What to teach first?

Hello everyone, 

I am starting a club and have most 11 months to teach about Chess. The students will be complete newbies to the game and so I am struggling with what to start with to teach them after piece movement and the rules that go along with the game and the 3 openings they will learn along with the middle and endgame. What things like tactics should I teach them? I have 4 months so I need 4 different topics to teach on to beginners. Any ideas?

I wouldn't suggest going straight to tactics. First, set up scenarios where they have to find the best move...not necessarily a tactic. Best move (aka how can I gain material? aka hanging pieces)

Then, I would start teaching them tactics that involve the king, such as pins, forks, and even checkmates.

Then, I would start teaching them positional advantages, skewers, smart checking, good pawn structure, bishop pairs, double stacked rooks/and queen (cannon) etc.

Then, teach them the finer details in the end game, such as smothered mates, basic mates, back rank mates, end game promotion, etc.

Basically, use the chess game as your guide. Start with openings, and opening game tactics...aka easy ways to get ahead. Then, to the middle game and the tactics involved there. Finally, do end game tactics.

Another way you can do it is to do it piece by piece. Tactis and movement with king, queen, rook, bishop, knight, pawn etc. but I don't think this is the best way since you want to show them how all the pieces interact together in a beautiful chess game. 

Yes...I definitely agree with timeless here

Topic 1:

How the pieces move - Opening Principles

a. Control the center

b. Develop minor pieces toward the center

c. King safety - Castling

d. Connect the Rooks - move the queen

Topic 2:

Basic mates

a. KQ vs. K

b. KRR vs. K

c. KR vs. K

Topic 3:

Simple tactics

a. Pins

b. Skewers

c. Forks

Topic 4:

Checkmate Patterns

back rank checkmate, epaulette, smother, fool's , scholar's mate , Boden's, Anastasia's, Dovetail's, Anderssen's, Pillsbury's, Reti's, sufocation mates

2nd's plan looks like the most logical.

Three of the modules should be

a) basic tactics (fork, pin, skewer, etc)

b) advanced tactics (discovered attack, overload, interference, etc)

c) model mates (corridor, smothered, broken fianchetto, lolli, greco, etc)

d) OTB intimidation and distraction tactics. (Excessive coughing, staring at your opponent, etc...)

Thanks guys, it was your effort that helped me, so I have everything arranged and nice tactic kleelof, I use deception on a regular basis

Whatever you do, make it fun for them or it's a waste of time.

And make sure they are hooked on chess!