KCF Chess in Education Conference

by ChessBase
9/12/2025 – On Saturday, December 6, 2025, leading educators, academics, and chess professionals will share their experiences, research, and insights on the dynamic field of chess in education. Drawing broadly on the concept of mindsets, this conference will explore the role of chess in education–ranging from fundamental concerns about curriculum, educational policy, the positive uses of failure, and the nature of play, to practical questions about classrooms and other sites of learning.
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The National Scholastic Chess Foundation (NSCF) and the Kasparov Chess Foundation (KCF) today announced The Chess in Education Conference, set to take place on Saturday, December 6, 2025, in New York City. The one-day event will convene certified teachers and school administrators, college professors and administrators, chess coaches and instructors certified by US Chess or FIDE, and professionals working in youth service organizations to explore how chess fosters educational growth, resilience, and cognitive development — all through the lens of modern mindset theory.

Featured Speakers & Discussions

The Chess in Education Conference will showcase leading voices from the worlds of chess, psychology, and education, each addressing how chess can shape learning, growth, and mindset. Speakers and topics include the following:

  • World Champion Garry Kasparov – The legendary World Champion and founder of the Kasparov Chess Foundation will deliver a special address reflecting on the power of growth mindsets in driving performance.
     
  • Dr. Barry Hymer & Grandmaster Peter Wells – Drawing from their acclaimed book Chess Improvement: It’s All in the Mindset, Dr. Hymer and GM Wells will lead the keynote session, presenting that chess education should emphasize mastery, purposeful play, and resilience over myths of “natural talent.”
     
  • Jeff Bulington, PhD – Director of the Franklin Chess Center, Dr. Bulington will explore “Why Teach This Rather Than That in Schools?”, tackling the justification for including chess in curricula and the broader educational value it delivers.
     
  • Panel on Games and Learning Through Play - A Panel DIscussion – Samantha Ooley (MA, philosophy), Academic Program Manager, Purdue University, Troy Seagraves (PhD, philosophy), Purdue University, and FM Loren Schmidt (PhD, Philosophy and English), Heritage University, moderated by Dr. Jeff Bulington.
     
  • Dr. Brian Kisida, University of Missouri, Columbia, and Dr. Matthew Pepper,
    Basis Policy Research     - Present a paper exploring the differences between male
    and female performance in scholastic chess.

    ● GM Alex Onischuk, director of the chess program at Texas Tech University, Dr.
    Josue Velasquez Martínez, Research Scientist and Lecturer at MIT, and FM
    William Graif, former president of the chess club at the University of Chicago     -
    Discuss challenges, change, and opportunity in the world of collegiate chess.

Event Details

  • Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025
  • Location: Quorum by Convene, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York,10020
  • Registration & Program: For schedule, venue, and registration details, please visit: New York Chess in Education Conference

For Media Inquiries
NSCF Contact: Robert McLellan
KCF Contact: Richard Krueger

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