Training at Caissa
Caissa Osaka Chess Club as the newly established branch of Caissa Hong Kong Chess Club focusses on child-friendly chess instruction. The club uses the Dutch Step Method to develop players from complete beginners to advanced tournament players.
In Hong Kong the training has resulted in National Youth Champions and several of our members and students have represented their countries at the highest level like youth world championships. We are dedicated to accomplish the same here in Japan as well.
By enrolling into any of our training courses students can participate in our-students-only last week of the month competition and put to practice against their peers all the learnings - and perhaps win a prize!
Step Method
Systematic and Structured
Listen to the Podcast created from an interview with the creator of the Step Method, the Dutch International Master Cor van Wijgerden, on the occasion of 40-years birthday of the system in 2025.
The Step Method has been around since 1987. In the1980s, IM Cor van Wijgerden, who was at that time the national trainer of the Royal Dutch Chess Federation, made many stencils with exercises for the Dutch top youth and women top players. But demand for this kind of exercises for lower level players began to grow too and experienced trainer Rob Brunia joined Cor van Wijgerden and through both their profound knowledge of chess technical and didactic aspects the Step Method evolved into a solid teaching method that fits the development of a child.
Nowadays the Step Method is successfully adopted by many chess clubs and schools throughout the world.
The whole course consists of six manuals, specifically for chess teachers or trainers (the first steps are also suitable for parents), and 26 workbooks (3/4 for each step) which can be used by the students themselves. Total 32 books, many published in other languages than Dutch, like German, French, Swedish, Turkish, Greek, Czech, Azerbaijan and Danish.
The Step Method offers a platform, a chess didactic context, from which trainers can support chess growth of their students through playing games and analysis, just as important as doing puzzles.
Exams are specially designed by Caissa under supervision of IM Matthew Tan who was trained by Step Method authors IM Cor van Wijgerden and Rob Brunia for 6 years when he was a youth player and acknowledged by the authors to test how well you mastered the Step Method.
Pass the exam and earn your own Caissa Step Certificate! There are nine levels of exams, ranging from Stepping Stones 1 all the way up to Step 5. In the list below you can find the requirements to be eligible for taking part in the individual exams*.
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Stepping Stones 1 exam (duration 45 minutes). Requirement: finished Stepping Stones 1
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Stepping Stones 2 exam (duration 45 minutes). Requirement: finished Stepping Stones 2
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Step 1a exam (duration 60 minutes). Requirement: finished Step 1, and at least halfway through Step 1 Extra
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Step 1b exam (duration 60 minutes). Requirement: finished Step 1 Extra, and at least halfway through Step 1 Plus
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Step 2a exam (duration 60 minutes). Requirement: finished Step 2, and at least halfway through Step 2 Extra
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Step 2b exam (duration 60 minutes). Requirement: finished Step 2 Extra, and at least halfway through Step 2 Plus
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Step 3 exam (duration 75 minutes). Requirement: finished Step 3, Step 3 Extra, Step 3 Plus, Step 3 Thinking Ahead**
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Step 4 exam (duration 75 minutes). Requirement: finished Step 4, Step 4 Extra, Step 4 Plus, Step 4 Mix (optional)
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Step 5 exam (duration 90 minutes). Requirement: finished Step 5, Step 5 Extra, Step 5 Plus
*) In case of doubt, the trainer can give a test to see if the student is ready to participate in the exam
**) This book can be replaced by the mix books
