or $30 late entry, online at https://austin-chess.com/events

For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com

PRIZES: 30%, 20%, 10% of Entry Fees

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you do not wish to participate in our tournament after paying the entry fee, please email us at info@austin-chess.com no later than 24 hours in advance.  We reserve the right to charge a $5 service fee for cancellations.  NO refunds will be issued if we are notified of cancellation within 24 hours of the start of the event.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director. NO refunds will be issued after the tournament begins. 

NO-SHOW POLICY: There are NO refunds or credit for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches.

Please contact us at info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns. 

Sections
Blitz

Prizes
Prizes are determined by paid entry fees.
First Place: 30%
Second Place: 20%
Third Place: 10%
There will be no closing ceremony but prizes will be sent after the tournament is complete via PayPal

Rules
SECTIONS: All players will be playing in the same section. (USCF Rated)
Players aged 14 or older, as well as those rated above 1400 USCF, will be allowed into the tournament.
ENTRY FEE:
Standard Fee: $20 before 11:59PM March 18
Late Fee: $30 on or after March 19th
TIME CONTROL: Game 3 min + 2 sec increment
9-Round Swiss System Schedule
Rounds will be started as soon as the last game is finished.
There will be a 10 minute break after Round 5.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Please leave your phone at home, in your car, or turned off (vibrate/silent not acceptable) on top of your table.
Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.

Policies
Cancellations made 7+ days before the event receive a full refund.
Cancellations made within 7 days of the event receive a 50% refund.
No refunds for cancellations made on the day of the event.
No-shows will not receive a refund.

Contact
info@austin-chess.com
Additional Information
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste.100 Austin, TX 78729 Free Parking Provided

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AGCA Summer Camp 6/1-6/5

Our chess masters will provide the highest level of training for children and teens in Austin, Texas.

Dates

Summer Camp 1: June 1 – 5, 2026

Coaches

GM Kamil Dragun, CM Jeffrey Serna, NM Colin Albert, Shahin Masoumi

Daily Schedule
Drop-off: 8:30 – 9:00 am
Camp start: 9:00 am
Lunch break: 12:00 -1:00 pm
Camp resumes: 1:00 pm
Pick up: 4:00 – 4:30 pm
Location: 12466 Los Indios Trail, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78729

Weekly Fee: $500.00

Day Pass Fee: $115.00 (send us an email at info@austin-chess.com if you choose to use this option)

Groups
Kids will be separated into 4 different groups:

Novice Group: Below 700 USCF
Intermediate Group: 700-1200 USCF
Advanced Group: 1200 – 1600 USCF
Expert Group: 1600+ USCF
**NOTE: It is, however, required for the kids to know all the rules of chess and how each pieces move!

Schedule for Advanced and Expert

Lecture: 9:00 – 10:30am

Break: 10:30 – 10:40am

Training Game: 10:40am – 12:00pm

Lunch Break: 12:00 – 1:00pm

Lecture: 1:00 – 2:30pm

Break: 2:30 – 2:40pm

Puzzle Solving: 2:40 – 4:00pm

Schedule for Intermediate and Novice

Lecture: 9:00 – 10:00am

Puzzle Solving: 10:00 – 10:30am

Break: 10:30 – 10:40am

Puzzle Solving: 10:40 – 11:10am

Training Game: 11:10am – 12:00pm

Lunch Break: 12:00 – 1:00pm

Lecture/Game Analysis: 1:00 – 2:30pm

Break: 2:30 – 2:40pm

Camp Activity: 2:40 – 4:00pm

Food

Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy staff will provide light snacks and beverages during scheduled snack times. Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch.

**NOTE: Please email us at with any food allergies and/or restrictions your child may have!

Cancellation Policy

A full refund, minus a $50 service fee, will be provided for all cancellation requests received 7 days prior to camp start date. No refunds are provided if the cancellation is not received a week prior to camp start date.

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Mathnasium Summer Chess Camp #5 – Fantastic Finales!

Summer Chess Camps at Mathnasium feature five exciting days of an immersive, interactive chess environment.  Each camp includes a unique fun-filled featurette.  Chess Camps hosted by Mathnasium are engaging and fun!  Sign up early for lowest fees!  Limited attendance… first come first served!  For more information visit https://www.turbochess.com

Description:
Camp 5:  Fantastic Finales! – Game ending crescendos and on-point techniques are investigated.  Middlegames and endgames are served up with clarity. To recall a famous Lasker quote, “The hardest game to win is a won game.”

Date and Time: 5th camp session: August 3-7 2026, 8am-3pm
+Drop-off: 7:30-8am
+Camp begins: 8am
+Lunchtime: approx 11:30am
+Pick-up: 3pm

Registration: To register, please fill out the registration form and submit online.

Location:
Cedar Park Mathnasium
13010 W. Parmer Lane, Ste #100
Cedar Park, TX 78613

Questions:
Answers to many questions (rules, refunds, policies) are available online.
Contact Cedar Park Mathnasium (greg.pratt@mathnasium.com, 512-869-6284) if you have questions about registering for this event. Contact Paul Chaplin (pc@turbochess.com) if you have questions about chess content.