Chess 1500

Chess 1500 is a project designed to introduce schoolchildren to the exciting game of chess.

Why Chess 1500?

A player with a chess rating of 1500 is able to play a good game of chess and will be able to join clubs and take part in competitions at adult level.

At the moment, the junior chess policy here in the UK is a combination of Chess 500 (encouraging young children to play at a low level) and Chess 2500 (designed to produce prodigies, champions and grandmasters).

I’m Richard James. I’ve been involved in children’s chess since 1972. I believe we should be doing much more to promote chess in secondary schools, and to promote social chess within the community. Chess 1500 – to produce tomorrow’s club and tournament players, to broaden the demographics of chess, to make the game less elitist and more inclusive, to make children and young people happier by improving their mental health.

On this site I suggest some ways we might bring this about.