Chess Class — Intermediate Level

Description

If you’re looking for a top-quality chess program to add to your enrichment schedule, look no farther. We employ a unique teaching methodology that puts the emphasis on skill-building and positive reinforcement rather than memorization. Students learn to focus, think creatively, and consider all their options before they make a choice. Reasoning, problem-solving, and analysis of steps and missteps are all part of the process that leads to confidence and good judgment. While competing in tournaments is a joy for many students, the benefits of learning chess run much deeper. Done well, chess education can be the turning point between a child who can’t socialize and one who can, or a child who can’t concentrate and one who excels academically. Students learn interpersonal skills such as sportsmanship, patience, and positive attitudes as well as fundamentals like math and geometry that carry over to the classroom.

Course Breakdown:

• The various ways to check and get out of check — C.P.R(Capture, Protect, Run)
• Piece value — Evaluate piece strength
• Mate in one — Calculating and Solving them
• Discovered Attack
• Double-check — A very powerful and rare tactic
• Zwischenzug – In-between moves
• Overloaded Pieces – They have too much work
• Skewers — opposite of pins
• Greek Gift
• Scholar’s mate
• Simple Endgames
• Chess Studies
• Underpromotion
• Passed Pawns
• En passant

Exchanges and Sacrifice: Discussion on how to make smart exchanges. (Material discussion) + Compare values of bishops vs. knights in certain positions + Compare some queen vs Bishop+Rook+Pawn or queen vs Rook + Rook examples. The materialistic values associated with some pieces aren’t quite absolute to what they could be worth in a position. i.e Bishop in closed pawn structure. Discuss about rook sacrifices for smaller valued pieces like the bishop and knight.

Advanced Tactics: Introduction to basic tactics, how to find material advantages within these tactics. Download/Make an account on chesstempo.com or chess.com to practice simple tactics.  

Lots of Chess Tips: Discuss and explain loopholes in the general guidelines of chess. Don’t always force moves or attribute

 Analyzation of Famous Games: Examine some of the most famous games of all time and how they changed the way we play today. Some examples include (Kasparov v Karpov) + (Bobby Fisher vs. Donald Byrne)

Tournament Etiquette, Practice Tournament: Discuss proper etiquette in tournament situations, how many tournaments are structured, time controls + clocks, practice with a tournament on chess.com

Conclusion, Final Tips: Final tips to making sound decisions in your game, close out and review topics previously introduced

Teachers Profile:

Mr. Gu

Mr.Gu has playing chess for over 10 years. He has over 400 rated wins and has achieved his national master title. He has competed in a multitude of national events and even one worldwide event representing our nation. With the skills he has learned from the various grandmaster and international master coaches he has had in the past, he hopes to introduce new levels of awareness on the board to newer players. By working with him, he will help introduce a variety of openings, break down strategy in the middle game, and how to finish or draw games in the endgame.

Mr. Gupta

Mr.Gupta rated 2000+ and has achived the official USCF Expert Title. He has been playing chess for quite a few years with years of teaching experience! He has lots of material for dedicated students including but not limited to the opening repertoire, a huge collection of books, and software. He has had many students in the past who have seen great growth with him and testimonials to prove so! With him, students will be able to revamp their opening repertoire, focus on middle-game planning, and memorize endgame algorithms, all improving their game for the better!