More of our chess kids come from Bentleigh East than anywhere else

The honest answer is that it's barely a trip. From most streets in the suburb you're looking at about 8-9 minutes' drive — along Centre Rd, down Jasper Rd, and you're pulling up at 2 Livingston St, Highett before the kids have finished picking the music. There's street parking on and around Livingston St, and because classes are drop-off, you don't need to stay — plenty of parents head off and come back at pick-up. And with seventeen families in the program, more than from any other suburb, there's a real chance your child will already know a face at the boards.

For a lot of families around here, Sunday already has a shape: swimming lessons or sport at GESAC, then the rest of the day to fill. The timetable suits that kind of day — four one-hour groups run between 12:00 and 4:45pm, so chess can slot in after morning sport or before an afternoon swim, and kids can join any week rather than waiting for a new term. If your child is at Valkstone Primary or Coatesville Primary, the Sunday run down to Highett is one of the easier ones on your calendar. Bring nothing — boards, pieces and puzzles are all provided. Each group is kept small (around ten kids) so every child gets real attention from the coach, Gabriel Rips — a top-0.2% ranked player on Chess.com with a Working With Children Check.