Think Before You Move

Published: November 15, 2009 3:00 a.m.
Kids learn by hook or by rook
Michael Zennie
The Journal Gazette

It was late in the match and 7-year-old Christophe Diwis had five pieces left. His opponent was down to just a king.

After several rounds, Christophe gave up three pieces as the other player idly picked his nose, leaving him with a king and a bishop. He was forced to accept a draw.

“We’ll have to work on those checkmates,” Canterbury chess coach Jim Dean said as he helped the pair reset the board.

Of the 199 students who competed at the 2009 Indiana State K-12 Grade Chess Championships on Saturday at Canterbury High School, many were in third grade or below – too young, most coaches conceded, to grasp more than the basics of the game.

But still, parents, organizers and the young players themselves said the tournament is worthwhile even for the smallest children.

Learning to play chess teaches kids social skills in addition to the cognitive and intellectual benefits, they said.

Witness: Rows of elementary school children – who only minutes before were running through the halls and chasing basketballs in the school’s gym – greeted the start of the first round with silence and rapt attention, each zeroed in on the game.

Tim Sloffer, Northwest Allen County Schools elementary chess club coach, said that is one of the clearest benefits of teaching small children to play the game.

The NACS team wore shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Think Before You Move,” a reminder that chess is about concentration, focus and forethought.

Those skills are invaluable for children to learn, especially at an early age, Sloffer said.

Christophe’s father, Durand Diwis, welcomed his son’s interest in chess, even though he himself has never been a player. He said he hopes the hours of practice and playtime will help his son develop better problem-solving skills and hone his mind.

Here is the full article.