How to Teach Children Chess
Explain the chess board., Begin teaching the pieces., Continue explaining the pieces., Place all the pieces on the board.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Explain the chess board.
A chess board has 8 rows and 8 columns.
There are 64 squares total.
Half of the squares are a light color and half of the squares are a dark color.If you do not have a chess board, you can draw one on a dry erase board or chalk board.
If you are teaching in a classroom, it may help to number the horizontal squares from 1 to 8, and letter the vertical squares from “a” to “h.” You can then use a coordinate system while you are teaching. -
Step 2: Begin teaching the pieces.
Explain the pawns, knights, rooks, bishops, king, and queen.
Note the differences in how each piece looks.
Place the pieces on the board so the child can see the proper position.The knight usually looks like a horse.
The bishop looks like a hat.
The king is the most important piece because the object of the game is to capture the opponent’s king.
Point out the difference in the shape of the queen and king pieces Rooks are also called castles. , Go through each piece and explain how each piece moves on the board.
Make sure the child understands a piece before you move on to the next.
A pawn can move two spaces from its starting position, but only one space after that.
A pawn can only capture a piece when it moves diagonally and can never move backwards.
A knight is the only piece that can jump over another piece.
It moves in an “L” shape.
It can move 2 spaces horizontally and then one space vertically, or it can move 2 spaces vertically and then one space horizontally.
The bishop can move diagonally and any number of squares.
Rooks can move any number of squares forwards, backwards, or horizontally.
The rook cannot move diagonally.
The queen can move in any direction and any number of squares.
It is one of the most powerful pieces.
The king can move one space in any direction, but two kings can never be side by side. , Set up a chess board with all of the pieces.
Your child should be able to identify each piece by name.
Once they have the names down, begin to focus on the movement each piece makes.
If you are using the coordinates method, this is how the chess board should be set up:
Each player gets 8 pawns that lie on the 2nd and 7th rows Rooks/castles are in column A and H of rows 1 and
8.
The queen is on column D of rows 8 and
1.
The bishop is on column C and F of rows 8 and
1.
The knights are on column B and G of rows 8 and
1.
The king is in column E of rows 8 and
1. -
Step 3: Continue explaining the pieces.
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Step 4: Place all the pieces on the board.
Detailed Guide
A chess board has 8 rows and 8 columns.
There are 64 squares total.
Half of the squares are a light color and half of the squares are a dark color.If you do not have a chess board, you can draw one on a dry erase board or chalk board.
If you are teaching in a classroom, it may help to number the horizontal squares from 1 to 8, and letter the vertical squares from “a” to “h.” You can then use a coordinate system while you are teaching.
Explain the pawns, knights, rooks, bishops, king, and queen.
Note the differences in how each piece looks.
Place the pieces on the board so the child can see the proper position.The knight usually looks like a horse.
The bishop looks like a hat.
The king is the most important piece because the object of the game is to capture the opponent’s king.
Point out the difference in the shape of the queen and king pieces Rooks are also called castles. , Go through each piece and explain how each piece moves on the board.
Make sure the child understands a piece before you move on to the next.
A pawn can move two spaces from its starting position, but only one space after that.
A pawn can only capture a piece when it moves diagonally and can never move backwards.
A knight is the only piece that can jump over another piece.
It moves in an “L” shape.
It can move 2 spaces horizontally and then one space vertically, or it can move 2 spaces vertically and then one space horizontally.
The bishop can move diagonally and any number of squares.
Rooks can move any number of squares forwards, backwards, or horizontally.
The rook cannot move diagonally.
The queen can move in any direction and any number of squares.
It is one of the most powerful pieces.
The king can move one space in any direction, but two kings can never be side by side. , Set up a chess board with all of the pieces.
Your child should be able to identify each piece by name.
Once they have the names down, begin to focus on the movement each piece makes.
If you are using the coordinates method, this is how the chess board should be set up:
Each player gets 8 pawns that lie on the 2nd and 7th rows Rooks/castles are in column A and H of rows 1 and
8.
The queen is on column D of rows 8 and
1.
The bishop is on column C and F of rows 8 and
1.
The knights are on column B and G of rows 8 and
1.
The king is in column E of rows 8 and
1.
About the Author
Brittany Ruiz
Brings years of experience writing about home improvement and related subjects.
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