After-School Chess Curriculum
To learn more about our Chess Programs and Curriculum, please call Arlene Kleiman at 901-494-2526 or email her at midsouthchess@hotmail.com.
After-School Chess Classes
Chess Fundamentals for Beginners
This class will go beyond the rules of chess, and begin to help students learn the fundaments of chess.
Chess Tactics
The class will introduce players to all of the major tactical themes that exist in the game of chess, and help them develop their tactical skills.
Chess Principles for Intermediate Players
This class will cover most of the basic principles of chess, and give students the opportunity to practice using these principles.
Why Is Chess Good For Your Child
“Chess is the gymnasium of the mind.”
—Goethe
We couldn’t have said it any better….At Mid South Chess, we love the royal game for many reasons. One of those reasons is that it offers so much to children and young people. During the past few years, we have provided top-level instruction to schools in the Memphis area.
Although difficult to play well, chess is relatively straightforward to learn. Most first or second graders can follow the basic rules. Sometimes kids even as young as four or five can play. One can learn to play at any age, and unlike many other sports, one never has to give up chess because of age. Young and old can play together, age is not a factor. Nor is gender of importance in playing chess. Boys and girls can play together, competing among and against each other in a friendly social environment. Chess enhances social skills as you interact with others who share their love for the game.
The game also challenges perseverance and sportsmanship as you play in a competitive environment. Chess is a universal language and most tournaments welcome players of all abilities. To the serious tournament player, it provides numerous opportunities to travel around the country, and even around the world. As social as the game is, chess also teaches independence: it forces you to make important decisions influenced only by your own judgment, and to accept the consequences of your actions.
Other than being all of the above, chess also helps develop the mind, especially the mind of young people. Many studies have proven conclusively that playing chess improves school results substantially. In close to 30 countries, chess is now required as part of the school curriculum.
Evidently, chess, as the gymnasium of the mind keeps the mind sharp. It forces you to think critically. Among other things, it develops the memory, as students learn different variations and recognize patterns on the board. Chess develops logical thinking and critical judgment.
During the game, players must formulate a plan of attack and defense. In order to do so, a player must perform a systematic checking of possible combinations of moves and then arrive at an evaluation of each possibility. This process of learning to play according to a certain strategic plan requires a great deal of concentration. On the board, chess teaches the rewards of concentration, while it also provides immediate penalties for any lapses in concentration. Few teaching tools provide such immediate feedback.
Yet, chess is not just a game of established patterns and strict algorithms. Although the development of a game tends to follow general principles, there is rarely a unique best way to play any given position. The game rewards creativity, and helps develop one’s imagination, encouraging us to test the boundaries of our own mind.