Explore chess related activities suitable for classroom use Chess in the classroom Explore chess related activities suitable for classroom use Rita Atkins www.chessplus.net

Competitive Chess in schools Series of chess games played in Round Robin, Swiss systems format or as a Ladder League. National Schools Team Championship and the UK Chess Challenge are popular tournament choices for over 1500 schools in the UK. Chess rules as stated in the World Chess Federation (FIDE) handbook are generally followed even in practice games. Focus is on students who already play some good chess, and players new to the game are often left behind. While competitive chess can be tremendous fun, it is not suitable for every child.

Competitive <-> Classroom Chess Chess Taught by chess experts Breakfast, lunch or after-school club Instruction by game analysis Mixed age and chess experience Informal setting, attendance by choice Taught by teachers Chess Lesson Variety of chess activities Uniform age and experience Formal setting, compulsory attendance

Classroom Chess: Mini Games Mini Games follow the rules of chess but are played with a limited set of pieces

Classroom Chess: Chess Variants Chess Variants are played on the chess board with one or more new rules introduced. First check wins! Business as usual? No check or checkmate, and The King can also be captured. The player with more material wins. The knight that eats all the apples first wins

More Chess Variants Football chess (Tatiana Ogneva): Crowding knights: Starting from the position above arrange your pieces on your side of the board in the first seven moves. The football game then begins; capturing is allowed and the ball moves along with the piece that occupies the same square. Goal is scored on d8-e8 and d1-e1. Crowding knights: Players take turns to place a knight on the board where it is not under attack by enemy pieces. The player who first runs out of safe squares and can no longer place a knight on the board loses.

Survey results

Contour of the pieces Bishop, Queen Knight Rook

Problem solving for the young Capture the flag Amazing Maze Capture the knights Source: Igor Sukhin, Gary's adventures in Chess Country

The Rook's tour Starting with a rook on a1 visit every square on the chess board and return to the starting point. What is the smallest number of moves in which the tour can be completed? What is the longest tour that you can find?

Mathematics problem solving A chess piece stands on a square of the chess board. The rest of the board is completely covered with 3x1 triminos. Where does the piece stand? How many rectangles are there on a chess board?

Problem solving for the chess player Black is in checkmate. Can you identify the pieces? Black is in stalemate. Can you identify the pieces?

Colouring for the chess player Black is in checkmate. Colour in the chess pieces!