Hello everyone!
Chess is more fun with friends! 
So I decided to open new topic for making friends!
Topic Link: https://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/get-new-friends-here
To make new friends, you need to do:
Write something here and please dont be shy.
Send a request to people you want to be friends with.
And have fun together!
Maybe a teamwork approach? playing together against the computer at a low level, and letting the kids suggest the moves while asking a lot of questions like, "what do you think if..." "how should we protect the" "what will we gain out of" ...
I'm a kid and into chess, I think the best way is to put them into tourneys with trophies. They then want to win a trophy.
I just read some ideas on this, i will try and replicate them here (not my ideas and not sure where I read them):
1. Start with just the pawns, first ine to get a pawn to the eighth rank wins. Then add the K (with all the rules about check, etc.), then add the Knights then Bishops, etc.
2. Use both Knights on each side, first one to capture one of the opposing Knights wins. Then add random Pawns that cannot move and cannot be captured. Then let them capture with the Pawns, then let them move and capture with the pawns.
3. Try the same type of thing with the Bishops.
4. Put a Knight on a1 (white) and h8 (black), first one to the other sides starting square wins.
Games like that may help keep their interest as they learn the rules and liece movement.
This is all good advice. I've been teaching chess at an elementary school for about 6 years. this is some of the basic moves we teach. Knights are the most difficult to teach, for obvious reasons. Also concepts like En passant are a little advanced. You don't need to teach that for several weeks of lessons. Once they start understanding the basic moves, teach them nuance like forking with knights (expect a few giggles) and freezing pieces. Introducing puzzles is a good way to keep them interested. Don't spend more time than will hold their interest at any one session.
Oh, my son is on a star system (1 star = 10 minutes of screen time, e.g. TV, computer, chess.com live chess, tablet, phone, etc.). On a good day, he can earn 3-5 stars. Chess games with me can earn him stars: 3 loss = 1 star, draw = 1 star, win = 2 stars. So, resigning early doesn't count towards a loss. Each time he wanted to but didn't resign and ends up winning, I point it out to him.
...
But all of the above was in the past. Now, after nearly 6 months since I started teaching him, he's now able to beat me fairly easily (he's got a higher chess.com elo score than me). I've reached my teaching limits, so we now just enjoy the chess game as equals (he still earns stars, but we adjusted it to 3 losses = 0 star; draw = 0 star; win = 1 star).
Interesting to read my old post. My son is still playing chess (and still likes it). His chess.com ELO and tactics are still higher than mine (but my USCF rating is higher than his : )
Just an update, the star system is still in effect. Online he gets 0 for loss or draw; 3 for win against higher-rated opponents. OTB with KSG (ok, it's based on the Know Fast Guy, but Known Strong Guy, oh, man, that sounds corny) 10 for loss, 20 for draw, and 30 for win.
Each star is only worth 1 minute of screen time these days or he can trade it into $1 cash.
Oh, recently my son asked to be taken to fish with me. I mainly do freshwater lake fishing so the pace is slow and calm; and we bring a chess set because otherwise he can't seem to stay for more than an hour. So, if your kid is into fishing... it may be an option.
I started playing chess when I was 7
Oh, recently my son asked to be taken to fish with me. I mainly do freshwater lake fishing so the pace is slow and calm; and we bring a chess set because otherwise he can't seem to stay for more than an hour. So, if your kid is into fishing... it may be an option.
what is the chess.com profile of your son? have you not considered joining an otb chess tournament with your son? win or lose it is a great learning experience.
Oh, recently my son asked to be taken to fish with me. I mainly do freshwater lake fishing so the pace is slow and calm; and we bring a chess set because otherwise he can't seem to stay for more than an hour. So, if your kid is into fishing... it may be an option.
what is the chess.com profile of your son? have you not considered joining an otb chess tournament with your son? win or lose it is a great learning experience.
We don't normally go to OTB tournaments together because his tournaments are mostly scholastic ones which limit the participants to 12th grade and under. But for the ones we do go together, it was pretty fun.
When I taught my son (6), I purposely move my pieces to setup forks, skewers, and pins for him to find during the game. After a while (10-20games), I became really good at that (and can move pieces into such situations without too much effort).
I also let him remove 3 pieces from my army. Then 2, then 1, and finally none. The progression here is actually very fast (I think within 30 games, I stopped this offering because he's gotten strong enough I just can't beat him anymore without a queen).
I also give him a number of undo moves (he can only undo a turn). We started with 3 undos per game, then decrease it.
At first, I also let him change sides once during the game. This didn't last long esp. after I taught him resignation. However, he usually resigns too early, so I changed it where if he resigns too early, then he gets no credit for the game.
Oh, my son is on a star system (1 star = 10 minutes of screen time, e.g. TV, computer, chess.com live chess, tablet, phone, etc.). On a good day, he can earn 3-5 stars. Chess games with me can earn him stars: 3 loss = 1 star, draw = 1 star, win = 2 stars. So, resigning early doesn't count towards a loss. Each time he wanted to but didn't resign and ends up winning, I point it out to him.
Another thing we have is the game call Majestic Chess. It has an adventure mode which is like chess video game. This game is great because he has to use stars to play and it teaches him chess. When he passes each chapter, he gets rewards with a large number of stars. he's now on the last chapter (8) and if he passes that he'll get 30 stars (which actually less than what I think he'll need to invest to pass). He caught on pretty fast after the first few chapters and told me that he'll end up negative in stars; which I remind him any free stars just makes Majesty Chess screen cheaper. Oh, kids these days.
But all of the above was in the past. Now, after nearly 6 months since I started teaching him, he's now able to beat me fairly easily (he's got a higher chess.com elo score than me). I've reached my teaching limits, so we now just enjoy the chess game as equals (he still earns stars, but we adjusted it to 3 losses = 0 star; draw = 0 star; win = 1 star).
Why did you do those? I would never taught any kid like that. A queen odds is good start. If the kid start winning, rook odds. I guess parents can teach any manner he chooses.
Oh, recently my son asked to be taken to fish with me. I mainly do freshwater lake fishing so the pace is slow and calm; and we bring a chess set because otherwise he can't seem to stay for more than an hour. So, if your kid is into fishing... it may be an option.
what is the chess.com profile of your son? have you not considered joining an otb chess tournament with your son? win or lose it is a great learning experience.
We don't normally go to OTB tournaments together because his tournaments are mostly scholastic ones which limit the participants to 12th grade and under. But for the ones we do go together, it was pretty fun.
does your son solve chess tactics puzzles?
Oh, recently my son asked to be taken to fish with me. I mainly do freshwater lake fishing so the pace is slow and calm; and we bring a chess set because otherwise he can't seem to stay for more than an hour. So, if your kid is into fishing... it may be an option.
what is the chess.com profile of your son? have you not considered joining an otb chess tournament with your son? win or lose it is a great learning experience.
We don't normally go to OTB tournaments together because his tournaments are mostly scholastic ones which limit the participants to 12th grade and under. But for the ones we do go together, it was pretty fun.
does your son solve chess tactics puzzles?
Yes, I think his chess.com tactics score is around 1600.
Why did you do those? I would never taught any kid like that. A queen odds is good start. If the kid start winning, rook odds. I guess parents can teach any manner he chooses.
You mean purposely setup pins and forks for him? It was to teach him those concepts since at the time he was 6 yrs olds and didn't really understand them until he's had chances to practice it on the board.
In terms of removing pieces, at first I let him remove any 3 pieces, and it'd always be queen and 2 rooks.
I've found that adults can learn chess pretty well from reading while 5-6yr olds learn mostly by doing. So, although my son and I learned chess together, I was able to beat him easily in the beginning and can teach him on the board.
@mgx9600 Chess may be too complex for 6 year olds. Simpler games like checkers and reversi would be nice introduction to board games. 7 is probably old enough for chess. I learned chess at 9.
Really? Kids are that smart nowadays? What else is your son excellent at @swaaaaaavybaby?
Not every 6 year old can play chess well. Many struggles in tic tac toe. Because your child can play chess well doesn't mean "Child learns chess easily". He may have that natural chess talent.
Environment is a factor. Chess is probably a common activity in your child's environment. I never saw a chessboard until 9.
@mgx9600 Chess may be too complex for 6 year olds. Simpler games like checkers and reversi would be nice introduction to board games. 7 is probably old enough for chess. I learned chess at 9.
At scholastic chess tournaments (which is kids tournaments in the US), the 5 yr old group is not small. You can see for yourself on the USCF web site; just search for age/grade level tournaments and check out their ratings (which isn't bad at all). This proves that chess isn't to complex for young kids.
IMHO, the key is how chess is taught. Kids that young just don't understand complex concepts like pins and forks by reading; they must be taught OTB.
BTW, 7 and 8 yr olds generally form the biggest age groups at scholastic tournaments. Why? because they are able to sit still for 30 minutes (a big plus in chess) and win a few games (trophies are a big motivator). Then the number shrinks at 9 and more at 10, finally, you get just a few at 12+. Why? Sports. Even at 8, my son's chess time is cut a lot now that he's on sports teams (team practice time is way more commitment than chess; and as he gets less time for chess, he stops improving as fast as the more dedicated chess kids, which eventually likely means he'll stop playing tournaments).
I started learning chess wen I was nine..
Learnt from my friends..