Teaching young kids chess

[Bellhorn]

@RTFirefly

No, I’m talking about Winning Chess by Reinfeld and Chernev, with the ‘how to see three moves ahead’ subtitle. I don’t think I’ve ever run into Logical Chess.

Yes, it’s categorized (pin, knight fork, skewer, discovered attack, etc.) exercises from the middle game, but I think you’d need the level of ability I’ve described in order to be ready to learn from it. If playing an entire game is still a bit of a stretch for you, you’re not going to have enough opportunity to use any of these techniques in game situations to really make them your own.

However, in keeping with the ‘start with endings’ theme, Chernev’s Practical Chess Endings would probably have some use in teaching a kid the game before he was ready to play an entire game.

If you use the simpler examples, with just the pieces involved in the tactic on the board (plus Kings, of course) I think it’s a good way to teach kids how the pieces move and their power. I’m pretty sure I learned Knight forks before I could play a whole game. Same with bishop/rook/queen skewers on a relatively clean board. Then later on, with a fuller board, you have an eye to notice the tactics.

The problem with many endings, is that nothing “exciting” is happening in the mind of a small child. K + P vs K, and K/R/P vs K/R are extremely valuable, but many adults find them too boring to study. Then again, it might just be. I’ve played chess for years (peaking at around 2080) and botched plenty of R + P endings, but I’ve hardly ever missed a Knight Fork!

[glee]

@dracoi

I learned chess around 5. By 6, I beat my father for the first time and he never played me again…

@glee

Hence my comment that learning good sportsmanship is vital.

@dracoi

Just to make sure everyone’s clear - any lack of sportsmanship was on my father’s side. Let’s just say he had issues.

Oh absolutely - I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear.