Dr. Alexey Root

Beginners

Taught the K and Q vs. K mate (knight’s-move-away method) on the demonstration board and then gave the students time to practice it.

The Denton High School chess club’s twenty-second meeting of 2012-2013 came on February 22. Some students played their round robin games to try to qualify to be on our traveling team to SuperNationals V. For the others, Dr. Root taught the activity “Move Order Mystery,” about the Petroff Defense, from Science, Math, Checkmate: 32 Chess Activities for Inquiry and Problem Solving.

February 20, 2013

Castling for Beginners and Intermediates

Taught the rules of castling while in a whole class setting at the demonstration board (called on students for whether castling is possible in certain situations). Then, “Game Theory” challenge from Thinking with Chess: Teaching Children Ages 5-14. Notation was required from Intermediate group.

February 19, 2013

Create-A-Checkmate

For the Beginners, I gave the students examples of what is stalemate and what is checkmate (using a King and Queen vs. King) as models first, on the demonstration board. Then I said, “You have a king and queen. Your partner has a king. Set up 5 different positions that are checkmates and two that are stalemates.” Then they showed me the 7 positions they created.

Denton High School chess club students played notated games to prepare for tomorrow’s match against the University of North Texas chess club.

I taught the “Coco Can’t Wait” activity from my book Science, Math, Checkmate: 32 Chess Activities for Inquiry and Problem Solving (Libraries Unlimited, www.lu.com, 2008, pp. 69-71)

The plan was taught to the Beginning and Intermediate groups. The beginners were called on individually to provide moves (verbally, in notation) for Coco and Grandma, which I made on the demonstration board and wrote in notation on the chalkboard. Some students copied that notation into their scorebooks.

I borrowed Coco can't wait by Taro Gomi (1993) from the Blagg-Huey Library (Texas Woman’s University) Denton - Children's Collection - Big Books to teach the “The Knights Can’t Wait ” activity from my book Science, Math, Checkmate: 32 Chess Activities for Inquiry and Problem Solving(Libraries Unlimited, www.lu.com, 2008, pp. 69-71) In its most straight-forward form, the plan The Knights Can’t Wait can be taught to first- through fifth-grade classrooms.

Denton HS chess team finished second at Region 3 (1-19-13) and finished first at Region 2 (2-2-13). Denton High School is located in the Texas Chess Association Region 2 so is now the Region 2 chess team champion. Both tournaments were covered by the Denton Record-Chronicle, the local newspaper. In the Region 3 tournament, William was first individual and Luis was tenth individual.

Square of the Pawn for Beginners (20 minutes) and for Intermediate Players (35 minutes)

Chess Etiquette and the Square of the Pawn from Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators.

Square of the Pawn and Passed Pawns for Beginners and Experienced Players (2 separate groups of 20 minutes each)

Chess Etiquette and the Square of the Pawn, though with just one partner rather than rotating, from Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators.

Since the Denton HIgh School students attending this week had not completed Task B from last week, they did so today. Task B: Black pawn on the second rank (vary the file), black king on first rank (in front of black pawn); White K on g5, White Q on g8. White to move and draw or win, depending on what file the black pawn is on.

January 30, 2013

Queen Day for Beginners (20 minutes)

Explained the Wolf and Sheep Game from Read, Write, Checkmate: Enrich Literacy with Chess Activities. Black queen on d8, White pawns on original squares, White to move. If the pawn promotes (even if captured immediately after) the pawns win. If you are the wolf, you can say "yum" and rub your tummy when you take a pawn. If you are the sheep, remember to say “baah” if your pawn promotes!