The Chess Emporium

What Is an Assessment?

An assessment is a private, 60-minute lesson with a coach focused on placing your child into the correct Premium Center Class (PCC) level and tailoring a plan just for them.

• One-on-one session with a PCC coach
• Full hour dedicated to your child’s chess level and needs
• Determines the best PCC level (Pawn–Queen)
• Checks which of the 30 skills in that level are already mastered
• Ensures they don’t repeat topics they already know

What Will the Coach Do?

During the assessment, the coach will:

• Ask a few quick questions to see what your child already knows
• Use our PCC skill charts to test key topics for that level
• Mark off any skills your child has already mastered
• Recommend the right starting PCC class and path forward

The goal is for your child to enter class feeling confident, not lost or bored, and to spend class time learning new ideas instead of repeating old ones.

Is an Assessment Right for Complete Beginners?

Yes. A very common question is:

“My student knows nothing about chess, not even how the pieces move. Is an assessment still a good first step?”

For brand-new players, the coach simply uses the hour to:

• Introduce the board and piece names
• Practice how each piece moves
• Build comfort and familiarity before their first Pawn lesson

That way, when they join the most beginner PCC level (Pawn), they are already more relaxed, prepared, and ready to learn with the group.

Assessment Price

Each 60-minute one-on-one assessment is $39.50.

After the assessment, we’ll recommend the best PCC level and class time, along with a clear path for how your child can progress through the PCC levels from Pawn all the way to Queen.