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Welcome to Chesspire

Level up from a ♙ to a ♕

An official 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of problem-solvers to aspire through chess and STEM education

FREE to all

Local and International Chapters

Free Chess & STEM Classes

Pittsburgh based

FREE US Chess (USCF) membership on a need-basis

Supports English, Spanish, Chinese, and French

We are currently in the process of setting up our next fall camps. Please check back soon for more details on registration.




If you want to host a FREE Chess/STEM workshop at your community/school, please contact us at team@chesspire.org.


Take a look at our photos and testimonials for Cognitive Science, STEM, international chess, and Spanish chess camps below!
Previous Camp Details

Chapters

Current Chapters

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Carnegie Mellon University Africa

Chapter Head: Mihiretab Hordofa

Location: Kigali, Rwanda

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University of Pittsburgh

Chapter Head: Parker Miller

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

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North Allegheny High School

Chapter Head: Haresh Muralidharan

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Why Chess

The Power of Chess

Chess is the perfect way to develop essential life skills at no cost through the microcosm of a game

Life Skills Taught by Chess:

Decision Making

Problem-Solving

Critical Thinking

Planning

Risk Analysis

Time Management

Performance under Pressure

Chess Education Supports:

Develops higher-order thinking skills

Fosters ability to consider multiple viewpoints & see things from the opponent’s perspective

Improves Memeory

Enhances Cognitive Ability

Correlates to scholastic achievement in STEM fields

What we do

Our Chess Classes

Free Mentors & Teachers

Making chess education free by interactive education with skilled and trained teachers: all our classes are provided at no cost to students

Level 1: Cubs

Teaching everything from the rules of the game to basic openings, strategy, and endgames

Level 2: Tigers

More intermediate players who want a challenge can learn more advanced concepts, techniques, and dynamic patterns

Free USCF Rated Tournaments & Need-Based Memberships

Giving students a taste of real tournament experience to perform under pressure and continue their chess beyond our classes. USCF membership of 1 year will be sponsored to students on a need-basis

Our STEM Classes

There exist a plethora of competitions and STEM opportunities in high school, but in middle school, these opportunities are far and few between. This is a shame becuase middle school is the perfect time to start exploring and developing a passion for STEM. Often times, when students finally find out about all the opportunities that exist at the high school level, it is already too late as students are swamped with a variety of other obligations. Here at Chesspire, we deliver the resources necessary to kickstart your students on their academic journey with expert teaching and competitive middle school olympiads.

Variety of Subjects

We teach Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at the olympiad level to get students a taste of the core subjects of science.

Olympiad & Competition Kickstart

Middle school is the perfect time to develop the passion for STEM and excel in Science Bowl, Science Bee, and the National Olympiads.

Improved Scholastic Achievement

Students will gain a deeper understanding of science, leading them to do better academically and get better grades.

Competitions with Prizes

Content is easily forgotten without application. We conduct olympiad-style competitions with prizes to keep the students engaged and have them solidify what they learned.

Previous Camp Details

More Session Details
Photos

Take a look at our previous camps!

everyone who attended the Summer of 23 Chesspire acmp kids sitting at a long table playing chess
a student is sitting at a table looking at a chess game
a person is moving a chess piece
2 teachers are teaching a chess move on a large screen
2 people are pictured; Haresh Muralidharan, the camp organizer, and Arvind, a state representative.
many students are clapping.
a state rep, Arvind, is giving a student a medal.
a student is sitting at a table operating a computer
a chess game on a computer screen is pictured
organizers are eating food
someone is looking at a chess game and writing something down on paper
a state rep, Arvind, is speaking
a side shot of a chess game is pictured
the Chesspire organizers team is pictured.
the Chesspire team is pictured with North Allegheny principals.
2 students are teaching a chess move on a large screen.
Testimonials

What Our Students and Parents Say

Chess Testimonials

Our child came home every day thinking he became an expert chess player

- Chris Walters

This was our son’s first time attending a chess camp. He learned a lot about the game, had a lot of fun and is now interested in competing in chess tournaments! Thank you!

- Claire Carmack

It helps make chess fun.

- Nikhil Bonthu

This is an excellent and fun camp. Highly recommend to all chess players. My son loves chess and this was a great way for him to play and grow in his chess experiences It was educational.

- Debra Ferlet

Chesspire is interactive, and you get a lot of help.

- Saanvi Gandhe

“I don’t know how it could really improve, it’s already great. It taught me how to better notate and analyze better. It is really fun, useful, and an awesome learning experience.” - Alex Ferlet

- Alex Ferlet

STEM Testimonials

Cognitive Science Testimonials

Thank you to Our Food Sponsors!

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the logo for Cenci's pizza is pictured.
the logo for Cenci's pizza is pictured.
Speakers

Take a look at our keynote speakers!

Dr. Cynthia Felix, MD, MPH

Summer 2024 Keynote Speaker

Cynthia Felix, MD, MPH is a geriatrician interested in lifespan brain health. She believes that the foundations of healthy brain aging are laid young. At the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, she researches the brain mechanisms that lead to dementia, thereby developing effective prevention strategies.... She also has expertise in brain imaging and various methods of brain repair including cognitive training. She has given coaching to school children to develop their IQ and EQ. Her work on the benefits of social cognition using the advanced DTI MRI technique, has been lauded by Reader's Digest, Forbes, US News and World Report etc. She has published academic articles and book chapters in Neurology and Neuroscience, in addition to giving invited lectures and teaching sessions.

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PhD Dr. Andrew Zentner

Winter 2023 Keynote Speaker

I am a theorist with research interests that lie within cosmology, defined rather broadly. I strive to maintain a close connection with observation in large part because the amount and discriminating power of observational data is expanding rapidly and will continue to expand into the next decade. ... My aim is to make predictions that are unique and testable in the near term and to facilitate comparisons with data that are robust and maximize the discriminating power of the data. In many cases, this leads to studies of the particular capabilities of forthcoming instruments to study any variety of phenomena, from dark energy evolution to galaxy formation processes. My interests range throughout a broad cross section of cosmology to encompass galaxy formation, the phenomenology and identification of the dark matter and dark energy, and astrophysical limits on fundamental physics.

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State Rep. Dr. Arvind Venkat

Summer 2023 Keynote Speaker

Rep. Arvind Venkat, an emergency physician, was elected to serve his first term in the state House of Representatives in November 2022. He is the first Indian American to be elected to the state House and the first physician to serve in the General Assembly in nearly 60 years.... He serves as State Representative for the 30th Legislative District, which includes part of Hampton Township, and all of McCandless, Franklin Park, Ohio Township, Emsworth, Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, and Kilbuck. Rep. Venkat is a fighter for accessible and affordable healthcare, investing in our first responders, protecting reproductive rights, curbing gun violence, expanding access to the ballot box for all voters, and getting more people back into the workforce. His parents immigrated to the United States, and it was their hard work and commitment to service that inspired him to become a physician. Rep. Venkat completed his undergraduate and graduate education at Harvard University, his medical education at Yale University, and his emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati/University Hospital. He served as a member of the Board of the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority and is a former president of the state emergency physicians organization. Rep. Venkat currently lives in McCandless with his wife and three children.

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Testimonials

What Our Students and Parents Say

USCF Rated Tournaments

USCF Membership Sponsorship: We cover the cost of a USCF membership (encouraged but not required for this first session) for a year on a need-basis. Please contact memberships@chesspire.org for more information.

USCF Benefits Flyer
Founding Story

As Haresh and Kaartic were attending many chess tournaments far from home, they realized that there wasn’t a big chess community in the suburbs like there were in central Pittsburgh and other big cities where chess tournaments were held. In the suburbs and local communities, chess clubs and communities have been few and far between. Furthermore, chess education is an effective way to develop crucial life skills for underprivileged and underserved communities for free. They set out on a mission to foster the development of essential real-life skills like problem-solving and decision-making at a young age by spreading the love of chess with the creation of a supportive community.

Meet our Founders

a headshot of Haresh Muralidharan is pictured.
Enjoys Teaching Loves STEM Polyglot

Haresh Muralidharan

Haresh Muralidharan is a high-school senior with a passion for Chess, STEM, and business. He has a variety of hobbies ranging from reading books to learning various languages to Taekwondo, in which he is currently a second-degree black belt. His accomplishments include winning 15th place nationally in Science Bowl and working on creating an AI-focused documentary in partnership with SLB Radio. He is an avid tournament chess player, having won many interstate tournaments and having played internationally as well. As the president of his school chess club, he has run many tournaments, including officially rated ones as a USCF-certified club tournament director. As a lifelong learner with a passion for teaching, he wanted to spread crucial life skills such as problem-solving and decision making through the rich game of chess. He is currently doing an AI research internship at Carnegie Mellon University.

a headshot of Kaartic Muralidharan is pictured.
Coder Enjoys Science Author

Kaartic Muralidharan

Kaartic Muralidharan is a sophomore with a wide range of interests. He has been interested in science since a young age. He authored a book called Power of Energy on the different types of renewable energy. He enjoys spending time outside and loves to bike. His biking adventures allowed him to get familiar with the geography, another one of his interests, of his neighborhood. He also enjoys making things on his own, ranging from various real world contraptions to websites. In addition to all this, he works part-time at Mathnasium from his love of math. This also led him to secure 1st place state in Math Kangaroo. As an avid chess player, he has participated in many chess tournaments and won various prizes in them. He hopes to spread his knowledge and passion for teaching chess through Chesspire.

Sponsors

Interested in Sponsoring Us?

Help inspire the next generation of problem-solvers with your contribution

Sponsorship Packet

Thanks to our Current Sponsors

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the logo for the Pittsburgh Foundation
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Advisors

Meet our Advisors

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Assistant Principal 22 years NAI

Dr. John Morey

John Morey has been an educator for 22 years with the last eight as a school administrator in the North Allegheny School District. He believes that all students should be provided opportunities to learn and grow and is excited to support this wonderful program which does just that!

a headshot of Carolyn Steele is pictured.
GOAL Teacher Loves Chess NAI

Mrs. Carolyn Steele

Steele is a gifted education teacher from North Allegheny Intermediate High School. She loves helping students engage in higher level thinking activities like chess.

Chesspire is an official certifying organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award