THE BAC TOURNAMENT TEAM (IN-PERSON)

THE BAC TOURNAMENT TEAM - In Person (Apply below!)

10 sessions over 5 months: 1st and 3rd Saturdays, November-March, then a State Championship in April 2025!
The First Class is on November 2nd, 2024.

>>>  Families that learn about us Late (mid-December) will have missed only 3 classes <<<
 >>>This Page is now prorated for -3 sessions (join us on 12/21). <<<

Meeting Time:
  Saturdays: 12:00 - 2:00pm

Location:
  Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto (map)
  505 E Charleston Rd, Palo Alto

Meeting Dates:
Classes Held on 1st and 3rd Saturdays, November through March:
11/2,  11/16,  12/7,  12/21,  1/4,  1/18,  2/1,  2/15,  3/1,  3/15
+ Free CalChess State Championship in April!
(Classes valued at 50/each, and we pay for the State Championship and Supplies)

Required Skill Level:
500-1250 USCF Rated, Ages 6 to 14.

Apply for the BAC Tournament Team:
24 Seats are available.  If you would like to APPLY for the BAC Team,
please send your application through this Google Form:

>>> APPLY HERE <<<

(Accepted Players will be Notified/Invited to Register)
 

A Note from the Instructor, Senior Coach Wolfgang Behm: 
  "You’re in a real game facing a tough opponent. The position is complicated with so many possibilities. What move should you make? You need a simple and clear method for finding an advantage! BAC Team training will help you find better and more accurate moves faster than ever! The Team is designed for lower to mid-rated scholastic players who are serious about chess improvement and training for tournaments. We will focus on building a blueprint for success via specific thinking habits, principles, and decision-making skills. The Team will include the study of master-level games, specific openings, as well as middlegame and endgame positions crucial at this level. Students are expected to submit personal games so our titled players (GMs, IMs, etc.) and coaches can give in-class analysis. Outside of class, students are expected to practice homework when assigned, study on their own with recommended chess books, online tactics trainers, and to play online and attend in-person tournaments regularly."

Team Members receive:
- 10 Meeting Sessions for Tournament Themed Training + Instruction + Practice
- BAC Team Shirt + BAC Workbook
1 Free CalChess State ChampionShip Entry for April 2025 (exact weekend TBD)

Meeting dates are staggered intentionally to allow for Players to Join us for Rated Championships on opposite weekends! 
NOTE: Team Classes are Only for USCF RATED Players.
The CalChess State Championships are approaching! - BAC Tournament Team members are of course going to participate in SuperStates!

Required Skill Level:
  For 500-1250 USCF Rated, Ages 6 to 17.  We are looking for Active Tournament Players, One event per month minimum. If your child is unrated, or not yet rated 500, then please engage in more rated tournaments before joining this class, as they are hosted just about every weekend in the Bay Area: BAC Tournament Site and Menu.  We will not be making exceptions on the Rating requirements this season.

What if my Child is not yet Rated?
  We would recommend joining more USCF Events to update the Rating ASAP. If you feel that you need an assessment, the Palo Alto CLUB (group lessons and pairings) meets on Saturdays at the same location, for a drop-in fee, where you can speak directly with Coach Wolfgang. If you cannot commit to joining any tournaments, then the Tournament Team is not right for you and we recommend the weekly Palo Alto Chess Club, or one of the other locations: (see all locations)

Are there Make-ups or Pro-Rates?
 Teams do not offer pro-rates, trials or drop-ins as it is important that the coaches have a static roster for all sessions. Missed classes are not refunded, though a Family may use the drop-in Palo Alto Club (link above) as a way to make-up a single 2-hour session if needed (not a Team meeting, but is still 2 hours of Chess in the same location on Saturdays). We also recommend this club during the Team off-dates, for supplemental learning and practice.

Instructors?
 Senior Coach Wolfgang Behm will lead the Team with coaching Legend Frisco Del Rosario.

Note: Rated Tournaments are registered through our TOURNAMENT Website, below. The two sites use different log-in credentials.

     https://enrichment.bayareachess.com is the Enrichment Site : 
     All registration for Camps / Classes / Clubs / Chesskid / PracticeEvents / Teams use the Enrichment website. 
     (Help email: enrich@bayareachess.com)

     https://www.bayareachess.com  is the Tournament Site : 
     All USCF-Rated Events (including State Championship) use the Tournament website.
     (Help email: events@bayareachess.com)