Chess Club is where it’s happening at Trinity School, and Coach Bobby Howard has made learning chess fun! There are currently over twenty students enrolled in the club, and what they have learned is impressive! All the students are playing full matches and have a basic or higher understanding of the game of chess.
So far, students have learned board position and set-up, basic check, checkmate, stalemate, and draw. They have also learned the three ways to get out of check; rules vs. principles and the verbal use of chess notation. Future lessons will include the three stages of a chess match, files vs. ranks, and the five opening principles of a match. They will also learn to avoid mistakes, strategies, tactics, and winning principles.
According to Dr. Mohammad Nazmul of Perdana University, chess is not just a game but a way of life. It teaches students to make decisions under pressure in a short amount of time. It also teaches calculation, creativity, evaluation and analysis, and strategy. These are all life lessons that will extend far beyond the chessboard.
Coach Bobby is often asked, “What can I do to help my child; I don’t know how to play or understand it. Simple… have your child teach you on a chessboard (not an electronic device). There is no better way to reinforce what’s been learned by a child than by empowering that child to teach it. So, ask your students what they are learning in Chess Club. You will be proud!
“Life Lessons From Chess by Dr. Mohammad Nazmul” https://www.perdanauniversity.edu.my/life-lessons-from-chess/, Perdana University, www.perdanauniversity.edu. 9/6/2018.