How the chess pieces are called in Spanish?
How are the chess pieces called in Spanish? Chess is a popular sport in the Hispanic Culture and is played in all Latin cultures across the world. Knowing what the chess pieces are called in Spanish could allow you to analyze a game in another language (Spanish). The King in Chess is called “Rey” in […]
Insufficient Mating Chances (a technicality in chess)
I love learning something new in chess, and this is something I never knew about. Here’s the deal: Insufficient Mating chances (or insufficient losing chances) is when a special rule that is used in tournaments. Basically, it has to do with a situation when the chess player with a winning position is almost out of […]
The Pin
The Pin is a very important tool that every chess player should have in his or her repertoire. The word pin literally means that something cannot move. For example, if a poster is pinned to wall, it cannot move. In wrestling, a pin is when your opponent cant move. In chess, a pin is when […]
Chess is a Symphony of Pieces
When teaching chess to kids its important that you find a way to explain chess theory in a way that related to them. Many kids enjoy music and even play musical instruments; so with them I try to relate chess to music. Chess is very much like music, and a good chess game could easily […]
Teaching Kids How to Lose
At the end of each session in Chess Classes we have a friendly kids tournament; its the time for the kids to play serious chess and really show their me or their teacher what they have learned. It is a no elimination tournament with no time limits and prizes dont just go to the winners, […]
New Study: Chess Improves Brain Function!
Its a new a study, but old news for most of us: Chess improves brain function. Researchers at the University of Texas have concluded that playing chess broadens the mind. No suprise for those of us that teach chess, but still an interesting read. Check out the article.
Acknowledging our mistakes in Chess & Life
One of the most important things that we can learn from chess is how to acknowledge our mistakes. It has hard to admit we have made a mistake, and often times its painful to look back at it…at least at first. In chess, we keep track of our games with notation and these are often […]
3 vs. 3 Pawn Promotion Problem
When just learning how to play chess, it is important to begin to understand how to use multiple chess pieces together in combination. This doesn’t always mean different types of pieces and even with just pawns on the board a chess player can often calculate to find the best one. This is one of my […]
Learning Chess from Yasser Seirawan
Day one with GM Yasser Seirawan who was the World Junior Champion in the 1970’s. He is not only a phenomenal chess player but he is also a very intriguing and interesting person who not only kept us involved and attentive during a 6 hour-long lecture but he kept us entertained as well. He told […]
Interview with “The Chess Queen” Alexandra Kosteniuk
Alexandra Kosteniuk is a former Women’s World Chess Champion and an great person! She promoted chess, especially chess for girls, all across the world and has motivated many kids, teens, and adults to improve their lives with chess. I had the pleasure of interviewing this very special lady and think it would be interesting for […]