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Another year has elapsed. How time goes! The Chess Drum has now been in existence for nine years and has since served as the primary reservoir for content featuring players of African descent. Of course, the site also covers important event and has a worldwide audience in over 200 countries and territories with over 8,000 pages.
Appleton Early Learning Center has participated in our pilot program with 4 and 5 year old students. This program was conducted over a six week period.
We have been able to demonstrate that children can learn and demonstrate critical thinking skills at this age.
We are looking forward to continuing with this age group for extended sessions and possibly trying some gender-based sessions.
The October issue of Chess Life for Kids is out and available online. You must be a member of the United States Chess Federation to see the online version.
If you haven’t joined the USCF yet, please click here to join.
Think back to when you first learned to play chess. Did your mother or father teach you? Maybe a grandparent? Over the years I’ve heard many wonderfully warm stories about people’s first introduction to chess. Those memories are cherished through adulthood, as chess is truly a bonding experience.
My father taught me to play when I was 9 years old. I was fascinated by the boards set up all around the living room, each displaying a different position. I was so eager to learn. My father loved something called postal chess, where he would play people from far away exotic lands through the mail. Most of his opponents lived in Russia, so it took months for each move to arrive. It was always an exciting day when that postcard arrived with its intriguing stamps. It held the mysterious code known only to chess players, informing my father of the next move.
I quickly fell in love with the game and when I beat my father for the first time I quickly made the decision to try out tournaments. Although Dad was more interested in postal chess than over the board play, he joined me in my first tournament, so that I wouldn’t be alone. Now the first thing I noticed, in that small Connecticut tournament, was that I was the only girl and the only child. A little intimidating, but Dad was there, so it was okay. I soon became engrossed in my games, throwing myself into the battle, eager to conquer my opponent, forgetting that the odds were stacked against me. I’m not sure who was more surprised and excited, my father or I, when I won second place.
This was one of the most exciting games of round six. GM Christiansen went into a highly theoretical line against IM Robson hoping that his age may not given him experience here. Robson used a lot of time but managed to find good moves.
I find inspiration when I see decisive games like this. It let’s you know anyone can loose a game. I look forward to round 7.
Which first move is better for beginners? ?4 or d4?
1.e4. is a bit better, if you play 1.d4 the game is slower, more complicated and more positioned.
Which opening is not played anymore and why?
No opening has disappeared yet, at a lower level you can play more risky, but now there are many options already, for which the end evaluation is known. In the strongest tournaments the King’s Gambit is very rarely used, it is considered that the whites are risking too much.
How many people are there in your team during matches? Describe briefly who is doing what.
My chess assistants for the game against Kamsky in Sofia were three. They analyze the games of the opponent, as well as my games and try to find weaknesses in his game.
During the match against gata Kamsky we saw you swimming at the Kempinski (we swim there, too). Tell us about the physical preparation of a chess player.
Yes, they recommended me to do light exercises in the rest days of the match. Swimming is best because it involves the entire body and there is no risk of injuries. According to my experience it is better for the chess players to practice sports that improve stamina, because our games are sometimes very long and tiring, just like a hard day at an office. (more…)
I recently came across this article in the Inquirer.net written by
When we say “OK! That’s the end of today’s chess class,” and hear a room full of young voices saying “No, we want to stay!” that’s when we know a definite connection has been achieved.
Parents and teachers around the globe are very proud when their children learn to play chess. They know it’s good for their kids. But why? Why is excellent chess instruction so beneficial to educational growth?
Let’s start with some basics. Kids do not get smarter when they’re forced to learn things that don’t interest them. They lose interest when they are not challenged. They also lose interest when they don’t understand what is being taught.
The best chess teachers are challenging and fun, while smoothly increasing the level of skill and understanding of each student. When teaching chess is approached that way, the kids remain interested and they improve. Studies done around the world prove that teaching chess to children has a very positive impact on their lives.
Laura Sherman founded Your Chess Coach (www.YourChessCoach.com) with her husband, Dan Sherman. The couple’s full-time profession is teaching children to play chess. Along with Bill Kilpatrick, founder of several professional specialty schools, they provide consulting around the globe helping improve the ability of coaches, parents and educators to teach chess to children.