Teach Children to Play Chess by Letting Them Switch Sides With You
When I was a child, my dad taught me how certain chess pieces move, forcing me to analyze their shapes. The rook, a lock of horizontal and vertical lines, moves horizontally and vertically. A bishop with slanted lines moves diagonally. I’ve never been good at the game, but I vividly remember sitting at our dinner table and watching the man explain it all with glee (he even added his eyes to the bishop with a marker and called him “Joey Bishop” – what a dad ). Now, as a parent, I am convinced that playing chess is a great way to bond with your child.
There are all kinds of tips on the Internet for teaching kids how to play chess. As bennyboy82 shared on Reddit, one trick is to give your child the ability to switch sides while playing . This can make the game more fun for both players – it will prevent the rookie from being permanently defeated while still challenging you. You also have a better understanding of how your opponent thinks.
Here are some more tips on how to teach your child to play:
- As you play, give yourself fewer shapes than your child. Then add details slowly as your child becomes a stronger player, as did the father of Reddit user Randomatical. “I don’t remember my first victory when he had all the pieces on the board, but I remember exactly the moment when he thought that I was ready to fight him when he had all the pieces,” writes Randomatical. “This picture of a complete chessboard, ready to play, is as clear as a day 30 years later.”
- Let your child take a step back after seeing your move. Redditor OphidianZ recommends this tactic: “By letting them undo the move, they can rework the logic of the game. He teaches in the game to think about the future. “
- Try starting with a beginner game like Stress Free Chess . This game teaches novice players the moves and abilities of each chess piece as they play. Then, when they feel comfortable, they can flip the double-sided board and play standard chess.