-
PDF Index
10 Timely Ideas for Opening a Game of Chess This list of opening ideas is based on the classic opening ideas developed by Ruben Fine and others, with Point 10 (Beware The Achilles Squares) my particular addition for young players.
When this list is finished, each of the ten opening ideas will be expanded below. For now, these are offered.
10.1 Open with a center Pawn Grab your share of the powerful squares in the center.
10.2 Develop With Threats Players who fail to threaten get pushed around.
10.3 Knights Before Bishops Do you know why Knights are often better than Bishops in the opening?
10.4 Don't Move The Same Piece Twice Perhaps the most obvious "Timely" idea.
10.6 Don't Bring Out Your Queen Too Early Not because it might get captured, but because you lose time defending it.
10.10 Beware The Achilles Squares Why are F2 and F7 such targets in the opening?
Peter vs Alex This is a full 13-move game with extensive notes presenting the game with the "10 Timely Ideas" in mind.
Knights are Forever Just a color version for now.WaddleWaddle A puzzle to introduce the ideas behind the Opposition.
WaddleWaddle Teacher's Page What it says.
The Ruy Lopez A simple student handout to introduce the most commonly played opening and it's most famous champion.
The Ruy Lopez Teacher's Page Includes a short sample game.
Got Threats A worksheet for developing "board vision".
Alter Ego Chess A chess variant that's fun after a player has mastered the basic rules.Chess Math A worksheet for presenting the value of the pieces (K-3 grade level).
Ding! A tip for teachers to motivate beginners.
Pirate Chess A club chant to build team spirit.
Quick Quad Form for a simple quad tournament.
Knight's Tour Quiz
I present this section as a "game show" during the last class of the year. It covers lots of history and trivia plus some chess logic questions.You can place the demo board pieces in a bag and have the students draw to determine a category for each question. I use the "star" pieces as wildcards which lead to Squaresville or Gambit or Player questions. And I make sure there are as many tokens as questions.
The questions are presented WITH ANSWERS, so this is not meant as a handout, but I suppose you will do as you wish.
Squaresville A good place to start
Gambits WildCard questions
Gambits, Too More WildCard questions
Elephants! (Bishops!)