After-School Pickup Information

Zone A: Pickup from schools within half a mile of the Brooklyn Strategist.
(P.S. 29, P.S. 32, P.S. 58, Mary McDowell, Hannah Senesh, Success Academy Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights Montessori)

Zone B: Pickup from schools within a mile of the Brooklyn Strategist.
(P.S. 261, Brooklyn New School, PS 38)

Zone C: Pick-up from schools 1 mile (or more) from our store - please inquire if we pick-up from your school.
(St. Ann's, Brooklyn Friends School, PS 372)

Class Descriptions:

Brain Benders: (Grades K-1) This Mensa Select series is for children age 5 to 7 that have shown an interest in games that involve strategic thinking. Your gamers will be introduced to classic games and strategy basics all designed to promote linear mathematical concepts, working memory, and perceptual organization. Throughout the program, participants will focus on practicing good sportsmanship while simultaneously having fun trying to outwit and out-strategize their opponents. Game List may include: Mancala, Senet, Look Look, Mine Shift, Qwirkle, Dizios, Yikerz, Sleeping Queens, Gin Rummy, Chess, Bakers Dozen, Loot, Tsuro, Sushi Go, Carcassonne.

Mind Masters: (Grades 2-4) This problem-solving series is for children age 7 to 9 that have either completed Brain Benders or demonstrate an affinity for strategic thinking. We introduce these gamers to a wide range of game genres from ancient strategy to modern board games. Throughout the program players will explore deeper strategy elements and multidimensional thinking. As always, participants will also focus on issues of ‘good sportsmanship’ while simultaneously trying to outwit and out strategize their opponents. Games may include: 7 Wonders, Carcassone, Settlers of Catan, Scrabble, Boggle, Sushi Go!, Splendor, Dragonwood, Machi Koro, Ticket to Ride, Small World.


Strategy Specialists: (Grades 4-6) This problem-solving series is for children age 9 to 11 that have either completed Mind Masters or demonstrate an affinity for strategic thinking. We introduce these gamers to a wide range of game genres from ancient strategy to modern board games. Throughout the program players will explore deeper strategy elements and multidimensional thinking. As always, participants will also focus on issues of ‘good sportsmanship’ while simultaneously trying to outwit and out strategize their opponents. Games may include: 7 Wonders, Carcassonne, Settlers of Catan, Sushi Go!, Splendor, Dragonwood, Machi Koro, Ticket to Ride, Strat-o-matic.

Chess I: Developing minds learn how pieces move and how to organize approach and defense in this introduction to chess and related abstract strategy games. No experience is necessary and time is dedicated to learning these games in small group play. Each class is spent playing both chess and games like Yn, Dvonn, Punct, Hive and Othello.

Chess II: After learning piece movement and basic rules in Chess 1, this class is aimed at improving strategic thinking and seeing that planning in chess begins as early as move one. Designed for students who understand the basics of chess tactics and strategy, we will emphasize more advanced strategy, classic openings and closings.

Chess III: This class is tailored toward advanced chess players with established on-line and/or over-the-board United States Chess Federation or FIDE chess ratings of 1100-1600, who already understand basic tactics and strategy. More advanced tactics will be taught and examples provided, including piece sacrifices, clearance sacrifices, discovered attacks, king hunts, skewers, smothered mates, zugzwang and zwischenzug. More advanced chess strategies will be taught including strong and weak squares, use of batteries, control of open and half-open files, ranks and diagonals, and opening memorization and learning of advanced chess concepts. Students will learn middle-game strategy including how to gain space on the chess board, endgame preparation, gaining and losing tempos, transitioning from the middle-game to the endgame with positional advantages. Memorization and concept development to enhance cognitive development will be key components of this class and world chess champion games as well as top-level miniature chess games will be used as examples for study. Tournament preparation will conclude this class with use of chess clocks, notation, and an on-site Swiss-style tournament for class participants.

Intro Card Strategy Specialists (Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering) This beginner class is for those interested in learning how to play the most popular trading card games. Students will learn the basics of Pokemon and Magic the Gathering, developing the strategy, deck building, and planning skills needed to play with others. No collection needed, students will learn with our decks and get a Magic deck to take home!

Intermediate Card Strategy Specialists (Magic: The Gathering): (Grades 5+) This intermediate card game program is for those who already know how to play Magic: The Gathering and want some instruction to up their game. A wide range of game categories are explored in a progressive curriculum with the intent of playing a variety of card mechanics, subject matter and strategies. Students will continue to develop their strategic thinking, planning and good sportsmanship as they play both competitive and cooperative games. Students will learn to build decks, play with pre-constructed decks, and draft decks.

Advanced Card Strategy Specialists (Magic: The Gathering): (Grades 5+) This advanced card game program is for veterans of our After School programs and older kids that are interested in more complicated strategy games. A wide range of game categories are explored in a progressive curriculum with the intent of playing a complex variety of card mechanics, subject matter and strategies. Students will continue to develop their strategic thinking, planning and good sportsmanship as they play both competitive and cooperative games. Students will learn to build decks, play with pre-constructed decks, and draft decks.

Introduction to RPGs: (Grades 3+) This program will introduce players to the core concepts of tabletop role play and teach the rules of a few beginner-friendly game systems. Tabletop Roleplaying Games (RPGs) are narrative game systems that encourage cooperation, decision-making and creative thinking. RPG players are immersed in a shared story-telling experience as they work together to overcome obstacles and solve problems. Game systems may include: Hero Kids, No Thank You Evil!, Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple, Microscope, Dungeon Crawl Classics and Dungeons & Dragons.

Intermediate RPGs: (Grades 3+) Roleplayers that have completed our introductory class are ready to set out on more in-depth adventures! We will explore a range of different RPGs in an effort to offer players a survey of popular RPG systems. Players will improve essential role-playing skills that include character development, embracing failure, and detailed narrative storytelling. All of our RPG classes stress cooperative decision making and good sportsmanship. Game systems may include Microscope, The Quiet Year, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Fiasco, Cypher System, Star Wars RPG, Dungeon World, and Dungeons & Dragons.

Advanced RPGs (LATE CREW): (Grade 6+) This advanced RPG club offers a more in depth and rewarding experience for participants who are ready for higher level campaigning. Our counselors will be offering more creative freedom, chances for independent exploration, and complex RPG story lines. Participants will be expected to work in a team, communicate effectively, and show curiosity towards the finer points of the game. In addition, group leadership (Game Master) opportunities will also be available for interested participants. Game systems may include Dungeon Crawl Classics, Cypher System, Star Wars RPG, FATE Core, Time Watch, Traveller and Dungeons & Dragons.

RPG Design: This program is the perfect opportunity for participants to learn how to DM/facilitate an RPG game from conceptualization to execution. This course is designed to provide an RPG experience from a world building lens with creative exercises ranging from character creation to map making. Participants will also be provided a miniature for painting and additional supplies for creating their very own adventure.

Intro Comics & Sequential Arts: (ages 8+) Sequential Artwork is an art form that conveys a story through graphics and visuals in a sequence. Comics are one of the most widely recognized forms of sequential artwork, but storyboarding, instruction manuals, and graphic novels are also works that fall under the umbrella of sequential artwork. In this course, we will learn basic comic making/sequential artwork fundamentals over the span of eight classes. Beginners and experienced artists alike are all welcome to join.

Intermediate Comics & Sequential Arts: (Pre-requisite of completing Intro Comics Curriculum) After learning the fundamentals of sequential arts in our Intro Comics class, this program offers a greater focus on developing stylistic works, strengthening visual storytelling skills, and applying learned techniques to complete more finalized projects using the tools and skills developed in the Intro Class. Projects are inclusive of various styles of Sequential Artwork including action comics and manual creation.

Advanced Comics & Sequential Arts: This class diverges from the Intro and Intermediate classes with more creative freedom, and a greater focus on technique to produce a more finished product.

Introduction to Warhammer: (Grades 3+) In this introductory program for students in 3rd grade or older, players will be exposed to the two worlds of the Warhammer Universe: Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40K. They will receive a set of models for the world and faction they choose, and will spend the rest of the trimester learning to build, paint and play with their models. Students will learn the basics of model painting and tactical miniatures game play. (Included with registration fee: one set of models for new students and weekly Saturday Brunchhammer attendance.)

Intermediate Warhammer: TO BE UPDATED SOON...

Advanced Warhammer: Advanced Warhammer is a class focused on the grander strategic identities of multiple systems offered by GamesWorkshop here at The Brooklyn Strategist. Participants of the class will undergo a focused curriculum based on which of the play systems they are looking to have covered. The available systems for this class are Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game, and Kill Team. Along with the strategic focus on the game systems of the class, there is also an available painting station to hone in on the artistic talents of the participants if they wish to focus of the hobby aspects of each respective game. Various materials will be provided minus models as participants are required to have enough for each game system that they are partaking in.

Membership and Gift Cards

To purchase a gift certificate, please follow this link!

With a 3 month membership  you get:

• Free walk in for general game play (Does not cover events such as Magic or Warhammer).
• Free table reservation.
• 10% off After School Programming.

Signup for membership in store now, and get a nifty membership card.

• 3 months $100
• 6 months $200
  
• 1 year $375
  

Monday - Sunday: 9AM to 11PM