Chess Teaching Manual - Alberta Chess Association

1 C@NN #@?@M<ODJI JA <I<?<RRR >C@NN > <. 3 4 % 1 2 . 3 4 % 1 2 . 3 4 % 1 Chess TeachingManualCreated by International Master Tom O Donnell-MJ?P>@? =T OC@ C@NN #@?@M<ODJI JA <I<?< JKTMDBCO C@NN #@?@M<ODJI JA <I<?<RRR >C@NN > <INTRODUCTIONThe Chess Federation of Canada is a charitable organization whose mandate is topromote and encourage the knowledge, study and play of the game of Chess in Canada. organizes National Championships and provides funding for the winners to go on tothe World Championships. In addition, the has sent a team to the World ChessOlympiad each time it has been held (every second year) since purpose of this Manual is to encourage the playing of Chess by young has been shown to improve academic performance.

2 A youngster taking part in a chessprogram develops: critical thinking logic, reasoning, and problem solving abilities memory, concentration and visualization skills confidence, patience and determination poise self-expression good sportsmanship children who participate in Chess programs improve their self-esteemIt is not necessary for the teacher using this Manual to be a good Chess player - or evena Chess player at all. The course has been designed to take the teacher step-by-step throughthe basics and onto more advanced strategies. It is hoped that we have done our job well, butof course this is the first edition of this Manual (experimental, if you will) and there is alwaysroom for improvement. If you have any comments or questions concerning this Manual , wemay be contacted by regular mail: Chess Federation of Canada2212 Gladwin, E-1 Ottawa, ONK1B 5N1Or by e-mail: author is a four-time Olympiad team member, and holds the title of International ChessMaster, which he received for his results in international competition.

3 He has taught Chess tograde school children individually and in groups for almost a of the contents of this Manual is permitted within schools for educationalpurposes 1997 Chess Federation of Canada C@NN #@?@M<ODJI JA <I<?<RRR >C@NN > < Chess SUPPLIESC hess equipment suited to the needs and budgets of TubeCatalogue # 3108A complete Chess set for schools. It contains solid plasticchess pieces (with a King that measures 3 3/4" tall) that willnot break even if stepped on, a laminated paper board withalphanumeric borders and 2" squares which can be easilywiped down to clear up dirt or spills. The entire set iscontained in a durable tube for easy Pricing1 to 11 $ to 23$ to 47$ to 95$ to 191 $ + $ BoardCatalogue # 3108 Price: $ the entire class what you want without having them all crowdaround a small tabletop set.

4 The board measures 27" wide by 32" longwith 3" squares and can be hung anywhere. Vinyl pieces stick to theboard and can be moved to show any position you desire. The entireset can be rolled up and easily stored in its own convenient Chess ClockCatalogue # 3227 Price: $ plastic clock measures 6 3/4" x 4 1/4" x 2 1/4" with a large,easy to read face and seconds counter. This Romanian built clock alsocomes with an easy to see lever instead of buttons and a safety forlocking the lever in the off position for orders by Phone at (613) 733-2844 (M-F 9-5 EST) or by FAX (613) 733-5209 or by e-mail C@NN #@?@M<ODJI JA <I<?<RRR >C@NN > <Table of ContentsTeacher s introduction to chessRunning a school Chess clubHow pieces move (Lessons 1-6)Identify squares (Lesson 1, part 1)How pawns move and capture (Lesson 1, part 2)How kings move and capture (Lesson 2)Check: king can t be taken (Lesson 2)How rooks move and capture (Lesson 3)How bishops move and capture (Lesson 4)How queens move and capture (Lesson 5)How knights move and capture (Lesson 6)Simple strategy (Lessons 7-9)Check or checkmate?

5 (Lesson 7)Checkmate or stalemate? (Lesson 8)Pins (Lesson 9)Special moves (Lessons 10-11)CastlingThe mechanics of castling (Lesson 10, part 1)How to determine if it is legal to castle (Lesson 10, part 2)Pawn Promotion (Lesson 11)Checkmate in one move: typical patterns (Lessons 12-15)Checkmate with bishop (Lesson 12)Checkmate with rook (Lesson 13)Checkmate with queen (Lesson 14)Checkmate with knight (Lesson 15)Simple tactics (Lessons 16-18)Take free pieces (Lesson 16)The point count (Lesson 17)Attacking and defending (Lesson 18)More tactics (Lessons 19-22)Forks (Lesson 19)Pins (Lesson 20)Skewers (Lesson 21)Discovered checks (Lesson 22)Another special move (Lesson 23) En Passant (Lesson 23)Combining pieces to make checkmate (Lesson 24-26)Checkmate with two major pieces (Lesson 24)Checkmate with queen (Lesson 25)Checkmate with rook (Lesson 26)

6 For use in tournaments onlySimplified rules of chessRunning a Chess tournamentRound Robin pairing rulesThe Round Robin in actionSample Round Robin crosstableBlank Round Robin crosstable for use in tournamentsSimplified Swiss system pairing rulesPairing Card sampleSample Swiss System crosstableBlank Swiss System crosstable for use in tournaments C@NN #@?@M<ODJI JA <I<?<RRR >C@NN > <Teacher s Introduction to ChessDon t know anything about Chess ? Don tpanic. If you follow this guide you shouldn t haveany problems. Even if you do know somethingabout Chess , the students will probably be able tobeat you fairly easily most of the time after a littlewhile. Like learning how to play a musicalinstrument, or a new language, it is a big advantageto learn how to play Chess as a start, you need a demonstration is simply a chessboard that can hang on a nail,and uses some method for keeping the Chess pieceson it.

7 The demonstration board should have theletters a through h running along the top andbottom, and the numbers 1 through 8 runningalong the sides. The reason for this is that all 64squares on the chessboard can be identified by aletter-number demonstration board comes with a setof 32 pieces. These are divided into two separategroups: 16 of which are white and 16 of whichare black . The actual colours don t matter (often white pieces are in reality red); but they must bedistinct from each each side, their army of men consists ofthe following: Eight (8) pawns: The pawn is easy toidentify. It is the smallest piece, and the mostplentiful. On the following sheets, it isidentified by the symbol 2or Q Two (2) knights: The knight looks like ahorse.

8 It is identified by the symbol 1 or O Two (2) bishops: The bishop looks like abig pawn, with a slit in its head. It is identifiedby the symbol % or C Two (2) rooks: The rook looks like atower or castle. It is identified by the symbol4 or S One (1) queen: The queen looks like ahead with a bunch of spikes coming out of the spikes have circles at the top. It isidentified by the symbol 3 or R One (1) king: The king has a cross on topof it. It is identified by the symbol . or LIf you have Chess sets in the class, thedemonstration board pieces and the pieces used forthe Chess set will most likely look s all of the equipment you will need toteach the class. Now onto the lessons. Twas the Night For those teachers who know nothingabout Chess , or for those a bit shaky on the rules,explanation sheets have been provided for theinstructor to read.

9 The intent of these sheets is togive you, the instructor, a crash course on theconcept in question. As well, it is hoped that allpossible questions have been anticipated. It issuggested that before you teach a specific lessonyou read the explanatory material on that specificlesson thoroughly. Try to answer the questions thestudents will be given for a specific lesson beforeattempting to teach that is not necessary to read all of the lessonsbefore Teaching the first lesson. You need only readone lesson at a time, teach that lesson, and thenmove onto the next lesson is designed to take no morethan ten (10) minutes to explain. A typical hourwill consist of five to ten minutes of explanationand an exercise sheet based on the lesson that willtake ten to fifteen minutes.

10 Many initial lessonshave tasks that are designed to reinforce newconcepts introduced in those lessons. In order toperform the task it is necessary that you have asufficient supply of sets and boards (one set andone board for every two students will suffice).Future lessons provide students with theopportunity to play against each other in practicegames, encouraging them to learn individually andfrom each exercise sheets contain few words,particularly the absolute beginner sheets. This isintentional, so that the students can workindependently without constant teacher the future, we hope to be able to providesupplementary sheets for both keen students whowould like to do extra work at home, and for thosewho would rather work on a sheet than play on achessboard.