In brief
For a teacher, the reference resources are the ministry's Eduscol page, the French Chess Federation's Class'Échecs programme website and the M@gistère self-training courses. For a parent, the way in is a club affiliated to the FFE, which offers lessons for children and competitions by age category. This guide brings together these resources and the pages of this site that relate to them.
There is no shortage of resources on chess for children, but they are scattered between the ministry, the federation, clubs, publishers and online platforms. We have sorted them according to the question you are asking. We cite only organisations and tools whose existence and role can be verified, with no commercial link to them.
- Chess teaching worksheet
- A document for the teacher that describes a lesson: aim, equipment, how it runs, instructions, exercises for pupils and a written record. The lessons of the Class'Échecs programme are the most complete example in France.
I am a teacher: the official resources
| Resource | Published by | What you will find |
|---|---|---|
| Eduscol page “Introducing the game of chess in schools and the Class'Échecs programme” | Ministry of National Education | Official framework, programme aims, useful links |
| Class'Échecs website (classechecs.ffechecs.fr) | French Chess Federation | School registration, 30 ready-made lessons, kit, forum, video calls |
| M@gistère self-training courses | Ministry of National Education | Modules for learning the game and teaching it, available since the start of the 2022 school year |
| Académie “chess and maths” worksheets | Académies and local inspectorates | Local teaching sequences, exercises on the legend of chess, school projects |
To put these resources into practice, our practical guides detail how Class'Échecs works, building an educational project and introducing chess in nursery school.
The school programme's partners
The Class'Échecs website names as partners the Ministry of National Education, the USEP (Union sportive de l'enseignement du premier degré, the sports union for primary education), Crédit Mutuel Enseignant, A2 Consulting and the foundation L'Échiquier de la Réussite. For an ambitious school project (a tournament, a meeting between schools, extra equipment), it can be useful to contact the département's USEP committee or the nearest chess club.
I am a parent: finding a club
The French Chess Federation had 92,634 licensed members across 1,009 clubs for the 2025–2026 season. Most clubs have a chess school for young people, with lessons by level, often on Wednesdays or Saturdays. A few tips for choosing:
- Ask whether there is a group for your child's age: a 6-year-old does not learn like a teenager.
- Ask who runs it: the FFE awards qualifications for animateurs (club coaches) and trainers.
- Try a trial session: most clubs gladly allow it.
- Look at the atmosphere: friendliness and encouragement matter more than the level of the club's best players.
To locate the clubs around you quickly, the Palais des Échecs directory lets you find a chess club for children near you, town by town.
Competitions for young people
Competitions by age category
Young licensed members play in competitions organised by category: petits poussins (under 8), poussins (under 10), pupilles (under 12), benjamins (under 14), minimes (under 16), cadets (under 18) and juniors (under 20). Championships generally run from département level up to national level. The details of the categories are on our page what age to start chess.
School competitions
The FFE also organises school competitions between teams from schools (primary schools, collèges, lycées). Entry is through the school, often on the initiative of a teacher or the school chess club. Regional initiatives add to this: in Île-de-France, the first regional lycées championship brought together nearly 150 pupils from 22 schools on 3 June 2026.
Adapted timetables
A few collèges and lycées offer adapted-timetable schemes or chess-focused sections for young people who train a lot. These schemes are rare and change from year to year: the regional chess league is the best contact for finding out what exists near you.
Organising a class tournament
A tournament is often the most eagerly awaited moment of a project. Two simple formats suit school:
- The round-robin tournament: each pupil plays all the others. With n players there are n × (n − 1) ÷ 2 games: 28 games for 8 players, spread over 7 rounds. It is ideal for small groups of similar level, and calculating the number of games is itself a good maths exercise.
- The knockout tournament, or better, with a second chance for the losers: quicker with a whole class, but it soon leaves some pupils with nothing to play.
A few practical rules: limit the length of games (a clock, or a simple rule such as “after 20 minutes, we count the points value of the pieces”), display a results table, and reward progress and fair play as well, not only the winners. A win is traditionally worth 1 point, a draw ½ point and a loss 0.
Online tools
| Tool | For whom | Appeal | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChessKid | Children | A platform designed for children: lessons, puzzles, games | Free version is limited; screen time |
| Lichess | All audiences | Free and ad-free, learning exercises and tools for creating a class | General-purpose site: supervise younger children's online games |
| Classroom interactive whiteboard | Teachers | Project a chessboard for whole-class demonstrations | Keep the real chessboard for playing |
Books
Many publishers produce beginner methods for children, often by age group (from age 4, 6–9…), as well as books for teachers with complete progressions by cycle. A few criteria for choosing: large, legible diagrams, one notion per chapter, exercises with answers, and for the youngest, stories that bring the pieces to life. The pupil booklets in the Class'Échecs kit are a good basis for the class.
On ChessCheckZine
For the classroom
For parents
For the curious
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find teaching worksheets on chess?
On the FFE's Class'Échecs programme website (30 lessons with worksheets, exercises and videos), on the Eduscol page devoted to the game of chess, in the M@gistère self-training courses and in the resources published by the académies (regional education authorities).
How do I find a chess club for a child?
Most clubs affiliated to the French Chess Federation have a chess school for young people. A directory by town makes it possible to spot the nearest ones; a trial session then helps you choose.
Are there school chess championships?
Yes. The FFE organises team competitions between schools, collèges and lycées, and regional initiatives exist, such as the Île-de-France lycées championship created in 2026.
Which chess website for a child?
Platforms designed for children, such as ChessKid, or free sites such as Lichess, which offer learning exercises. In every case, it is best to limit screen time and keep games on a real chessboard.