How does the Big Chess Camp work?
We have curated a curriculum of sheets with different puzzles and positions created by various experienced trainers and chess enthusiasts. From beginner to advanced, we have multiple levels that explore different themes of chess based on the strength of the student. For this camp we have level 1 (1-15 sheets), level 2 (16-30 sheets), level 3 (31-40 sheets) and level 4 (41-45 sheets).
A volunteer is needed to speak to learners to understand their level of chess understanding and give them a sheet corresponding to their strength. If somebody is completely new to the game, they start on Level 1. They are taught some basics by the volunteer very quickly within 5 minutes so that they can begin their journey.
Once they finish the first sheet, they go to a volunteer and get their sheet corrected. If everything is correct, they get sheet 2. If something is incorrect then the volunteer/trainer does not reveal the answer, but rather nudges the student to solve again, maybe by giving them a small hint. In this regard it would be greatly important that the volunteer/trainer is well versed with the training material.
The beauty of the Big Chess Camp is that people can learn at their own pace. There is no one who is forced to learn. If someone wants to solve 10 sheets, then great. If someone wants to solve 1 sheet and end the day, then also great! The main idea is that chess learning should happen voluntarily and not in a forced manner. This is the entire basis of the Big Chess Camp.
A week to remember
The Big Chess Summer Camp 2026 came to an end on 24th May after seven wonderful days of chess, learning, friendships, and countless games. Over the course of the week, 671 players walked into the camp. Today, we look back at some of our favourite moments from the camp through these photographs.
The Phoenix Marketcity Mall - the place where the magic happens!
The space for the big chess summer camp! Even though the camp was supposed to start at 4 p.m. IST, there were already a lot of people there waiting to learn.
Every Big Chess Summer Camp has a registration desk where we ask people for their email and mobile number. Harsh Kumar was sitting here on the registration desk.
Sagar Shah speaking to Aditya and Aryan Kumar from Bihar who came to the camp for a day
He was probably the youngest participant of the camp!
A familiar face at the camp! Vanita has now become a regular at our chess camps, and it is always nice to see her back! One thing that never changes is the seriousness with which she approaches the sheets. Once she starts solving, she is completely focused on finding the answers!
One of the most beautiful aspects of the camp is little kids being able to meet each other and bond over a game of chess or solving positions!
Ayush Jain is from Bhopal and part of the ChessBase India Hindi team. It was so wonderful to see him guiding little champ as she solved sheets.
The little girl in the previous picture wasn't the only one enjoying the camp. Her mother also visited the camp and brought Kaju Katli for all the volunteers as a thank-you for their efforts.
On the left is Ravindraji from the ChessBase India team, alongside his friend Shivaji Bhosale, a former BMC officer. It was lovely to have him visit the camp and spend some time with us.
One of the new additions to this year's camp was the Chess Variants section. Participants picked a chit from a box, and whatever variant they got, that was the game they learned and played!
One of the nicest compliments we received came from this gentleman, who told us that the sheets would be useful not only for his own training but also for teaching his students.
This young chess player travelled all the way from Uran, nearly 1.5 hours away from Phoenix Marketcity, with her family to attend the camp. She will soon be playing in the Under-7 State Championship, and we hope the camp helped her prepare for the event!
These boys from the Chembur Children's Home first visited the Big Chess Camp in 2023. Three years later, they are back, stronger, more confident, and much better chess players.
This girl is doing her CA final exams. Chess is something she likes a lot. So every time she gives her exams, she has some time until her results and this time she decided to spend her time learning chess at the Big Chess Summer Camp.
The way the father looked at the kid doing his sheets - it felt like he could sit there the entire day supporting his son!
The best seat in the world for the little one!
The concentration around this board was impossible to miss! The gentleman in the white shirt is Jahangir. He recently retired from work and is a frequent visitor to the Temple of Chess. His enthusiasm for chess is truly adorable.
Saarth travelled from Gondia (15 hours of travel) especially for the camp!
One of the regular visitors to the Temple of Chess, this young player has quietly worked his way up to a 1550 rating. We are excited to see how far he goes!
No Big Chess Camp is complete without Bughouse battles!
Raj is a CA and LLB and took some time off work and came to the camp. He came along with his sister (sitting diagonally opposite him). He enjoyed the chess variants a lot. In this picture, you can see him playing Duck chess.
The well-known chess comedian, Joel D'souza, came to the camp to prepare for Comedians On Board!
The camp became a meeting point for players working to take their chess to the next level.
This father-daughter duo came to the mall for a candy event, but ended up discovering the chess camp instead.
One of the moments that stayed with us was seeing Shreyas grow more comfortable at the camp with each passing day. He attended the first two days with his father. By the third day, his father felt confident enough to send him with the driver instead. We love the sense of comfort, familiarity, and trust that has developed over the course of the camp.
Dr. Nidhi Kataria, who is Vidit Gujrathi's wife also visited the camp on one of the days. She solved a few sheets and played several games. It was the first time she played chess against people she didn't know in person.
The bughouse battle at the back!
Winner of Comedians on Board 2024, Tracy Viegas, also dropped by the camp. She spent her time working seriously on her chess and preparing for the tournament.
One of the highlights of this year's camp was seeing so many young children take their first steps in chess. Our specially designed ChessPa sheets were created just for them. They proved to be one of the most sought-after parts of the camp.
Even our coaches and volunteers couldn't resist taking a break to try out a few chess variants!
Some of the most memorable camp stories were not just about chess. This mother would bring her laptop and work from the venue while her son spent hours solving sheets. Even after the camp had officially ended for the day, he would often continue solving positions while having his dinner.
These youngsters started working on the sheets together by the end of the camp!
This son was helping his dad solve the positions!
Mohit and Nipun, the creators behind the popular YouTube channel "Arey Pata Hai?!", also dropped by the camp on the final day and spent some time experiencing the chess atmosphere.
A pleasant surprise at the camp was the visit of Sagar's school friend, Shreya Menon. The two met for the first time since completing 10th grade, nearly 20 years ago! Her daughter went home with a copy of
ChessPa in Chess Adventure Park!
This is one of the most memorable photographs from the camp. The lady has an online rating of around 700. She came to the camp with the intention to improve. Beside her is her husband, an artist with no particular interest in chess, who was simply there to support her!
And just like that, the camp came to an end. This photograph from the final day captures everything we hoped the camp would be. A space filled with people learning, playing, solving, discussing, and simply enjoying chess together.
Thank you to everyone who visited, participated, volunteered, coached, supported, and helped make the Big Chess Summer Camp 2026 so special.
Note: If you would like to organise a similar chess camp in your city, be sure to check out this article. It explains the concept behind the Big Chess Summer Camp and shares practical insights on how you can create a similar chess community event in your own city.
For more such articles, join the ChessBase India WhatsApp Community.
Important Links:
Photos from the Camp
Phoenix ChessBase India Chess Club Instagram page
How to organize a Big Chess Camp in your area
