The Berkeley Chess School developed out of one woman's love of chess. In 1982, Elizabeth Shaughnessy, a mother of three and a former Irish Women's chess champion, was asked to volunteer-teach after-school chess at her son's school. To her amazement, over eighty boys and girls turned out for the first day of class.

Noting that chess appealed to children of diverse backgrounds, Shaughnessy was inspired to found a chess school grounded in the principle that every child is entitled to an equal opportunity to grow and learn. Twenty-six years later, the Berkeley Chess School shares the joys and wonders of chess with over 5,000 girls and boys in Kindergarten through 12th grade in over 150 schools throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

BCS does not simply teach chess classes; it offers eight regional chess tournaments -- including two all-girls' tournaments -- summer camps, and Friday-night chess classes in Berkeley and Walnut Creek. It has taught children with special needs and developed an international chess exchange program with an Irish school (BCS president Shaughnessy is a five-time member of the Irish Women's Olympic Chess Team).

For her longstanding dedication to the community, Shaughnessy has won several awards, including a $25,000 Avanti! MAGIC award for community service and a 2004 "Hometown Hero" award from the Berkeley Rotary Club.

True to its mission of enriching the lives of children from all backgrounds, BCS has undertaken an ambitious new outreach program in Richmond elementary schools. Click here to learn about the BCS First Moves Program and how you can help.

Click here for answers to frequently asked questions.

"I'm just writing to thank you for the work you've done to involve kids in chess: the school-year classes, tournaments, and summer camps.

Kudos to a job well done!"
-- a Berkeley parent