Making “Chess Clubs For Students” Work!
by John Bain
Build a robust, well-attended, successful scholastic chess club! Learn how to start, organize and run a fun and strong chess club in school!
For the parent, coach or teacher who wants to organize a chess club at the K-12 grade levels with enthusiastic student participation.
Introduction
How to Start?
For a chess club to function well and be successful, several things are essential:
1) students know the chess rules;
2) they learn four basic checkmate patterns;
3) they respect their opponents—asking, what is my opponent threatening;
4) they respect themselves, understand blunders—asking, is my next move safe;
5) they learn chess notation.
This learning can take place during the first three or four chess club meetings that a student attends—and be reinforced throughout the chess season.
More experienced students in the club can mentor the newer younger students.
In a relatively short time, students should be able to demonstrate understanding at these tasks as well as they can spell their names!
NEXT> Part 1: Basic Chess Skills and Psychology! will cover fun and interesting ways to improve students’ basic skills and strength!
What Makes “Chess Clubs For Students” Work?
Parts 1-6
by John Bain
Intro: What Makes “Chess Clubs For Students” Work? outlines practices for building a well-attended, successful chess club.
Part 1 – Basic Chess Skills and Psychology For Students emphasizes how learning the Chess Rules and Three Psychological Practices enable students to become stronger players.
Part 2 – Basic Endgame Checkmate Patterns For Students covers Four Basic Endgame Checkmate Patterns that will yield collateral benefits to all aspects of a student’s games.
Part 3 – Choosing Location, Meeting Times & Equipment demonstrates that the right location, the right meeting times, and quality chess equipment will foster enthusiastic student chess club participation.
Part 4.1 to 4.6 – Chess Club Activities For Students shows that activities that are fun–and that improve chess knowledge and skills–are the lifeblood of a well-run, great chess club!
Part 5 – How to Promote Chess Clubs in Schools presents the very best, promising practices for promoting school chess clubs.
Part 6 – What Chess Teaches Kids About Life notes the virtues, lessons and life skills that chess teaches!
NEXT> Part 1: Basic Chess Skills and Psychology! will cover fun and interesting ways to improve students’ basic skills and strength!
Looking for scholastic chess club equipment and workbooks? Visit ChessForStudents
