Since the Denton HIgh School students attending this week had not completed Task B from last week, they did so today. Task B: Black pawn on the second rank (vary the file), black king on first rank (in front of black pawn); White K on g5, White Q on g8. White to move and draw or win, depending on what file the black pawn is on.
January 30, 2013
Queen Day for Beginners (20 minutes)
Explained the Wolf and Sheep Game from Read, Write, Checkmate: Enrich Literacy with Chess Activities. Black queen on d8, White pawns on original squares, White to move. If the pawn promotes (even if captured immediately after) the pawns win. If you are the wolf, you can say "yum" and rub your tummy when you take a pawn. If you are the sheep, remember to say “baah” if your pawn promotes!
Today Dr. Alexey Root showed a notated game played last week between two Denton High School students. Dr. Root stopped the game at various points so that chess club members, following along on their own boards, could figure out the best move or best plan.
Dr. Root had the following on the dry erase board today for Denton High School chess club students.
Notate your answers for 1-3 and play out Task A and/or Task B.
January 23, 2013
Scholar’s Mate for Beginners and Intermediates (two separate classes; 20 minutes for the Beginners and 35 minutes for Intermediates)
Dr. Alexey Root reviewed what happens when the defending king can occupy the promotion square. That is, she reviewed last week’s lesson of king and pawn versus king draw and the Philidor’s rook ending. This week, students looked at what happens when the defender is driven away from the promotion square. Students tried white pawn e2, white king e4, black king d6, White to move.
I had a demonstration board and, nearby, one chess set for every two children for the “practice” parts of my lesson plan. The groups rotated to me (35 minutes each for Intermediate and Advanced and 20 minutes for Beginner) in the order of Intermediate, then Beginner, then Advanced. There was a parent volunteer in my classroom.
Today's topic at Denton HIgh School chess club was the King and Pawn vs. King draw and the Philidor's rook endgame. In each case, students tried the positions with partners then Dr. Root showed the correct patterns on the demonstration board. She also showed how the endgames are related to each other. This chess content is covered in People, Places, Checkmates: Teaching Social Studies with Chess. After learning these endgames, students had 15 minutes to play for fun.
Before I began teaching each group, I explained my expectation of their raising hands before they speak, in the lecture setting, to allow everyone a chance to think without the answers being given away. For the beginner group, I also stated that hands need to be in laps during lectures (rather than playing with chessmen).
Dr. Root showed a position from Fischer-Sherwin (U.S. Championship, 1957), which was reprinted in the December 2011 Chess Life on page 43. She explained (and demonstrated) definitions of double check and discovered check. Then students had a choice of whether to solve the Fischer-Sherwin position or four easier discovered checkmate and double checkmate puzzles from her forthcoming book Thinking with Chess: Teaching Children Ages 5-14.
The Coppell Gifted Association chess camp is December 26-28. Information is HERE and spaces are still available. Dr. Alexey Root will be teaching at the chess camp.
The camp is for ages 5-12.
Think Like A King donated chess software to Denton High School students training for SuperNationals V! Chess club today also featured a “white elephant” gift exchange, bughouse, and food.
