ABOUT NCC
Facilities
Campers and staff live in cabins that house 10-14 campers and 2-4 Music, Chess and recreation Staff. All cabins are equipped with indoor plumbing and electricity. Major renovations have been carried out throughout the camp since 2001.
Counselling Staff
Our staff love kids. Rec. staff plan and run all the recreation programs and the evening programs. Chess staff work with the campers in their large groups, offer small group and individual lessons- anything to help the campers learn as much as they can in a week.
Our enthusiastic and dedicated Chess Staff come from University and College programs, or are senior high school students actively involved in chess competition and teaching. Our energetic Recreation staff are often in Recreation programs here or abroad.
Faculty
Ted Winick, Chess Director and Chess Institute of Canada president, teaches over 1000 students in over 20 Toronto schools, weekly. Ted picked his faculty from the best chess teachers available, including Natalia Khoudgurian, reigning Canadian Women’s Chess Champion for the past 11 years and full-time chess teacher Goran Milicevic who coaches many of Canada’s best young chess champions Click here for more Faculty information.
Programs
Everyday, campers will receive four to five hours of chess instruction and playing time plus an additional three hours of great camp activities. Our goal is to provide a level of instruction appropriate for the students' level.
Each student will be assessed and placed in the appropriate small group for instruction only. For tournament play all students will be included with opportunities provided for every student to play not only those at the same level but also more advanced players. We will endeavour to present on a great range of topics including:
- Dynamic versus static play
- Exploiting domination in the centre
- Selection of appropriate opening to suit one's style
- Positional play
- Sacrificing to gain advantage
- Using pawn formations to one's advantage
- Storming the king
- Castling on opposite sides
- When to trade/when not to trade pieces
- Forcing favourable trades ( e.q. bad bishop versus good knight)
- Two rooks versus the Queen
- Flank attacks
- Converting a minor advantage to a full point
- Creating the possibility for stalemate
- Just how safe is your king?
- Energy conservation during tournament play
Campers will not only learn hard skills of chess and camp, but also important life lessons like teamwork, sportsmanship, cooperation, independence and self-esteem enhancement. Every camper will learn and grow and you’ll be amazed at the results in just a few short days.
More than Chess...
Campers in both camps have access to a full range of recreational activities... swimming, waterskiing, canoeing, kayaking, arts and crafts, basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, land sports, ropes, zip line... and MORE!