Chess @ Your Library

Neil KrasnoffBetty Copeland

Objectives

• Motivate Participants to start chess clubs in their schools

•  Participants will gain knowledge and confidence in their abilities to run a chess club

• Participants will learn a recommended sequence for teaching chess

Why Chess?

"In classrooms where Chess has taken hold, educators are reporting astounding results.  After learning how to play chess , kids who once showed little interest in getting a good education are not only turning their grades and lives around, they are excelling.  Chess:• sharpens problem-solving skills• enhances imagination and creativity• promotes independence and a sense of responsibility• hones memory• heightens self-esteem• reinforces the concept of deferred gratification• and much more!

     -Maurice Ashley in Chess for Success  

The Ease of Starting a Chess Club

• Chess equipment is very inexpensive• Many students and staff will already

understand the basic rules of chess. • Chess is a timeless game that will attract an

audience with minimal publicity• In summary, the benefits of chess are many

and the costs and challenges are few

History of Hays CISD Chess Program

2005-Program Established at Lehman HS2006- First tournament/fundraiser event attracts 60+ students from area including representatives from 80% of Hays CISD schools2007-First official Hays CISD Chess Championship attracts 90+ students from all but one Hays CISD campus2008-Second Hays CISD chess tournament attracts 100 students from 100% of Hays CISD Schools.  Lehman HS wins Region VI chess title

Today:  The Hays CISD chess program involves over 300 students on each campus

Case Study: Dahlstrom Middle School

At Dahlstrom --- Chess is  

King!( 

photo by Christy Hodson)

 "How does a middle school librarian who knows very little about the mysterious game of chess become the chief cheerleader of a group of gung-ho chess warriors?"

NEW RELATIONSHIPS / MENTORING

• 135 originally recruited• 80 average at weekly meetings (lower

numbers after changing meeting date, also due to sports, and losing students who are no longer interested)

• Majority is male, roughly 80%. • We have 60% 6th grade; 25% 7th grade; and

15% 8th grade. We are also meeting our low-socio/ low-economic students' needs by providing late-bus services for after-school activities.

Dahlstrom Chess by the Numbers

INNOVATIVE TEACHING GRANT!

We applied for -- and received --a grant of $2000 to apply to our chess program, allowing us to hire a noted chess master to teach advanced strategies to students who sign up for workshops, and to provide for additional activities to support our chess program. We have parents who bring their elementary children to participate in our chess club -- additional middle school mentoring of younger students. We have "resource" students participating -- again additional mentoring student-to-student --

How many middle school kids can we squeeze in??

Thank you HCISD for your support of our Chess Nuts!

Chess is definitely cool at Dahlstrom!

Getting Started

1. Purchase Chess Sets-Buy only solid pieces.  Don't bother with the $3.00 hollow sets at the Grocery Store or Pharmacy

2. Purchase a couple of clocks 

o www.uscfsales.com (United States Chess Federation)o www.americanchessstore.com (Austin based company)

 Then:    – Decide meeting times– Recruit parents and community members

Essential Information

United States Chess Federation

http://main.uschess.org/content/view/7574/131/  

Chess Cornerhttp://www.chesscorner.com/tutorial/learn.htm  

Excellent ResourcesSusan Polgar Institute of Chess Excellence (SPICE) at Texas Tech) http://texastechchess.blogspot.com/

Ashley, Maurice. Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens. New York City: Broadway, 2005.  Root, Alexey W.. Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators. Westport: Teacher Ideas Press, An Imprint Of Libraries Unlimited, 2006.  Root, Alexey W.. Read, Write, Checkmate: Enrich Literacy with Chess Activities. Westport: Teacher Ideas Press, An Imprint Of Libraries Unlimited, 2009.    

Chess Trivia Questions #1

When did the Queen become the most powerful piece on the board? 

Why?

Chess Trivia #1

Answer:  Probably originated in the 15th Century, but the current strong Queen rule spread with the rise of powerful female rulers such as Catherine the Great in Russia and Victoria of England. 

Chess Trivia #2 

Which civilization invented the game that eventually became known as Chess?

Chess Trivia Continued #2

Answer: India was credited with the original game called caturanga, but the Arabs improved, popularized and spread the game along with Islam before the 10th Century.  The Persians were also very influential in the early period. Chess evolved into its modern form in Europe and  it's current rules were mostly established by 1850.

Chess Trivia #3

In chess, there are two ways of "wasting time." What are they?

Chess Trivia #3

1.  The most obvious "time wasting" occurs when playing with a clock and one waits a long time before making a move. 

2.  The 2nd way of wasting time is by making moves that are ill-conceived and being forced to move the same piece out of trouble.  Most common amateur mistake is taking the queen out early and then the opponent forces it to move back several times.