The Castle Chess Camp is a nationally renowned program of chess  instruction, recreation and competition that brings together some of the best chess teachers and scholastic players from across the U.S. The Atlanta camp is now recognized as one of the finest (and strongest) chess camps in the country.

The camp concept was developed out of a five-year study of 7th and 8th grade students by Dr. Robert Ferguson in Pennsylvania. Those students engaged in chess classes showed dramatic improvement in their schoolwork compared with those students who were engaged in other forms of "enrichment activities." These results prompted Dr. Ferguson to form the American Chess School, which held its first resident "Castle" camp in Pennsylvania in 1982.

Dr. Ferguson's concept was emulated in Atlanta by David Woolf, Director of Emory's Castle Chess Camp from 2001 through 2007.  In 2008, stewardship for the camp passed to a committee of volunteers who banded together to form Castle Chess, Inc., a non-profit corporation devoted to upholding the fine tradition of the Castle Chess Camps.  For a list of current volunteers, see the Board of Directors page.

The 2008 Camp was dedicated to David Woolf and his daughter, Katie.  Heartfelt thanks go out to both of them for their tireless efforts in bringing an incredible chess camp experience to hundreds of players throughout the last six years.