Grades 2nd-5th. Beginning Level: Students learn chess history, chess etiquette, the playing board, its chessmen, how the pieces move, value of the pieces, common opening moves, middle and endgame strategies, tactics, and how to checkmate their opponent. Instructors: All the King’s Men staff. 6 classes.
Focus of each class
Class 1: Introduction; Review: Chess History; Chess Rules; Chess Etiquette; Piece Movement; Piece Value; Touch-Move Rule; Castling; Special Rule (En Passant); General Opening Moves; practice
Class 2: Good and Bad Opening Moves; Tactics (Forks, Pins, Skewers, Discovered Checks, Attacks, Diversion, Opposition); Practice
Class 3: Planning Strategies; Checkmate Positions; practice
Class 4: Helpful Endgame Concepts: Mating Patterns (KQB v K; KQN v K) Checkmating Patterns (K v KQ; K v KRR; K v KR); Practice
Class 5: Review: Question and Answers
Class 6: Online Chess Tournament
Chess is an International language. The BENEFITS derived from the KNOWLEDGE of chess increase one’s ability to meet, greet, mingle and communicate with people all over the world--even when one doesn’t speak a word of the other language! Chess has been shown to improve academic skills, assist in critical thinking, focusing and long- term planning, teach good sportsmanship, and enhance social skills and self-esteem.
