Chess is a sport for the mind and it will make you smarter! You will learn to plan, think ahead, weigh options and accept consequences. Chess also teaches you about sportsmanship - how to win graciously and not give up when encountering defeat.

 

 

7:45 

    Pick up the weekly puzzle.

    Check previous results if desired.

    Find a partner and begin playing. We may from time to time ask you to play someone specific.

 

8:10

    Short 5 minute basic tutorial on basic topics. We have some display boards and may also use a projector to show short videos.

 

8:30

    Pick up boards. Leave smarter than when you came.

 

  

Obviously there will be a wide range of abilities and this is a challenge. The more parents who can help the better!

 

Pawns (Beginners):  For kids new to chess we will work on simply learning the game. This includes, how the board is set up, how pieces move, and some basic terms. Initially kids will start by playing "Pawn Wars/Racing". As ability increases, new pieces will be added into the mix. It's a great way to build knowledge of the piece movements. This is also an easy way for parents who want play, but don't know the full game of chess.

 

Generals (Intermediate): Kids who have have a basic understanding of the game will be assisted by short tutorials as well as intriguing puzzles. We will even show you how to win in four moves! At this stage the hardest thing to learn is check mate or end game strategy.

 

Royals (Advanced): We will do our best to guide these kids, however, many are far better than us already. We plan to introduce some basic strategies and perhaps some incentives for certain accomplishments. We will also encourage to use of chess notation. If you are a parent with some chess ability please help us!

 

 

This year we are using "Think Like A King"  software - a club manager and instruction tool. This gives us the option to track the results of our matches. Kids can decide if they want to have an "official" match to be be included for ranking. There is no requirement to play official matches.  Rankings in chess are much like handicaps in golf. There are official predetermined calculations used to define your ability. You are awarded little or no points if you beat someone with a lesser rank.  This encourages players to challenge themselves by playing better opponents when possible.

 

We will provide extra incentive points for attendance, puzzle completion, tournament participation, sportsmanship, and a few other surprises. These will be included in your ranking scores.

 

How tracking will work.

 

 

Each member of the club will receive an award ring with a Horace Mann Chess Club tag attached. These are similar to belts in Karate and promote accomplishment. Each time a new level or task is completed we will add items to the ring. Keep these on your backpacks to help promote our club.

  

Like other sports, chess has some basic etiquette which all players are asked to abide by in the spirit of good sportsmanship. These are important and include the following:

 

 

We are formally planning to participate in the St. Paul Open Chess Tournament at Capitol Hill on Saturday December 5th. This event runs from 8AM to 3PM. It would be great to have a large turnout. More details will be sent as tourney time approaches. We will also looking for chaperons. If interested, more information about local tournaments can be found at The School Chess Association (www.schoolchess.org).

 

  

The Chess Club is selling sets for $20. These sets are the same ones used by the club and are typically used by tournaments. All proceeds will go back into the Horace Mann Chess Club. We need a minimum of 5 orders to avail of wholesale pricing. Contact MichaelRexSchumacher@gmail.com or send a check made out to Horace Mann PTA by October 20th.