Dear Friends,

I have been coaching and mentoring and developing young chess players for over twenty years, and a lot has changed over all that time, but one thing remains absolutely the same: any child can excel at the game of chess, if presented with a clear plan and a clear path.

Back in 2016, Russell Makofsky along with a small group of dedicated coaches launched ICN. The program began with the three original schools -- PS 33, PS 11 and PS 59 -- and developed into a playing event each Saturday called G & T Quads which welcomed players and teams from across public, private and charter schools in NYC and beyond.

ICN had a self-describing governing motto: "A Unique Team-First Training Approach Dedicated to Building Vibrant Chess Communities & Delivering Measurable Chess Success."

I joined ICN in 2018, because it was clear to me that the ICN credo captured exactly what I too had been aspiring to build. Within the first couple years, our network quickly expanded to include 15 programs across Brooklyn and Manhattan.

A pandemic struck in 2020, and radically diverted everyday life for everyone, but we stayed the course as best we could, migrating online immediately. (I'll always be proud that we didn't miss a single club session!) When we emerged out of that period, we had 22 programs, and we hit the ground running once schools reopened.

ICN's first trip to a national championship in 2016 lit a fire, and the 40 players who attended got their first stroll on the podium. Since then our cohorts have grown, but our intentionality and desire to excel hasn't wavered. That fire still burns brightly, and this year we brought over 200 players, winning 2 Team and 2 Individual National Championships including the vaunted K-5 Championship section (now two years in a row).

This coming school year, 2025-2026, will be a special one for us. It will mark our 10th year of operation, and regardless of all the highs and lows in the world around us, it will mark our 10th year of looking forward, and looking up, and striving for excellence.

I'm very proud to welcome you to our 10th year. We have tried our best to constantly improve and constantly grow, and we look forward to being with you again in the journey.

Join us this Fall for our best year yet.

Thanks ever so much,

Ian

Celebrating 10 Years!