About the Virginia Scholastic Chess Association

Our Mission Statement

To provide opportunities and encouragement for the school children of central and southeastern Virginia to learn and enjoy the game of chess.

Who We Are & What We Do

The Virginia Scholastic Chess Association (VSCA) believes that the game of chess is one of the best ways to teach conceptual thinking, long-range planning, and quiet concentration. The VSCA believes that chess is easy to learn but a complex game to master and that the mastery of a challenging skill helps to define a successful childhood.

To facilitate the study of chess, the VSCA will conduct and promote instruction, game analysis, chess clubs, workshops, and summer camps so that students can work toward attaining mastery.

The VSCA will work to have chess incorporated into the schools as an Educational Enrichment and/or extracurricular program, in individual schools and ultimately state wide. The VSCA will support the creation of school teams that will lead to tournament play.

The VSCA will make special efforts to reach special needs, at-risk and under-served students. In this way, the game of chess can serve as a bridge between the varied social and geographical segments of the Commonwealth.

The VSCA sees chess as a life-long interest. Knowing that older people have much to share with younger people, the VSCA will sponsor inter-generational play at selected venues.

The Virginia Scholastic Chess Association, Inc. (VSCA) is a non-profit membership organization. The Articles of Incorporation filed with the State Corporation Commission of Virginia state that, “…any person shall be qualified to become a member upon payment of the annual dues…” and, “The specific purposes for which this corporation is organized are to carry on such activities as are permitted by law and are compatible with the promotion of the game of chess as an educational enrichment medium for children from pre-school age through age nineteen.”

The VSCA provides chess sets and boards to schools and chess clubs. The VSCA also makes instructional materials and training available to volunteers who serve as VSCA-sponsored chess instructors.

The VSCA organizes and conducts scholastic chess tournaments and recruits and trains people to run chess tournaments. These day-long Saturday events provide an opportunity for children to compete in a non-physical activity in a safe environment. We believe that participation in such tournaments helps develop healthy social skills which promote racial and cultural harmony in our communities as well as teaching good sportsmanship, patience and personal responsibility. VSCA tournaments provide both individual and team competition. Win, lose or draw, no child is eliminated from a tournament and each child can build self-esteem by feeling that he or she is part of a team.

The VSCA underwrites tournament entry fees for disadvantaged students who might otherwise be unable to participate. The VSCA subsidizes the costs for deserving children to travel to and compete in state, national and international chess tournaments.

The Virginia Scholastic Chess Association (VSCA) is one of thousands of charitable organizations listed on the internet at Guidestar. There you can find information which is important to donors who wish to make tax deductible donations to the VSCA, directly, through their employer, foundations or trust funds. Copies of the Articles of Incorporation can be obtained by contacting the State Corporation Commission, Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23219.

VSCA Corporate By-laws

VSCA Annual Report (Fiscal Year 2017)

VSCA Contributions to Scholastic Chess

Board of Directors

Officers