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Our year-round activities include:

Recognition: Players who qualify as Warren Scholars are presented with awards at the annual elementary and high school state chess championships, and their school principals are notified of their accomplishment.


Matching funds for private instruction:  When funds are available, Warren Scholars who indicate they have financial need are offered matching grants for private instruction with top-level masters and grandmasters.  These awards pay half the cost of 12 hours of private instruction.

GM Dmitry Gurevich gives a lesson to ICA Warren Junior ScholarsSubsidized Group Seminars:  About twice a year, Warren Scholars are invited to participate in group workshops with top-level masters and grandmasters.  These groups provide opportunity for intensive study and learning, and often have the feel of a graduate school seminar.  In addition, they foster a sense of community among the players, and serve to motivate them to work harder.  Past instructors have included GMs Mesgen Amanov, Dmitry Gurevich, Gregory Kaidanov, Nikola Mitkov, Alex Shabalov, Yury Shulman, and Alex Yermolinsky, and IM Jan van de Mortel.  Click here for a short YouTube video of a Warren Scholar seminar.

Chess Camp Scholarships:  For the second year in a row, the program is partnering with Yury Shulman's International Chess School to offer partial scholarships for 15 Warren Scholars to had attend the school's summer chess camp, whose instructors included some of the top chess players and teachers in the country. 

James PaveseAdele PadgettHigh School Denker Qualifier Championship:  The Warren Program provides all support and funding for the state Denker qualifier tournament, whose winner represents Illinois at the National Denker Tournament of State High School Champions, held each summer.  The winner receives a $500 travel stipend to attend the national tournament, as well as $250 towards chess lessons.  The runner-up receives $125 towards chess lessons.

Girls’ Invitational Championship:  For the second year in a row, the Warren Program has provided all support and funding for a girls invitational championship event.  The winner receives a $500 stipend to attend a girls national tournament, as well as $250 towards chess lessons. The runner-up receives $125 towards chess lessons.

ICA Warren Scholar tent at Taste of ChicagoCommunity Outreach:  For the last four years, the ICA Warren Scholars have been invited to host a tent at the Taste of Chicago, where they offer informal instruction and drop-in chess play.  Warren Scholar players are available to appear at other community events.  For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..