WHAT: Earn the Chess Merit Badge in just two online sessions taught by Northwest District Executive Matt Goudreau. Matt has been a Chess enthusiast for 20 years and was an Elementary and Middle School Chess champion. 

WHO: Open to all Scouts BSA members

HOW: You will need to sign-up for a free account on Chess.com 

In an age defined by games that you play by plugging into a power outlet or gripping a controller, you would think board games would be obsolete! It turns out that even with all of modern technology at their fingertips, the Chess merit badge has consistently ranked amongst the BSA’s top 25 most awarded merit badges. In 2015 alone, twice as many Scouts earned the Chess badge compared to robotics! If anything, online access has allowed the game of Chess to reach even more people. Utilizing chess.com and a virtual classroom environment, Scouts will have the opportunity to learn about the game’s history, tactics and strategies. No prior experience with Chess is necessary to participate in the badge but we’re looking for enthusiasm and a willingness to participate in discussion. 

The Chess Merit Badge will be taught in a virtual classroom. The class has a capacity of 12 Scouts. Small classroom size provides all students with the opportunity to share and interact with the counselors and other scouts. Scouts should be prepared to be challenged and to join the conversation ! Participants who do not engage with the class may not receive credit for the badge.

WHEN: This class will be held virtually over two sessions:

March 31, 2020 5:30PM-7:30PM 

April 2, 2020 5:30PM-7:30PM

Scouts must attend both sessions to complete the offered requirements.

After registering, Scouts will receive a link and login information via email. Scouts will also receive instructor details that can be used to connect to the counselor on Scoutbook. This assures that completed requirements are easily recorded. In addition, all Scouts will need to create a free account on Chess.com to play online games against their classmates.

PREREQUISITES: Scouts should plan on completing requirements 3 and 6a at home. Part of the class will involve the Scouts playing three games online against another Scout. Details will be discussed during the first session.

Click here for COURSE OUTLINE

Click here for a SCORE SHEET!