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One Novice Chess-Player’s Quest to Become an Instructor at the Game of Chess
Studying chess each and every day for the past two years is quite an accomplishment. During this time, I’ve used my primary source for competition and learning materials to be chess.com.
I’ve grown very fond of working with beginners and developing their knowledge of the game. I have several friends who are where I was two years ago; they know how the pieces move but have never really given much thought into improving their skills.
In doing so, word has reached several people that I may be able to foster their children’s love of chess even if they’ve never played before. I took on my first “official” student about a month ago & things are going well.
Here are some great reasons why YOU should become a chess coach:
- You have the opportunity to change someones life through CHESS!
- You don’t have to be an expert to teach a beginner.
- Your chess motivation will never be higher.
- The “AHA!” moments are measurable & very rewarding.
- If they are a younger person, you will help them in developing patience & attention to detail, among other valuable skills.
- You will look at positions from another very unbiased perspective.
- You will improve right along with your student.
- You have the opportunity to make a little bit of extra money.
- It’s cheaper than getting a pet.
The best coach is not always someone ranked several levels above yours. An experienced novice will make a great coach because you know what it takes to learn the game & improve from the beginner’s perspective. If you have a passion for the game & have a firm grasp of the rules of chess, you are ready to start teaching.
I decided to give my first month of lessons for free so my student was able to order his “starter equipment” from wholesalechess right away. Here are my gear recommendations for a beginner:
I like these chess pieces because they are heavy & tournament-approved. They are very basic/standard & fit the board I recommended. *Note: I have noticed the durability is not top quality, but with the Wholesale Chess piece replacement plan, getting the economical set is the right choice.
This chess board is nice because unlike the vinyl roll-up boards, it folds once to close & stays flat. I’ve had mine for about 2 years & it is as good as new. Durable, washable, and has all of the proper annotations used to reference the squares.
This chess bag is high-quality & is an appropriate size to carry everything except the board, which I carry separately. Again, very durable & room for supplies like pencil/pen/paper/book etc.
This chess clock is easy to use & appropriate for all tournaments I’ve entered. The clock is an essential piece in order to train for tournament games.
Today is a great day to become a chess instructor! For ideas on how to teach your first student, contact me, Coach Ben, at: d2@chess.com Good luck & keep it fun!
This article was contributed by Tessman. Interesting in writing for Wholesale Chess? Contact us today at (801)544-4242.
The last piece to discuss on the chess board is the King piece. This piece is the game winner. Once you lose your King, the game is over, and your opponent wins, regardless of the score. The King chess piece is the piece you must protect the most and you cannot live without. Many experienced players, though may find themselves utilizing their king in an attempt to gain an advantage over an opponent, something weaker chess players are very leery of doing. No matter how you choose to use your King piece, he must stay alive at all costs.
How A King Chess Piece Moves
King chess pieces are somewhat limited in their movement. They cannot go riding across the chess board as quickly as most other pieces and they are easier to contain than most chess pieces from an opponent’s perspective. Here are a few rules to note:
- The king piece can move one single square in any direction.
- The king cannot move onto a square the is currently occupied by a piece from it’s own team.
- The king piece cannot move to any square that puts them into a “check” position.
- The king piece can participate in a move known as “castling”, where the piece can move up to three squares while exchanging places with a rook chess piece.
Basic Tactics
Safety first, is the motto most chess players abide by when moving and using their king piece. Experienced players can use their king piece to help set traps and capture opposing pieces, though the King is rarely the aggressive piece in this situation. Most players try to keep their king piece in one of their two corners where there are fewer directions from which an attack can come. Often, castling with a rook piece early in the game gets the King piece to the corner faster, keeping the piece safer from attacks.
Favorite Chess Sets
Here are some chess sets that feature unique or interesting King piece designs:
Pegasus Ebony Wood Chess Pieces ($559.99)
Premier Chess Pieces ($18.99)
Cavalier Ebony Wood Chess Pieces ($449.99)
St. Petersburg Wood Chess Pieces ($89.99)
Zagreb Rosewood 2.5″ Chess Pieces ($44.99)
Considered the most dangerous and versatile piece on the board, the Queen chess piece is also one of the most important. Unless you are an expert chess player, losing your queen piece can easily be the final blow before falling to your opponent. Most players are willing to sacrifice just about any other piece on the board in order to save their queen. So why is the queen so important?
How A Queen Chess Piece Moves
The queen chess piece is like a combination of the Rook and Bishop chess pieces. Each player starts out with one queen piece (although any pawn that makes it to the other side of the board can be traded in for another queen, which is why some chess sets come with extra queens). The queen can move forward or diagonal in any direction. Here are a few notes:
- The queen can move in any direction on a straight or diagonal path.
- The queen cannot “jump” over any piece on the board, so it’s movements are restricted to any direction of unoccupied squares.
- The queen can be used to capture any of your opponent’s pieces on the board.
Basic Tactics
Most players try to keep their queen defended because of it’s ability to move. It is a very useful piece in any chess game and is often involved in endgame strategy. Experts try to get the queen piece toward the center of the board as soon as possible in order to help defend that space and gain an advantage over their opponent. The queen can be used in a variety of defensive strategies and works well to defend the King no matter where the King is on the board, so long as the queen is nearby. The most dangerous piece to a queen is the opponent’s knight pieces. The queen may not be able to attack a knight piece directly that is attacking the queen, so players try to be wary of their opponent’s knight pieces. Advanced players may be more likely to sacrifice their queen in an attempt to win a game, though this is quite rare.
Favorite Chess Sets
The queen piece is often a very beautiful chess piece and in more expensive sets, it may feature a very beautiful crown and piece shape.
St. Petersburg Sheesham Chess Pieces ($109.99)
Zagreb 3″ Ebonized Chess Pieces ($59.99)
Fianchetto Ebony Chess Pieces ($279.99)
Siogne Bud Rosewood Chess Pieces ($289.99)
The Bishop chess piece is easily the most forgotten piece of all the chess pieces. From the beginners’ perspective, the piece cannot do a whole lot to help out your game, considering each piece can only cover half of the board at a time and is quite vulnerable to attacks from straight on. But the bishop does have his place in the game of chess. In most chess sets, the piece is very traditional. It is a tall, slender piece with a pointed tip that has a strange cut made into it. Usually, the design doesn’t change much, unlike the Knight piece, which has a lot of flair in it’s design.
How A Bishop Chess Piece Moves
The bishop chess piece is stuck moving in diagonals. Each player starts out with two bishop pieces, each one residing on it’s own color of square. Between both pieces, you can cover the entire board, but one piece can only cover one half of the board, only the colors of squares it started the game on.
- The bishop can move in any direction diagonally, so long as it is not obstructed by another piece.
- The bishop piece cannot move past any piece that is obstructing it’s path.
- The bishop can take any other piece on the board that is within it’s bounds of movement.
Basic Tactics
Bishops are usually considered stronger pieces toward the end of the game. Often, though, the pawns make it difficult to use the bishop piece during the early parts of the game. The bishop is considered excellent in defending a castled King, though and can be used to help pin pieces into areas of the board. Most experts would agree, though, that giving up a Bishop is better than giving up a Rook.
Favorite Chess Sets
Here are a few of our favorite chess sets with good bishop pieces:
When it comes to your chess set, the Knight chess piece is often the defining piece in the set. This piece offers the most chance for variety and uniqueness in a chess set and it is often the piece with the most detail. When it comes to the game of chess, the Knight chess piece is often the favorite piece and most unpredictable piece in the game. Many a game has been ended because of the make-or-break tactics with the Knight.
How A Knight Chess Piece Moves
The Knight chess piece moves in a very mysterious way. Unlike Rooks, Bishops or Queens, the Knight is limited in the number of squares it can move across. In fact, it’s movement is a very specific movement. The piece moves in a shape similar to the uppercase “L”. Here are the specifics:
- The Knight piece can move forward, backward, left or right two squares and must then move one square in either perpendicular direction.
- The Knight piece can only move to one of up to eight positions on the board.
- The Knight piece can move to any position not already inhabited by another piece of the same color.
- The Knight piece can skip over any other pieces to reach it’s destination position.
Basic Tactics
Most experts prefer their Knight pieces to be “close to the action”. Because of their strange movement, the can often cover weaknesses that other pieces leave. Knight pieces are also best employed near the center of the board and they are often one of the first pieces to reach the center area of the board. The Knight also has a unique ability to attack another piece without risking being attacked by the same piece (aside from other Knights, of course).
Favorite Chess Pieces Sets
Here are some of our staff favorite chess sets with beautiful and unique Knight pieces:
Columbian Series Wood Chess Pieces ($349.99)
Alexander Series Wood Chess Pieces ($659.99)
French Rosewood Chess Pieces ($39.99)
Reykjavik Ebonized Chess Pieces ($89.99)
See All Chess Pieces
Pawn Chess Piece
The pawn chess piece is often the most overlooked of all of the chess pieces. The piece itself is very simple. On most chess sets, the pawn chess piece is the smallest piece on the board. Each player begins a chess game with eight pawns, standing in front of their other eight chess pieces.
How A Pawn Chess Piece Moves
Pawns are both simple and complex in their movements. The pawn piece has the fewest options of any chess piece on the board in where it can move and it can only move forward until it reaches the other side of the board. Here are a few things to know about how a pawn chess piece moves:
- Pawn chess pieces can only directly forward one square, with two exceptions.
- Pawns can move directly forward two squares on their first move only.
- Pawns can move diagonally forward when capturing an opponent’s chess piece.
- Once a pawn chess piece reaches the other side of the chess board, the player may “trade” the pawn in for any other chess piece if they choose.
Pawn Names & Terms
Not all pawns are created equal. Each pawn is named after piece behind it. For example, the two outer pawns are called “Rook Pawns”, while the pawns in from of the King and Queen at the start of a game are called “King Pawn” and “Queen Pawn” respectively. In addition, pawns on each side of the board are named. This is to help clarify which pawn is which, when referring to a Bishop Pawn, Knight Pawn or Rook Pawn. The pawns on the Queen’s side of the board are called Queen side and the pawns on the King’s side of the board are called King side. For example, at the start of the game, the pawn on the far left side would be called the QR-pawn (Queen Rook Pawn). The pawn second from the right at the start of the game would be called the KN-pawn (King Knight Pawn).
Often, pawns are referenced as opposition. Your opponent’s pawn directly across the board from your own pawn is called the “Counterpawn”. Each pawn on your board begins the game with it’s own counterpawn. At the start of the game, all pawns are considered “unfree”, or not able to reach the opposite side of the board because of it’s counterpawn. Once it’s counterpawn has been captured, the pawn is then considered “half-free”.
Each pawn on the board also has opposing pawns called “sentries”. Sentries are the opponent’s pawn chess pieces that sit directly across from it, but are to the left and right by one square. These pawns are the pieces your opponent could use to capture your pawn. While sentries can make it difficult for your pawn to cross the board, their obstruction of your piece is not absolute.
Each of your own pawn chess pieces has “helpers”. These are it’s neighboring pawn pieces that can be used to help the pawn chess piece cross the board. When trying to reach the other side of a board, a pawn piece is known as a “candidate”. In most cases, your candidate piece would advance first, followed by its helper pieces, trying to ensure it’s safety.
Once the sentries of a pawn piece have been captured, the pawn is now considered “free”. This means it no longer has any opposing pawns in it’s path to reaching the other side of the board.
The Pawn Ram
When two pawns meet at squares directly in front of each other, they are considered part of a “ram”. In basic terms, a ram occurs when two pawn pieces are blocking each other’s movements across the board. When helper pawns get involved, a ram can be broken, allowing the pawn chess piece to move forward. Avoiding rams is important when attacking an opponent as it eliminates your ability to use the pawn in the attack.
Pawns can be very useful tools as you play the game of chess. Gaining a more in-depth understanding of how to use pawns in chess is crucial to becoming a better chess player. Here are some great books we recommend for studying pawn play in chess:
The official way to set up a chess board.
While there are many different ways you can set up your chess board, there is only one “official” way to set up your board. It can also be difficult to undertand and even remember how to set up your chess board.
White At The Bottom
First, remember that white always starts out at the “bottom” of the chess board. To start, the bottom left square should be a dark-colored square. Rotate your chess board until a dark-colored square is found at the bottom left corner of the board (left for the person playing as white). This square is also known as “a1″ in chess notation.
Set Up Your White Chess Pieces
Now you can begin to set up your white pieces. Place a white Rook on a1. The Rook is the piece that looks like the top to a castle. The next square to the right (from the white player’s position) is “b1″. Place a white Knight (looks like a horse) on b1. Going right, the next square (which should be dark) is c1. Place a white Bishop (the piece that has a strange chip taken out of the top) here. On d1, place your white Queen (the piece with the crown), then on e1, place your white King (the piece with the cross on top of the crown). Next, place a white Bishop, then a white Knight and finally your last white Rook on f1, g1 and h1 respectively.
Once you’ve placed your major pieces, you need to place your 8 white pawns (they should all look the same and are the smallest pieces in the set). They should all be placed on the squares between a2 and h2, just in front of your other white pieces.
Set Up Your Black Chess Pieces
Now you can set up your black chess pieces. It is easiest to set it up from the white side. Start at the top left corner. This square should be a light square and it is known as “a8″. Place a black Rook. Your next square to the right is “b8″. Place a black Knight here. Next on c8, place a black Bishop. At this point, it may seem a little backwards, but you should put your black Queen on d8, the next square to the right. On e8, place your black King, followed by your second black Bishop on f8. Next put your last black Knight on g8 and your last black Rook on h8. The pawns for black are all placed on the row in front of your current pieces, between a7 and h7.
By John Skelly
The noble art of chess has become very popular with parents when it comes to educating their children about the various principles of life. Nowadays, there are many parents who find that the game of chess lends itself ideally to be used as a teaching tool for what they want their kids to learn. Although playing chess encourages a great deal of concentration and interaction, the best part about using chess as a teaching method is that children find it fun to play.
By nature, children are very competitive so playing chess is not something that they will give up on easily. They do not need to be physically strong or exceptionally gifted mentally, they simply need to know how to play the game and play it well. Children love challenges and this characteristic in itself bodes well for their success in the game.
The environment in which chess is played introduces children to a great amount of discipline; they learn how to take on the challenges that life can bring, and how to be gracious losers and magnanimous winners. Another great benefit gained from being exposed to the chess playing environment, is that children also develop social skills and establish creative ways to assist others. Overall, playing chess allows them to practice precious life skills in the early part of their lives, which is perfect for creating strong mental skills for when they get older.
Taking part in a corporate environment, perhaps representing their school or college in competition, also hones life skill qualities that will help them in their later years. Coupling with others will help them nurture a sense of responsibility and a caring spirit. Helping others learn the game also encourages a compassionate spirit and a sense of community in your child.
Another principle that children learn, while playing chess socially, is that children of other genders races and ages, should be treated with mutual respect. They understand that when they are fair and kind to others, it is usually reciprocated. Opposing this, they also discover the negative effects of treating others in the wrong way.
From playing chess, children often learn about the value of hard work. They discover that nothing that is worthwhile in life comes without hard work and that laziness is a big “no-no”. They recognize the value of persistence, never giving up, and cultivate important characteristics needed for success in life.
When it comes to teaching life skills, the game of chess is a wonderful tool to aid you in your parenting efforts. Playing chess will expose your child to new attitudes and abilities that will put them at the forefront in life and give them a solid foundation so that they may share their knowledge with their friends as well as their children and their children’s children. The skills that children learn from playing chess are also the skills that will stand them in good stead when they approach adulthood. It would be hard to think of a board game more useful in this respect than chess.
John Skelly is owner of Quality Chess.net, an online store where you can view a variety of chess products, so you can find that unique set of handcrafted chessmen or that elegant glass chess set. Check out his blog where you can find articles and videos on the latest chess strategies and tactics.
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