Being the only girl in the school chess club is not easy.  Hearing boys and men make thoughtless remarks about expecting an easy win because they are playing a girl is disheartening.  We hear these comments all the time, and sadly, a lot of girls drop out of chess as a result.  Girls can be –and are– serious competitors, but they also just enjoy each other’s company, especially when they are such a minority in the sport!  HRCA is committed to increasing the number of women and girls in our chess programs, and to making chess a better experience for them.

What is the Girls Rock Chess Club?    Girls Club is one of HRCA’s Core Chess Programs. HRCA’s Coach Nina will deliver a mini-lesson each week and then girls will have time to just play chess together, make friends, and have fun.  We meet in a public venue weekly, so that other girls can see how awesome chess is. Because of HRCA’s youth protection protocols and the nature of the public venue, parents are required to stay in the playing area during club (or designate another adult to supervise).

In the event a substitute is needed, HRCA will handpick another qualified coach who is skilled and passionate about girls chess programming to sub. If no subs are available, class may be canceled for that week.

We will be working on bringing in occasional guest speakers and coordinating empowerment activities outside of club.  Girls are strongly encouraged to also participate in other HRCA programs such as Hampton Roads Scholastic Chess Club, school chess programs, our monthly tournaments, and annual Chess Girls Rock weekend event. Some tournaments will also have designated girls trophies!

Past social events include a winter fun social, chess movie night with guest speaker WGM Jennifer Shahade, KidStrong & Smoothies event, Ninja Gym outing, and chess paint night!

Girls Club is ideal for ages 6-13. Chess Knowledge is required to participate. This club is not instructional, but we do have a chess coach onsite for mentorship, a mini-lesson, and training tips!

This club meets at Virginia Beach Town Center WEGMANS (in the Food Court / Burger Bar entrance) – 4721 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.
Club meets on Thursdays from 6-7PM, September-May. Due to the very public nature of this club, a parent or guardian must remain onsite in close proximity for duration of club meeting.

Rates for 2025-2026: Tuition is $20/month plus $20 non-refundable registration fee.  Girls Club has rolling admissions, so you may join at any time during the season.

HRCA membership and ChessKid Gold are now included! Social events and Girls Rock Weekend have separate fees.

Thanks to a very generous grant from US Chess and the St. Louis Chess Club (pending) and Wegmans VB for the use of space, we are able to keep fees low!

HRCA requires autopay for tuition and registration fees.  A non-refundable Registration Fee will be charged to the account on file within 72 hours of sign enrollment, unless already paid via the Parent/Student Portal. Monthly tuition will be posted to your Parent/Student Portal approximately one week before payment is due.   To avoid autopay, you may log into your Parent/Student Portal and make your own payment early.  Otherwise, HRCA will process payments on the 1st of each month. Scholarship families will only be charged for their Registration Fee and the family contribution amount determined by HRCA’s Scholarship Committee.  

*Please ensure your payment method on file is valid, and has enough funds to cover your tuition + 1.25% technology fee. Payments that are declined, late, or bounced will incur additional fees, and your student will be unable to attend class until payment is made. Students receiving scholarship may have their scholarship award revoked for continual payment issues without communication. Please see our Financial Policies and Scholarship Policy for more information.

Withdrawals: It is important that you notify us as soon as possible if you need to withdraw. You MUST contact us via email at hrca@hrchessclub.org or via Drop Request in your Parent Portal. Verbal withdrawal notices will NOT be accepted. Withdrawal notification is required no later than the 15th of the month for the month ahead. We are no longer “pausing” accounts. If you need to take a break, you must continue paying tuition to hold your spot, or withdraw and re-register based on available space.

Failing to notify HRCA after the 15th will result in your account being charged if you are on a monthly billing or payment plan.  There are no refunds once payments are processed. There are no refunds for missed sessions or failure to notify HRCA. 

Refunds: There are no refunds once payment is processed.

Enrollment in all classes are subject to HRCA’s Policies, including Code of Conduct, Financial Policies, and Youth Protection Protocols.

*As an Affiliate of US Chess, Hampton Roads Chess Association follows the US Chess Transgender Policy.

We have limited financial assistance available, including payment plans and needs-based partial scholarships reserved for students with demonstrated financial need. If this applies to you, please complete our Financial Assistance Application HERE.   Your account will not be charged for your class until your scholarship application is processed and family contribution is determined. Please note that financial aid is restricted to those with genuine need, not to just lower the costs of tuition.

           

Registration is OPEN when the Register box below says “Register.” If it is blank, registration is NOT open for this class.