I loved that he got a kick out of finding out that there was a name for "his" opening!  I remember being that age myself, and all the great discoveries like that.

All I can say is...Have him lose. Make him want to play somebody who doesn't look very good but is actually high rated player.

you should get him to use fianchetto. it works for me and i very rarely lose with it. you have to use it when playing white. theres one probelm with it though, and its black's white squared bishop

This weekend has been good for us.  I posted this topic with concerns and he turned around and is showing a desire to get better.  Anthony-I would like the info on the club in DC.  It's a little far to drive (I live a mile from the DE/MD/PA line) but I would like to come to a tourny down there some time.  Or make a day trip out of it looking at the sites and then chess in the evening.  We will see.

A couple of you wanted me to post one of his games.  I must confess ignorance in not knowing how to do that.  It was a major event when I figured out I could actually play chess online.  Are there directions telling a person how to post a chess game?

Thanks.

Alex - I will try and get him to challenge you. 

Sound's like your son's problem is that he has no good opposition - enter him in a few tournaments, etc. Don't bother to teach him - let him experiment, but maybe 'suggest' a few things if he finds the going tough against strong opposition.

A good White opening for aggressive players may be the Scotch gambit (look it up).

Oh, and find a good 'pawnsnatching' kind of player to enable your son to know the value of pawns.

Since your child is part of a Chess team why not be supportive of his growth as a player through his team.

He can open with King's Gambit when he plays white. He probably don't want to learn, young children don't like that  But he shouldn't get bored by chess, it should be just fun for him.

Most chessbase videos, as well as costing money, would be far far too advanced.

I've heard good things about www.chessvideos.tv: they have hundreds of free videos including many aimed at beginner level.

Thanks for all the posts.  Theempiremaker - I do support his team.  It's like others have said, he has no opposition.  He has NEVER lost in his club.  Now of the most kids are terrible but learning.  He actually helps them out.  He is NOT a prodigy but just better than anyone in his club. 

I will check out chessvideo.tv.  As to openings....his natural opening is the Giuoco Piano (sp?) or the Ruy Lopez.  He has been studying those openings so I figure I will not push anything else on him.  He now wants to learn the Sicilian Dragon as Black.  I think it's because it has the word "dragon" in it. LOL 

LOL, gamewarden, I learned the Dragon because it had the word dragon in it too :P that was like, three or four years ago? Anyways, these GMs write a column on chess openings on Wednesdays or Thursdays on Chess.com and they wrote articles on the Dragon and the Lopez.

Thanks atomic chicken.  I now know how to enter a game.  I will keep keep a log of one of our games and give it a try

If you need help with the dragon, this is the most popular line now.

If he's a big fish in a little pond then, as everyone has said, he needs to get out in the deep water. That's been said though, so the one thing I'll add is try to get him to play even endgames as often as possible and don't let him get caught up in the notion of finding a perfect opening.

I say that because some of what you've said reminds me of myself at a similar age. And what really hurt my game when i finally played stronger opposition was knowing how to finish without a spectacular mate or a huge material advantage.

Chess puzzles? He may find them fun. Find a book with good end-game puzzles,  maybe this would help with two things.  Valueing pawns and thinking about the endgame.

Perhaps you could point out some of the mid/end-game pawn skeletons,  and find one that he likes to attack from.  Maybe then he would be  interested in learning opening/defenses that would likely help him towards that kind of pawn structure.

Chessowns thanks for the board.  I have printed off some puzzles.  He goes through spurts of interest.  Last week he was hot this week only lukewarm AND we finally got some good warm weather (until today) so he has been outside all the time.  I like the endgame idea and playing with even material.  Like Frenzil said it will help when he plays better players.  He usually mates within 20. 

I found a local club now that welcomes kids.  I just have to figure out how to get him there since I work odd shifts.  He is excited about going to a club that has adults and good players.  I am careful not to push him.