News & Updates
Wholesale Chess Labor Day Sale
Now through Sept 7, you can save a bundle on your program’s chess supplies by shopping the Wholesale Chess Labor Day Sale. So, what’s in it for you this time around? Try this on for size:
- Free Shipping on orders over $50
- $3.99 Shipping for orders $25-$50
- Free Media Mail Shipping for software/books orders $25-$50
- Free Gifts on orders over $25
- Membership Discounts of up to 5% off
If that’s not enough for you, we’ve marked down dozens of your favorite chess supplies including chess sets, chess pieces, and chess boards. Check out our Chess Supplies on Sale for all these great deals!
Part 2: Notation and Game Strategy
Written by guest author Erik Czerwin for Wholesale Chess.
Basic Endgames
Next, I teach basic endgames. This seems an abnormal place to begin, but it is critical to begin here. I begin with a three-move rook mate (king v king & rook) to demonstrate the concept of stealing space. Once students grasp that a checkmate is stealing an opponent’s space, they are then ready to begin studying the rest of the game. Of course, this is also the point when I demonstrate draws and stalemates.
Notation
Then I teach notation. This seems an odd point to teach notation, but this is the point when all moves have been learned, including the unusual ones like castling, en passant, check, and checkmate. This becomes a critical lesson, and I make sure that each student masters notation before moving on. Without records of their own games, students will never progress.
Basic Middlegames
At this point, I teach
Read more �
We love hearing from customers who enjoy the chess sets donated or purchased from Wholesale Chess. From time to time, we receive tweets, Facebook messages, blog comments, and emails sharing pictures and stories from our chess playing friends around the world.
Today, we’re excited to share some photos from the United States Airmen serving in the 755 Air Expeditionary Group in Afghanistan. We’d like to join our voice with those of our customers in expressing our heartfelt thanks and continued support to those men and women serving in the United States military throughout the world.
Many thanks to Colonel James Reed, 755 Air Expeditionary Group Commander in Bagram Afghanistan, for the photos.
Two Service Members using a Travel Chess Set
A Quick Game Over a Travel Chess Set
Part 1: Basic Concepts: Boards and Pieces
Written by guest author Erik Czerwin for Wholesale Chess.
There are a thousand, no a trillion, opinions on the best way to teach a beginning chess player. No one opinion is better than another because whatever system a coach uses, it has to work for him and for his team. After teaching pure beginners for a long time, I’ve got a system that works for me, and it all centers on a single idea: Teach the concepts, not the tricks.
Of course, it’s frustrating when the tricks defeat my players. It’s difficult for me to watch them crash and burn in 12 moves because I never taught them a certain opening trap. However, I’ve discovered a benefit to this method. Though my team loses many games and doesn’t win the most tournament points, my players Read more �
Save $22 on a Green Premier Tournament Chess Bag
This super-sized bag holds everything you need for your chess tournament: up to 22 inch board and 4 inch Kings!
Premier Tournament Chess Bag
Save $13 on the Modern Chess Openings Chess Book
Often called the chess players Bible – 748 pages of pure chess training on sale today only!
Chess Book: Modern Chess Openings
Read more �
Part 2: A Network of Support
Written by guest author Erik Czerwin for Wholesale Chess.
. . . Once in the club, they feel like a family.
That family bond comes from the second part of that session. After naming each new teammate, I get rather preachy and explain that each teammate is now a part of a unique group. This group must always point out to their comrade when the tragic flaw presents itself. Every time Bonehead makes a bonehead move, in life or in chess, it is the responsibility of the witness to point out the bonehead mistake. Every time Lurch lurches ahead without thinking, his teammates must pull him back. They discover that, in order to improve their chess game, they must first improve themselves. Only by being self-aware can they hope to master Read more �
Part 1: The Personal Side of Chess
Written by guest author Erik Czerwin for Wholesale Chess.
Chess is a metaphor for life. How cliché. How awkward. And, may I ask, really?! Those of us who devote aspects of our lives to the study of this game often develop a sort of passion that borders on obsession. History abounds with stories of famous chess players who went beyond the boundaries of eccentric and into the realm of insanity. And it’s quite true, intense study of chess can become quite unhinging. As a coach, one of our jobs is to both inspire a deep fervor for the game while at the same time reminding our students that there is more to life than chess. Depending on our own level of passion, this can be difficult. There is a benefit to relating chess and life for our students, but one must be careful not to Read more �
Copyright 2012 Wholesale Chess. All rights reserved.
