Helping girls connect and grow through chess!

The Pawns to Queens (P2Q) Girls Group is Indy Chess' free initiative launched in January 2025 to help girls connect and grow through chess.  We believe in what chess can develop--critical thinking, sportsmanship, even community.  We also believe it's easier to do with friends!

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Members of P2Q participate in a ​Monthly Girls Chess Night (Workshop + Casual Chess Gameplay) led by Laura Escobar and Madison Brown, two of Indiana's highest-rated female players!  There are also weekly training engagements from 6:30-7:30p on Thursdays:

• 2nd Thursday: Online Tournament on chess.com

• 3rd Thursday: Puzzle Survival w/ Coach Laura on Zoom

• 4th Thursday: Play the Bot w/ Coach Madison on Zoom

​Dates/Location: For 2026 the Monthly Girls Chess Night will begin Thursday, February 6 and occur the first Thursday of each month.  It will be from 6:00 to 7:30pm at Christ the King School at 5858 Crittenden Avenue in Indianapolis [map].  That's near the intersection of Keystone Ave. and Kessler Blvd.  (Save for 2026: Feb 5, Mar 5, Apr 2, May 7, Jun 4, Jul 2, Aug 6, Sep 3, Oct 1, Nov 5, Dec 3)

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Eligibility: Girls in 2nd to 12th grade can participate.  This is not a beginner group, but is designed to help girls who already know how the pieces move.

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Registration: A parent just needs to fill in the form below, and we will add them to the monthly email list.

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Extras! Additionally, participants receive discounts to Indy Chess' monthly scholastic tournaments, can travel together to the Indiana State Girls' Championship in April 25, 2026 in Martinsville, and we offer scholarship prizes at the 2nd annual Indianapolis Girls' City Chess Championship on December 12, 2026 (@ St. Paul's Church - 6050 N Meridian St.)!

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the Pawns to queens chess group was created thanks to the generous support of the Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr. Memorial Foundation and morgan stanley.  it is continued through donations from individual donations, especially the generosity of the schilling and dodson families!​​​