Homeschoolers and chess

Homeschoolers and chess
June 27, 2:55 PM

At the recent HEAV Homeschool Conference in Richmond, my daughter found a series of books to feed one of her passions: the game of chess! She is an avid player and loves learning more about the intricacies of how to play. Much to her delight, we found a vendor who was dedicated to chess (they even had several tables set up with chess boards, so anyone could sit down and play.) After two visits to their booth, and much time pouring over their materials, she choose the title “Chess: Tactics 1”. She and her friends are excited to have this new resource, and they have already used it to compare notes and see how to improve their games.

This book is part of a series from Championship Chess. Other titles in the series offer help with openings and end game, plus there is a book for beginners as well as preschoolers. The author of the books, Stephen Schneider, has been working with children and teaching chess for over 25 years. The book we chose deals with tactics of the game; how to take advantage of patterns and set up an attack. It provides over 200 puzzles, complete with pictures of pieces and lines showing where to move, that are taken from actual games, to help players improve their understanding and abilities. There are detailed diagrams to show what is happening and puzzles to help identify each type of tactic. Skill sets are included to help players determine the best moves. Plus the book has analysis score sheets, to help track what you are doing and what you have learned. Instructional dvds for each book are also available, and the company offers a variety of chess sets, carrying bags and tournament clocks. The company will also be offering online chess clubs in July.

Playing chess encourages critical thinking, planning skills, and problem solving; plus it can be lots of fun! If your kids enjoying playing for fun, or would like to try for a tournament, these books can be a valuable resource. One final note: sometimes my daughter and husband cannot complete a game in one evening, so they keep track of who’s turn it is by simply laying down that player’s piece. Have fun!

Source: http://www.examiner.com