Want to Improve Your Chess?
The best way to improve is to play regularly! Tournament chess is a very effective way to improve because you play against people with ideas new to you. Writing down your moves is also a great help to improving as you can go over (analyse) each game afterwards. If you can’t yet write your moves down it’s a good idea to learn!
Children can learn the basics of chess setup as early as two or three years old. Teaching your child how to begin playing this tactical game will enhance early learning abilities and give them a boost in analytical skill. Setting up a chess board is not difficult and a child can easily learn to memorize the basic ideas.
Board Setup
The board is positioned with a white square on each corner on this far right. Try and remember to teach your child "light on right". The rooks are placed on the two corner squares to the left and right on the outside. The knights will be placed next and are on the squares beside the rooks on either side. Next, place the two bishops and in the center will be the queen and king pieces. The queen will always be on her own color. In other words, the white queen will be on the white square and the black queen will be on the black or dark square. This completes the entire back row. On the next row, directly in front of the major pieces you will place the pawns.
Here are some great games and ideas to creatively teach your children how to get ready to play this fun game and remember how-to-setup the board:
Hide the Piece
Start by setting up the chess board as instructed above. Take away one, two or three pieces at a time (depending on the age of your child) and have them figure out where to place them. They will be quick to figure out the pattern once they begin to see it from each side.
Once they have that part figured out, take away one whole side, either white or black and see if they are able to duplicate the rows. Don't forget to remind them about "queen on her own color".
Chess Crafts
Look online or at your local craft store. There are many unfinished playing pieces and boards available. Have your child sit down and paint each piece, giving them life and a unique and special place in your home. Your child will treasure this as his or her first chess set and will learn much faster with their own created chess sets.
There are many printouts online of chess boards with the pieces already on. If your child is young, print these coloring activities out for them and have them color the pieces. Start by quizzing them such as, "color only the bishops red" or "color the pawns pink and purple."
Come up with a Rhyme
If you are clever you can make up your own sing-song or rhyme to learn the chess set up. This will be fun and your children won't suspect you are trying to teach them the most strategic game in history.