NY Scholastic Chess Club

What NY Scholastic Chess Club does

NY Scholastic Chess Club (NYSCC) is a New York City-based non-profit founded in 2015 that provides chess instruction and competitive programming to K-12 students. The organization operates after-school curriculum chess programs at three Manhattan public schools on the Upper West Side — PS 199, PS 334 (The Anderson School), and PS 452 — supplemented by online group classes delivered via Zoom (40+ lessons per week since March 2020), one-on-one and small-group private lessons, chess camps during school breaks, and a tiered tournament program at The Anderson School with $45 online entry fees and free entry for 1600+ rated players.

The organization is led by founder Ivan Dirkx, whose instruction lineage includes Josh Waitzkin and Bruce Pandolfini, and employs a roster of titled players including International Masters Silas Esben Lund and Giorgi Bakhtadaze. NYSCC's competitive track record includes national individual and team championships across multiple grade categories from 2021 to 2024, a 2023 Pan American U8 individual champion, and multiple students selected to represent the US at World Youth Championships. Pricing structures include afterschool subscriptions with sibling discounts and scholarships, quote-based private lessons, $45 per-tournament entry, and camp registrations; a complimentary gold membership to ChessKid.com (valued at $50) is bundled with student enrollment. The organization is associated with The Foundation for Chess Enrichment.

NYSCC operates with approximately 6 employees, no disclosed funding or institutional investment, and revenue that is not publicly disclosed. As of the latest available information, the organization has announced it will not offer summer camps in 2026 but intends to resume camp operations on school breaks. Technology stack is limited to standard tools (Zoom for online delivery, Wufoo for registration), with no proprietary platform or disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

Name

NY Scholastic Chess Club

Legal name

New York Scholastic Chess Club

Website

https://nyschessclub.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NY Scholastic Chess Club is a NYC-based non-profit founded in 2015 that provides chess instruction — after-school programs at three public schools, online classes, private lessons, tournaments, and camps — to K-12 students, led by titled players and a founder trained by Josh Waitzkin and Bruce Pandolfini.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Chess Education

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Homework Clubs & After-School Learning Centers (EDANAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

Keywords

• Scholastic chess education
• Youth chess instruction
• After-school chess programs
• Chess tournaments
• Chess camps

Headquarters

HQ city

New York City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. After-school chess programs: Weekly curriculum chess classes offered at partnered NYC public schools during afterschool hours. Classes run from September to December each semester.
2. Private lessons: Private chess lessons for individuals and groups at all skill levels, with expert teachers creating customized programs for each student.
3. Tournament entry fees: Entry fees for chess tournaments at schools, with $45 online registration and free entry for players rated 1600+. Cash prizes awarded in Open section.
4. Chess camp registration: Chess camps during school breaks (summer, holidays) open to students ages 4-12 at all skill levels. Includes online instruction options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

NY Scholastic Chess Club delivers chess instruction and competitive opportunities to NYC K-12 students through after-school programs at three public schools (PS 199, PS 334, PS 452), weekly online Zoom classes, private and group lessons, school-break chess camps, and regularly hosted tournaments. Programs serve students ranging from absolute beginners to national champions and US World Youth representatives.

Product overview

NY Scholastic Chess Club offers a comprehensive suite of chess education services for K-12 students in New York City, ranging from absolute beginners to national champions. The organization operates curriculum-based after-school programs at three partner public schools (PS 199, PS 334, PS 452), supplemented by online instruction delivered via Zoom, private and group lessons with expert instructors (including International Masters), and regularly hosted tournaments. Chess camps during school breaks round out the offerings. The program is led by founder Ivan Dirkx, whose instructors included Josh Waitzkin and Bruce Pandolfini, and employs a staff of titled players and experienced scholastic chess coaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• After-School Chess Programs (PS 199, PS 334, PS 452) Weekly after-school chess curriculum instruction at partner public schools in New York City, serving K-12 students from absolute beginners to national champions. Classes focus on chess rules, strategies, tactics, and building concentration and problem-solving skills.
• Online Chess Classes Weekly online chess instruction delivered via Zoom for NYC students, with over 40 lessons per week available since March 2020.
• Private Chess Lessons One-on-one and small group chess instruction tailored to individual student needs, taught by expert instructors including International Masters and titled players. Rates quoted upon request.
• Chess Tournaments Chess tournaments hosted at The Anderson School (PS 334) with sections for Rookies (Pre-K/K beginners), Novice, K-1, Primary, Reserve, and Open (1200+ rated players). Online registration is $45, with free entry for players rated 1600+ (limit 24) and cash prizes in the Open section.
• Chess Camps Chess instruction camps offered during school breaks for students ages 4-12 at all skill levels, providing opportunities to hone chess skills in a fun camp environment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students have won multiple national individual and team championships (K-3, 3rd grade, 4th grade, K-5, K-6, Girls U10), Pan American U8 championship, and represented the US in World Youth Championships

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Foundation for Chess EnrichmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYSCC is in association with The Foundation for Chess Enrichment. This partnership supports the organization's mission to provide chess education to NYC students.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Chess.com: Dominant online chess platform offering free play, lessons, and coaches-for-hire. Not a direct after-school competitor but represents a free, scalable substitute that pressures willingness to pay for in-person instruction.
• US Chess Federation: National governing body for chess in the US, sanctioning rated tournaments NYSCC participates in and selecting World Youth representatives. Ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor, but its programs and partnerships shape NYSCC's market.
• Lichess: Free, open-source online chess platform with built-in lessons and analysis. Indirectly competitive as a zero-cost alternative to paid scholastic instruction for beginner and intermediate students.

Regional players

• After-School All-Stars: Non-profit provider of after-school enrichment programming in NYC public schools. Not a chess-specific competitor but competes for the same school partnerships, after-school slots, and parent attention that NYSCC relies on.
• Marshall Chess Club: Historic NYC chess institution offering lessons, tournaments, and club membership. Directly comparable as a NYC-based chess education and competition venue, though structured as a members' club rather than a school-embedded program.

Direct peers

• Chess4Life: Multi-state chess education operator offering after-school classes, camps, and tournaments with a curriculum and ranking system. Comparable in operating model and K-12 enrichment positioning, though larger and broader geographically.
• Chess NYC: NYC-based provider of in-school and after-school chess programs, private lessons, and tournaments for K-12 students. Competes for the same school partnership and parent-paid instruction wallet as NYSCC.
• US Chess Center: Non-profit scholastic chess organization delivering in-school instruction, camps, and tournaments. Comparable in product mix (lessons + camps + tournaments) and target segment (K-12 students), though based in Washington, D.C.
• Chess-in-the-Schools: NYC non-profit that brings chess instruction into public schools. Closest mission-aligned peer, operating the same school-embedded after-school model across multiple boroughs with comparable curriculum-based lessons.

Emerging players

• The Right Move Chess: Provider of scholastic chess instruction, camps, and tournaments in multiple states. Comparable product offering but smaller scale and less established brand than NYSCC's champion-producing reputation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ny-scholastic-chess-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NY Scholastic Chess Club