Print This Post Print This Post ,
Sep
28th

Inside Chess For Kids By Omri Dotan

When a child wants to learn the game of chess it is a rather important occasion because it’s not every child that wants to play this complex game and start learning chess. But once in a while you will run across a child who is absolutely mesmerized by the beauty and majesty of the 64 squares that have been the cornerstone of so many lives. It is a rare child who can appreciate this game of champions, and though at first they might just think it a game, later it might become a staple of their lives, so when your child wants to give this a try, you need to take it as seriously as possible while allowing them to have fun with it. Chess for kids is much different than chess for adults however.

Yes it can be a very competitive game, but that doesn’t mean that you should push your child to compete. At first they might just be wanting to have fun, so let them have their fun, but they’re going to need help at some point. For this reason you’ll need to know the basics of moving the pieces, even if you aren’t entirely familiar with the strategy. So let’s look at a few of the movements!

Pawn: This is the simplest piece in the whole game; it can only move one square per turn with the exception of the first move where it can move two squares. When seizing the pawn you can move diagonally to one square to do the seizures.

Knight: This is the piece that your kid may call a pony. It is allowed to move forward two squares and over one. Take note that is should always make that shape when moving, and it can seize while doing so.

Bishop: You have two of these pieces and they are each on different colors. They can move diagonally and can seize any piece in its line of movement, however just like all other pieces, it must stop once it has seized a piece.

Rook: This one moves along the vertical. Though it’s movement is somewhat restricted, it is common knowledge that loss of one rook if not in an even exchange can actually mean the end of the game.

Queen: This piece can be moved around in any direction you please. It can go diagonally, or even in the same way, a rook moves. Importantly, it cannot move in the same way that a knight moves though.

King: While it can only move one space at a time, it is the most important piece in the entire game. If the king is captured the game ends immediately.

Note that the king does not need to be captured in order to end the game, in fact the king should never be captured. Rather the goal is to force a king into a position where he would be captured no matter where he moved. This is the endgame objective, but remember that you do not want to force the king into a position where he cannot move simply because he would be captured if he moved, but the square he sits on is safe. This is known as a stalemate, and while some might consider it a victory, others turn their nose up at the thought of it.

When a pawn reaches the opposite side of the board, the player can replace that piece for any other piece they want. Some players believe that the piece can only be exchanged for one that has been captured previously, but that is untrue. The goal is not to recover a fallen comrade, it is to promote the man that made it to the other side of the battlefield.

In the end, when it comes to chess for beginners, you can get special chessboards that include large pieces as well as small pictures on how to move the pieces well that are printed on the pieces themselves. These are awesome for learning boards and any kid would be happy to use them. As they grow more confident, you can graduate them to a standard board.

Chess for kids is an exciting concept for both the child as well as the parent. If you are the parent of a child that wishes to become involved, make sure you encourage them but do not push. If they want to take the game further, then they will in time.

Visit Learning Chess Net For the Best Source for Chess For Kids

Popularity: 16% [?]

Print This Post Print This Post ,
Aug
31st

Chess Puzzles Can Help You and Children in Many Positive Ways – By Tom Gosselin

According to various studies conducted in different parts of the world, it has been seen that playing chess games and solving chess puzzles actually increases the person’s concentration, perception as well as self-discipline, and also helps a person to plan ahead and do many more good things. They are good for the development of kids who can then combine development of their thought processes with better enjoyment that they experience by solving puzzles.

Increases Kids’ I.Q.

Kids are prime candidates for solving chess puzzles as it seems to increase their intelligence quotient, and also help kids in becoming more adept at solving problems as well as helps them to make difficult as well as abstract decisions without depending on their parents. They have shown to be instrumental in teaching children how to think in a more logical way as well as to think efficiently.

In the process of solving puzzles, they will learn the advanced techniques and they will also be encouraged to read, which is a most desirable attribute for children to develop and have.

With the help of chess puzzles, children will also be able to develop their game skills through practice as well as experience. There are online chess puzzles as well that kids can use, which provides them with the fastest method as well as the most enjoyable one to further their chess skills. Playing against a computer is also possible using different software packages.

It really does not matter what the level of skill of the player is, as chess puzzles can help beginners as well as advanced level players. Even parents are realizing the benefit of giving their children chess puzzles so that they help to advance their knowledge about the game as also develop latent skills. Each piece on the chess board has a value, and kids must learn which have more value and thus will help them win, and which are of lesser value and not so important to winning.

Chess puzzles are also wonderful for the betterment of brain functions and trying out things like checkmate in four moves puzzles will require that the player solve the problem in quick time. Solving such puzzles will also help in real life games as you will learn to become a problem solver, and in the process be able to come up with more solutions.

There are many chess puzzles and they address different levels of competence having something for beginners, intermediate as well as advanced players. All you need to do is to try one level, and having mastered it, progress on to the next level.

Where did chess come from? What materials make a good chess set? How do you become a better chess player? Can chess really improve my health and well being? What does it mean to have a chess set in my home or office? Find out the answers to these questions and more at http://www.unique-chess-sets.com where chess is more than just a game.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Gosselin

Popularity: 18% [?]

Print This Post Print This Post ,
Jul
23rd

All You Need to Know About Virtual Chess and Checkers – By Faraz Khan

Without a doubt, strategy games are way better than any other kinds of games such as action games or first person shooter games. The reason I love strategy games so much is that they, aside from providing good entertainment also improves ones intellectual abilities. Strategy games improve the players decision making capabilities. Download able games and free online strategy games are rapidly gaining popularity nowadays due to the entertainment they provide and also due to the fact that they can be so easily downloaded and played.

Strategy games are widely played as board games and as virtual games. The virtual games are slowly gaining popularity over the board games due to the benefits they provide. To play a board game you need another opponent to play the game with you, with an opponent you will not be able to enjoy the game, also in strategy games it is very difficult to find an opponent that is of your intellectual level. The opponent will either be too easy or too difficult to play with. All these problems are solved in virtual games, if they are free online strategy games or download able games, in such games the slot of the opponent is filled in by the computer, what’s better is that you can even choose the level of difficulty for your opponent. If you are a beginner at that game then an easy level will suit you or if you are experienced at the game you are playing and are looking for a challenge then you should choose a harder difficulty.

All strategy games are enjoyable to play but the kings of strategy games are chess and checkers. These games have been around for as long as I can remember and we have been playing them as board games. But thanks to today’s computer world both of these games can be downloaded and played for free. Chess and checkers have been created in stunning 3-D graphics. The level of difficulty can be chosen by the player and it does not matter if you are a complete beginner at the game as most of the games today also teach you how to play while you play the game, explain every move and also tell you why this move was better than the other moves available to us. So in other words we get a virtual tutor who is ever patient and friendly.

Checkers is much simpler than chess, there are only 2 colors on the board one player chooses one color while his opponent chooses the other. Victory is achieved by clearing the board of the other players pieces. Chess on the other hand is much more complicated and therefore more fun to play. In chess each player controls 16 pieces; one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponents king.

People who have not yet played chess and would like to learn it should download a game today, since I already mentioned how games also help the players learn the game while they play it. Playing with the computer is also ideal for those who want to improve their game because playing with harder difficulty will really improve your game and once you can beat the computer at high difficulty levels no human player will be able to defeat you in that game.

You can download both of these games from my site of free strategy games and also find other free online strategy games to play.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Print This Post Print This Post ,
Jan
13th

Chess – The Thinker’s Game

By Barry Newton

Check Mate is every chess players favourite phrase if you are the one saying it . It is the end result of pure concentration, focus and strategy on what is the best game in the world. Why do you think it is still taught in schools and why do you think there are so many chess clubs? Computer games have soared in the last 10 years but you never hear of a Star Wars or Matrix club which play against each other. Teachers don’t teach you to play computer games at school, or maybe they do but I am too old to have heard about it. Chess however, is a different matter. Why chess? Because once you learn to play chess and how a chess strategy works it teaches you how to think in life.

It is a game of two minds. Yours against your opponent’s. There is no luck involved. If you make a mistake then it is your fault. You have not thought your chess strategy all the way through and this is the whole point of chess. Whoever thinks the deepest; whoever can take their chess strategy through to the highest level wins the game.

This is something which children and adults alike should aspire to. Thinking a problem out logically. Leaving no stone unturned. I learned to play chess some 40 years ago and the problem solving techniques I have used in chess have never left me. I recently had an interview and was told later by the interviewer I had blown the other candidates out the water with my presentation. Before the interview I covered every possible question the interviewer could ask and was ready with my well rehearsed answers. Moreover, I had created flow charts to show how I would improve the way the department was run. I produced graphs at every turn to back up my plans. I waited to near the end of the interview the came out with all guns blazing with “and here is my idea to save money in the department.” Come on admit it, you would have employed me wouldn’t you? All this from playing chess and learning chess strategy and tactics.

If I was to teach a new player how to play chess I would introduce him to Paul Morphy. If he or she was not inspired by this genius of the chess world then nothing would. Morphy was studying to be a lawyer and played chess in his spare time. He took the world of chess by storm. His chess tactics were second to none at the time. Although he died many moons ago his legacy lives on and every good chess book will examine the chess strategies of Paul Morphy.

That said, you do not have to be a genius to play chess. Remember it is a game, but the more you play the better your grasp of chess strategies will become. Automatically the way you think about problems, during the course of your life, will change. When I play chess I can anticipate the next 3 to 4 moves my opponent is going to make, sometimes more. I use this tactic a lot during my work and during leisure.

I love to tell stories to my colleagues during a boring spell at work and one of the ones I use needs a certain response from at least one of the listeners.

It goes like this: I was woken up at 4 in the morning when I heard a noise in my garden. I got up and looked out and to my astonishment there was a man with a screwdriver removing my gate from the garden. I watched this for half an hour and saw him put the gate in his van and drive off. I the wait for the reaction. There is always a silence but you cannot speak, just wait. “Did you not do anything” someone will ask. ” Did you not shout at him”…no I reply. I was scared in case he took a fence (offence). Alright I know it is corny but the point is it works because it has been thought out to the nth degree. Somewhere in the world of chess there is a chess strategy or strategies which will mimic this. A chess strategy or trap which will need patience and nerve to hold out until your opponent makes that fatal move.

Even if you have learned all the best principles of playing a good chess game and you have used a strong chess strategy you may find you are still getting beat. This is most likely because you have not learned yet to think outside the box. Once you can do this your opponent will never know what you are planning and you will start to win even more games. When I was at school I noticed my dinner school ticket was peeling apart . I had an idea. The next day at dinner school I showed only the back of the dinner ticket. It was accepted. I proceeded to peel the two halves apart and then glued each half to a thin piece of card. I sold the front part to a friend for half the price of the dinner ticket and we both got our school dinners half price and we kept half the money. Highly unethical I know but hey I was a schoolboy. Once you can think outside the box at chess you can think outside the box in real life.

Get you kids to start playing chess. It is the best game in the world and one of your proudest moments will be when he or she finally outhinks you on the chess board and screams “Check mate”.

http://www.chessstrategy.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barry_Newton

Popularity: 16% [?]

Print This Post Print This Post ,
Jul
9th

Chess Games for Kids

By Eddie Tobey Platinum Quality Author

Studies carried out in different countries have clearly shown that chess games build up concentration, perception, self-discipline, planning and much more. In other words, chess games for kids combine developmental thinking and enjoyment.

Kids’ chess games undoubtedly raise the intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of kids. They strengthen problem solving skills and the ability to make difficult and abstract decisions independently. Chess puzzles teach children to think logically and efficiently. As they learn advanced techniques from chess books and tutorials, children also pick up the good habit of reading.

Chess games are won or lost due to a tactics mistake. Identifying frequently-occurring tactical ideas is very important to success. Online chess games, chess instructive books, chess puzzles, etc, help kids practice and learn the game. An online chess game is one of the fastest and most enjoyable ways to improve at chess. It provides interactive chess lessons, quizzes, games and puzzles for kids. The kids can play chess against the computer with a variety of chess software packages.

Kids of all levels, from beginners to advanced tournament players, can find many instructive books in the market. In a simple, easy-to-understand format, these books explain different topics such as how to play, basic strategies and advanced tactics. Players can select from these sections according to their needs. For beginners, the first two sections are helpful to understand basic concepts, such as how to utilize a fork, pin, or skewer. The advanced tactics section gives additional information on opening, middle game planning, endgame strategies, piece activity, pawn structure and weak squares.

Many parents are beginning to learn that chess helps to develop the latent skills in children. Every piece on the chess board has a value and some have greater value than others. Losing stronger pieces for lesser ones may cost a player the game. Thus chess brings into focus ideas of mathematics for kids. Chess games for kids thus boost reading, memory, language and mathematical skills.

Chess Game provides detailed information on Chess Game, Free Chess Game, Online Chess Games, Free Chess Game Downloads and more. Chess Game is affiliated with Glass Chess Sets.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Tobey

Popularity: 12% [?]

Print This Post Print This Post ,
Jun
12th

What Kids Learn From Chess?

The 8 reasons why you must teach your kids chess!

1. Focus – Children are taught the benefits of observing carefully and concentrating If they don’t watch what is happening they can’t respond to it no matter how smart they are.

2. Visualise - Children are prompted to image a sequence of actions before it happens. Chess actually strengthen the ability to visualise by training them to shift the pieces in their mind, first one. then several moves ahead.

3. Think ahead – Children are caught to think first, then act. Chess teach them to ask themselves “If I do this then what might happen next, and how can I respond?” Over time, chess develops oatietice and thoughtfulness.

4. Weigh options – Children are taught that they don’t have to do the first thing that pops into their mine. They iearn to identify alternatives and consider the pros and cons of various actions

5. Analyse concretely - Children learn to evaluate the results of specific actions and consequences Does this sequence help or hurt me? Decisions are better ,when guided by logic, rather than impulse

6. Think abstractly - Children are taught to step back periodically from details and consider the bigger picture. They also learn to take patterns used in one context and apply then to different but related

7 .Plan – Children are taught to develop longer range goals and to take steps bringing them about. They are also taught to re-evaluate their plans as new development change tne situation

8. Juggle multiple considerations simultaneously - Children are taught not to become overly absorbed in any one consideration, but to try and weigh vanous factors at once

The skills are not unique to chess, but are all part of the game The beauty of chess as a teaching tool is that it simulates children’s minds and helps them to build these skills while enjoying themselves. It can provide an intellectually stimulating, rewarding activity, but it can also teach discipline, planning and all the other values that go into successful chess As a result, children become more critical thinkers, better problem solvers, and more independent decision makers”.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Print This Post Print This Post ,
Dec
8th

Chess Rules for Kids and Beginners

By Eriani Doyel Platinum Quality Author

If you or your kids want to learn chess rules so that you can start to play one of the greatest games ever invented, you may be intimidated if you try to read a book or manual of instructions. There are many so many different strategies in chess that you may be overwhelmed. Really all you need to know to get started are the chess rules basics. Once you learn how to set up the board, how to move the pieces and what the object of the game is, you can start to play. Here are some chess rules to get you started:

1. The chess board: The board has 8 rows of 8 squares which alternate between black and white (or light and dark) colored squares. To begin according to chess rules, the pieces are in two rows right in front of each player on opposite sides of the board.

2. The pieces: pieces are called “white” or “black” because of traditional chess rules, but they can be any color. Each player has 8 pawns, 2 rooks (castles), 2 knights (horses), 2 bishops, 1 queen and 1 king. The pawns are in the front row and the rooks, knights, bishops, and the king and queen are on the back row.

3. How the pieces move in chess rules: Pawns: They can move straight forward two squares for their first move and forward one square every time after that. If they are going to “capture” the other player’s piece they can move forward diagonally one square to the left or right.

Rooks: They can move straight forward, backwards or sideways, but they cannot jump over a piece.

Knights: One of the trickier chess rules is how the knights move. They can move two spaces forward and one space to the left or right-kind of like an L.

Bishops: The bishops can move diagonally across the board but they cannot jump pieces.

Queen: The queen can move forward, backwards, or side to side, but she cannot jump any pieces.

King: The king can move one space in any direction: forward, backwards, side to side or diagonally.

The object of the game is to protect your own king and to capture the other player’s king. You will also want to capture as many of the other player’s pieces as possible. Once you learn and understand the basic rules, you can learn the harder strategies and rules.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Home and Family and Hobbies. If you would like more information about chess rules visit http://www.romchess.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eriani_Doyel

Popularity: 4% [?]

Launched November 2006