Introduction to Chess
Introduction to Chess is a CTY Online course that is available for students in grades 3 and up, it lasts about 3 months and is available for accepted Math or Verbal scores on the SCAT or SAT. Its course code is CHE.
Contents
Course Description
From the CTY Online catalog:
Introduction to Chess provides new or beginning students of chess a strong foundation in the rules and strategies needed to play the game of chess. The course is designed for students with little to no experience with chess.
The course begins with a brief history of the game of Chess. It then introduces the student to the board and pieces, explaining through interactive lessons, quizzes, videos and games how each piece moves. A full chess game is built up through the nine chapters, with students trying to defeat a computerized Johns Hopkins Blue Jay in chess at the end of every chapter. The last two chapters have the students play against the computer (the JHU Blue Jay) in full chess games of varying difficulty. The course ends with general tactics and strategies to improve the student’s game.
Instructors are available to meet with students to help them develop their chess skills through weekly online coaching sessions. In addition to teaching the rules of the game and the basic strategy, instructors also teach important opening concepts, recognition of tactical themes, calculation of material exchanges, and elementary endgame knowledge. Students can also participate in training games with their assigned instructor or casual games with other students in CTY's weekly online chess clubs.
In addition to learning the fundamentals of chess, this course will promote the growth and development of skills in concentration, logic, decision making, planning, and self-discipline.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
Read and write the algebraic notation for chess moves. Correctly place pieces on the board to set up of a game of chess and know the legal moves of each piece. Understand and explain how a game of chess can end in either checkmate or a stalemate. Understand and perform the strategies for basic openings and end games. Competently attack the opponent’s king while defending their own king.
Topics
The Board and Pieces
- The Board
- The Pieces
The Pawn
- Basic Pawn Moves
- En Passant
- Captures and Exchanges
- Looking Ahead
- Pawn Promotion
The Rook
- How the Rook Moves
- Attack and Defense
- Forks and Skewers
The Bishop
- How the Bishop Moves
- Making Choices
The Queen
- How the Queen Moves
- Playing It Safe
- Queen Forks
- Pins and Skewers
The Knight
- How the Knight Moves
- Knight Forks
- Knight Tours
The King
- How the King Moves
- King Maze
- Hit or Miss
- Trick or Treat
- Check and Checkmate
- Stalemate
Other Rules and Your First Games
- Castling
- Other Ways to Draw
- Values of the Pieces
- Attacking
- Defending
- Exchanging
Basic Tactics and Strategies
- Simple Checkmates
- Checkmates with a Queen
- Checkmate with Two Rooks
- Basic Openings
- Basic Capturing Tactics
- Combination Attacks
- Basic Attack and Defense Tactics
- Chess Notation
