Teaching an Opening at a Chess Camp

I'm hosting a week-long chess camp for 9-13 year olds. Much of the time will be working on tactics, end game, and strategic elements, but I do want them to have a "go-to" opening that they can build from.

Last year I did an "openings sampler" approach and it didn't work. They loved learning the names of the openings, but their opening play was still poor. Worse, they did decently on the tactics exercises but couldn't spot tactical opportunities in their own games.

So I think I'm in "Traps and Zaps" territory, where I'll teach one or two openings, and emphasize the tactics that tend to pop up in those openings (like Pandolfini does in his traps and zaps books).

But which openings?

I'm considering the Caro-Kann, because playing 1...c6 isn't a terrible idea no matter what white does. Lot's of young players start with the CK for this very reason.

I'm also considering teaching 1...e6 and then moving to a French or Dutch depending on what white does. 

What do you think?

What openings do you play? Those are the openings that you'll find easiest to teach, the ones that you yourself somewhat understand. They'll feed off of your enthusiasm for the opening too. You'll be able to back up what you're teaching them with the fact that you yourself play what you're teaching. They'll love that.

Also, to be quite frank, if I was at your level, I wouldn't feel comfortable tecahing anything that I didn't play regularly to any level of beginner. The last thing you want to do is teach them things that are wrong.

Thanks for the suggestion, ChessOath.

I should mention that my OTB rating is significantly higher than my rating is on this account. My OTB rating has been north of 1700 for several years now.

Start with Opening Principles:

1. Control the center.

2. Develop minor pieces toward the center.

3. Castle.

4. Connect your rooks.

This way when you decide on what openings to tech them, they will have an idea "why" each move is made.

one opening that is Easy to explain , fits the good advice above, is the Scotch.

I recall their being some trap lines too....

I certainly do start with the opening principles. The "why" is certainly key.

I've just had trouble helping them see the "why" in their own games and Pandolfini's approach seems to address this problem.

Show them a couple of games where a player gets demolished with his pieces inactive at the back rank, while always behind in tempo because of his bad opening. While the other player develops and attacks ruthlessly.

Maybe one of Murphy's games, tell them also that he was a child prodigy, they will probably want to be cool like that. (Don't tell them that he later became a hobbit weirdo that talked to himself and followed ladies in the streets)

Ha!

A sample game or two is a decent idea. Morphy certainly was on the winning side of such games (although he did become weird...what is it about chess players?)

*mutters to self and swats non-existent fly*

Teaching a opening to most starting out at chess (or beginners) depends on how much time you have with them and if it's one and one or with a group (and the size of the group). 

But I agree others when they say, teach the opening principles and use examples. 

Here is one. 

1. Play in the centre 

Then I would explain that all openings have to do with central play.

You have shown the kids why central play is important and how negleting the centre can be tragic. After this play a game with them your self and when they neglect the centre, ask them 'How is that playing with the centre' and point out a move that does play in the centre.

I don't agree with teaching kids opening traps and zaps, cause I would rather have the kids learn classical tactics, forks, skewers, pins, and then develop a fun tactical thinking technique they can use. (how they should analyse the position tactically)

Also explain to them how development works and show them examples of it being punished, and then again in their real game. When they move a piece twice, ask them 'Why aren't you developing the rest of your pieces.

If you want a easy opening to still teach the kids. I would suggest teaching them the KIA. It's one of white's openings' that have the least lines to actually study.

As for black you can either teach some reverse KIA lines. Or the 1.e4 d5 is a opening that seems strange to teach kids, cause you are explaining that you want to develop in the opening, but there is still a way to teach this opening. Explain that white isn't that ahead in development as black has his queen out and white has his knight out (I play the Qd6 lines)

Or even the french.

Opening:

Follow the Opening principles:

1.      Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5

2.      Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key

Ø  Complete your development before moving a piece twice or starting an attack.

Ø  Move pieces not pawns.

3.      Castle

4.      Connect your rooks

Ø    By move 12, you should have connected your Rooks, or be about to do so.

Middle game:

When you have completed the Opening Principles, you are now at the middle game.  Now you need to formulate a middle game plan.  The middle game is a very complicated part of a chess game.  A simple way to develop a middle game plan is to perform the following steps.

1.      Scan your opponents 5^th, and 6^th ranks (3^rd, and 4^th if your black)

2.      Look for weak pawns, and or weak squares.

Ø  Weak pawns and squares are Pawns, and squares that cannot be defended by another Pawn.

Ø  Knights are excellent pieces on weak squares.

Ø  When deciding on weak squares, and weak Pawns to attack, the closer to the center the better

End game:

Start with the basics:

1.      Learn basic mates – KQ vs. K, KR vs. K, KRR vs. K

2.      Learn Opposition, and Key Squares

3.      Learn basic King and Pawn endings

Young kids will love tactics, Show them some Morphy games.

and here are some openings that are very fun and will lead to some exciting games where tactical prowess is required. (and also some positional skill)

King's Gambit.

Italian game

If you know about the Scotch that would also be well liked. 

I would avoid nonsemetrical openings for the most part, except the Scandinavian

And when you show an opening show an example game or two from it. 

Also rules for the opening (will help kids out more than theory memorization.)

1. Develop towards the center as much as possible.

2. Do not needlessly give away material.

3. Never play f3/f6 (there are exceptions but they aren't relevent yet)

4. If possible occupy the center with pawns. 

5. Ensure your king is safe, castle

6. Generally speaking develop Knights before Bishops (there are exceptions)

7. Do not move a piece twice in the opening without good reason.

8. Do not start an attack without developing first. 

9. Bring out as many pieces as possible, Use all your army.

10. try to limit what your opponent's pieces can do.

Since you're on a camp, it might be two intents.

Ha!

Possibly helpful:

Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014).

http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html

Discovering Chess Openings by GM Johm Emms (2006).

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf

Starting Out: Open Games by GM Glenn Flear (2010)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626232452/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen134.pdf

Chess Openings for Kids by Graham Burgess & John Watson (2011)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627040230/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen146.pdf

Basic Chess Openings for Kids by Charles Hertan (2015)

https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/for-the-kids/

Teaching specific openings for kids from the black side is tough as white usually has plenty of options and the discussion can get bogged down with basically boring variation issues.

Usually easier is teaching the principles from the white side. I like to show easy to play openings like the Colle and KIA. The first 7 or so moves are fairly standard and the strategic ideas generally straight forward. For the Colle I usually use a game by Yusupov and for the KIA a game by Fischer.

If I remember correctly, the book introduces many familiar openings and finishes by suggesting the KIA and related stuff.

I once had a book by Chernev - the best 1000 miniatures in chess. 

It is the same idea as "catastrophe in the opening" - with witty remarks by the author. 

I read this book in 2010 - not all of it, but I studied the first 150 examples, and then probably another hundred without specific order. 

One thing it did to me, it sharpened considerably my sense of when someone goes wrong in the opening, and how severely and how quickly they can be punished.

I became very sharp in punishing bad opening play and started to play many brilliant miniatures against players of all levels (below 2300) as a direct result of having studied this book. 

Probably more than learning specific opening variations, it's good to develop a sense for what is right and what is wrong in opening play. Studying these miniatures where things obviously went wrong for something, goes far in developing this sense.