From online tournaments to international championships, chess has revolutionized the world of board games. Seen as a highly sophisticated sport, many challenge themselves to a game or few, and only a few come out as the best. But now, young minds all over Palatine have the chance to strengthen their chess skills.

Founded by Fremd senior Aditya Gupta, ChessPupils is a non-profit foundation focused on helping young minds feel empowered through chess and is recognized by the US Chess Federation. Providing free instruction to kids everywhere, ChessPupils aims to include all who want to understand chess. 

According to Gupta, chess is more than just a competition. It is an experience that has powerful impacts, and ChessPupils intends to provide such impacts.

“The organization is steadfast in its belief that chess is not just a game, but a powerful education tool that can provide numerous benefits to young minds,” Gupta said. “The benefits that students gain from participating in ChessPupils programs go far beyond the chessboard, positively impacting their academic performance, emotional resilience, and social interactions.” 

ChessPupils is a volunteer-based organization. In the over 50 programs ChessPupils offers, volunteers have spread their knowledge of chess to promote its impact further. 

Being a student run organization, several have offered to volunteer. According to Gupta, anyone can volunteer with the right requirements.

“Anybody that understands the rules of chess and has a passion for chess is allowed to volunteer. We currently have more than 2 dozen volunteers from high schools in Illinois,” Gupta said. 

Anyone interested in volunteering or joining the program can visit the ChessPupils website https://chess.thepuzzlr.com and fill out the form.