Thanks to Mrs. Story for setting this up.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Recognition
Our kids from last year's nationals were recognized at Monday's school board meeting.
Thanks to Mrs. Story for setting this up.
Thanks to Mrs. Story for setting this up.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Not Cool, Boo-Boo (A rerun)
An older post, but one that needs to be posted often:
The first rule of chess sportsmanship: You CANNOT control your opponent's behavior. You can only control your own.
There are some basic things to remember: Shake hands before and after your game. Say "good game", and mean it. Set up your board. Mark your score correctly and make sure your opponent does too.
Remember ---- Before the game, pleasant and cheerful. During the game: silent but deadly. (Eeww.)
There are 2 things I don't want ANYBODY to do at a tournament:
1. Do not move your queen out on your second move. NOT COOL, BOO-BOO!
When someone moves their queen out on move 2, they're telling their opponent, "I'm going to assume you're not a good player". It could be some 4th grader who looks at one of our 1st graders and thinks, "This should be an easy win". Queen on the second move is NOT COOL, Boo-BOO!
Fortunately, it's an easy move to defeat. Here's the secret Learn it. Memorize it. Practice it. Make your parents play white and have you defend it.
Here's how to beat NOT COOL BOO-BOO:
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5
Now is when black must make black's crucial choice. You must think
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4
White is threatening to win on their next move: Qxf7#. You can't let that happen, naturally, so you block the queen.
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4 g6
Notice how you couldn't have done this on Move 2, because then the queen takes your e5 pawn, then your rook, then.... well, it's a quick and ugly game. Your kNight has to be on C first.
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4 g6
4. Qf3
White's still trying to win with Qxf7#. Again, it's time to block.
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4 g6
4. Qf3 Nf6
Here's what it looks like:
OK, so now you've done three things:
A) You've kept white from winning a cheap win.
B) You've sent white a message: "I know what I'm doing. If you're going to win, you better earn it, Boo-Boo."
C) You've got better position. While white has wasted 2 moves moving his queen back and forth, you've brought out both knights, and you dominate the center.
Practice this over and over, until you do it without even thinking about it.
2. Do not move quickly.
When you move quickly during a tournament, you're telling your opponent, "I have no respect for the move you just made." After every move, look at the board --- the whole board --- for 30 seconds. You need to pick a theme song. Make it part of a song from church, make it something from Soulja Boy, I don't care. But find something that takes about 30 seconds for you to hum in your head. (The Jeopardy theme is exactly 30 seconds long, so I use it.) In those 30 seconds, look at your opponent's move, some moves for you, and take your time finding the best one. You have 45 minutes on your clock. That means that, if you're humming your 30-second theme song before every move, you can get 90 moves in. Chances are good your game won't last that long.
The point is, show your opponent that you respect their move. Play slow. Play that theme song in your head. Writing down your moves helps you slow things down, too.
It doesn't matter if your opponent responds right away. Remember the first rule: You CANNOT control your opponent's behavior. You can only control your own. The same goes for your clock. If you're playing a clock-slammer, just keep things nice and slow on your end. It drives clock-slammers NUTS!
See you Thursday.
Mr. Wade
The first rule of chess sportsmanship: You CANNOT control your opponent's behavior. You can only control your own.
There are some basic things to remember: Shake hands before and after your game. Say "good game", and mean it. Set up your board. Mark your score correctly and make sure your opponent does too.
Remember ---- Before the game, pleasant and cheerful. During the game: silent but deadly. (Eeww.)
There are 2 things I don't want ANYBODY to do at a tournament:
1. Do not move your queen out on your second move. NOT COOL, BOO-BOO!
When someone moves their queen out on move 2, they're telling their opponent, "I'm going to assume you're not a good player". It could be some 4th grader who looks at one of our 1st graders and thinks, "This should be an easy win". Queen on the second move is NOT COOL, Boo-BOO!
Fortunately, it's an easy move to defeat. Here's the secret Learn it. Memorize it. Practice it. Make your parents play white and have you defend it.
Here's how to beat NOT COOL BOO-BOO:
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5
Now is when black must make black's crucial choice. You must think
"Not Cool" - NC.
N stands for knight, C stands for the c file. The only knight you have that can move to c is your b8 knight. So now the game looks like this:1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4
White is threatening to win on their next move: Qxf7#. You can't let that happen, naturally, so you block the queen.
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4 g6
Notice how you couldn't have done this on Move 2, because then the queen takes your e5 pawn, then your rook, then.... well, it's a quick and ugly game. Your kNight has to be on C first.
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4 g6
4. Qf3
White's still trying to win with Qxf7#. Again, it's time to block.
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4 g6
4. Qf3 Nf6
Here's what it looks like:
OK, so now you've done three things:
A) You've kept white from winning a cheap win.
B) You've sent white a message: "I know what I'm doing. If you're going to win, you better earn it, Boo-Boo."
C) You've got better position. While white has wasted 2 moves moving his queen back and forth, you've brought out both knights, and you dominate the center.
Practice this over and over, until you do it without even thinking about it.
2. Do not move quickly.
When you move quickly during a tournament, you're telling your opponent, "I have no respect for the move you just made." After every move, look at the board --- the whole board --- for 30 seconds. You need to pick a theme song. Make it part of a song from church, make it something from Soulja Boy, I don't care. But find something that takes about 30 seconds for you to hum in your head. (The Jeopardy theme is exactly 30 seconds long, so I use it.) In those 30 seconds, look at your opponent's move, some moves for you, and take your time finding the best one. You have 45 minutes on your clock. That means that, if you're humming your 30-second theme song before every move, you can get 90 moves in. Chances are good your game won't last that long.
The point is, show your opponent that you respect their move. Play slow. Play that theme song in your head. Writing down your moves helps you slow things down, too.
It doesn't matter if your opponent responds right away. Remember the first rule: You CANNOT control your opponent's behavior. You can only control your own. The same goes for your clock. If you're playing a clock-slammer, just keep things nice and slow on your end. It drives clock-slammers NUTS!
See you Thursday.
Mr. Wade
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
49 days to go.
Your homework for the weekend.
Beginning players --
Go over how the pieces move. Play some other kids on Yahoo Kids. It's ok to lose over and over - just get used to how the pieces move.
Intermediate players ---
Go over How to Write Down Your Moves. Play someone (a friend, your mom, your dog, I don't care) and practice writing your moves down. Turn your scoresheet in to me next week.
Feel like doing more?
Go over the scoresheet and circle the move that changed the game.
Beginning players --
Go over how the pieces move. Play some other kids on Yahoo Kids. It's ok to lose over and over - just get used to how the pieces move.
Intermediate players ---
Go over How to Write Down Your Moves. Play someone (a friend, your mom, your dog, I don't care) and practice writing your moves down. Turn your scoresheet in to me next week.
Feel like doing more?
Go over the scoresheet and circle the move that changed the game.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
I like comments!
One reason I like comments: It helps me know who's reading. If you have specific questions, I can help you. Plus, if I know that there are people reading, I'll be motivated to add more lessons over the next 50 days. We keep all names out of the blog, so no worries there.
And another reason I like comments...
And another reason I like comments...
50 Days until the Grade Championship.
The Grade Championship is always our biggest event of the year. It will be held on November 15th at the Union on the OU Campus.
In the grade championship, you only play kids in your grade.
Second graders only play second graders,
Third graders only play third graders,
etc.
The winner of the 12th grade section wins a $1000 scholarship to the OU College of Engineering, so be sure to let your high school friends know.
The school with the highest score wins a trophy for that grade. So we're playing for 5 trophies (K1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).
The preseason ratings (which I created) predict the results as follows:
5th grade:
1st place - Ida Freeman Elementary, Edmond
2nd place - Madison Elementary, Norman
3rd place - Wilson Elementary, OKC
4th place - Truman Elementary, Norman
4th grade
1st place - Roosa Elementary, Claremore
2nd place - Ida Freeman Elementary, Edmond
3rd place - Northern Hill Elementary, Edmond
4th place - Madison Elementary, Norman
5th place - Wilson Elementary, OKC
3rd grade
1st place - Ida Freeman, Edmond
2nd Place - Eliot Elementary, Tulsa
2nd grade
1st place - Wilson Elementary, OKC
2nd place - Jenks East Elementary, Jenks
1st grade --- Nobody knows! Why not us?
These predictions assume that we haven't been practicing (which is true for most of us) and that the other teams haven't been practicing (which we KNOW isn't true). So if we're going to go home with some hardware, we have 50 days to get good. That's lots of time.
5th graders, remember --- you'll be filling out middle school applications in December. Wouldn't "5th Grade State Chess Championship" look groovy on an application? Get to work.
Remember, we need 3 people in a grade to have a complete team, and the more people we bring the better. Mark your calendar for November 15th. Cost is $20, but the PTA is willing to take care of that if you need it. Just talk to me.
So, in the next 50 days, this blog will be buzzing. I'll try to add a new lesson each day. But I can't play the games for you. You have to learn it. You have to practice practice practice. And you have to want it more than the other guys.
Parents, don't let this message give you the impression that chess club is cut-throat. We're here for a safe, no-cost after school activity. Your kids can play chess at school with their friends, never enter a tournament, and they will still gain all the academic benefits chess provides. If your kid wants to compete, we're here to show them how. If they don't want to compete, that is Kool and the Gang. No pressure. Ever.
Thanks,
Dan
wilsonchess@cox.net
In the grade championship, you only play kids in your grade.
Second graders only play second graders,
Third graders only play third graders,
etc.
The winner of the 12th grade section wins a $1000 scholarship to the OU College of Engineering, so be sure to let your high school friends know.
The school with the highest score wins a trophy for that grade. So we're playing for 5 trophies (K1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).
The preseason ratings (which I created) predict the results as follows:
5th grade:
1st place - Ida Freeman Elementary, Edmond
2nd place - Madison Elementary, Norman
3rd place - Wilson Elementary, OKC
4th place - Truman Elementary, Norman
4th grade
1st place - Roosa Elementary, Claremore
2nd place - Ida Freeman Elementary, Edmond
3rd place - Northern Hill Elementary, Edmond
4th place - Madison Elementary, Norman
5th place - Wilson Elementary, OKC
3rd grade
1st place - Ida Freeman, Edmond
2nd Place - Eliot Elementary, Tulsa
2nd grade
1st place - Wilson Elementary, OKC
2nd place - Jenks East Elementary, Jenks
1st grade --- Nobody knows! Why not us?
These predictions assume that we haven't been practicing (which is true for most of us) and that the other teams haven't been practicing (which we KNOW isn't true). So if we're going to go home with some hardware, we have 50 days to get good. That's lots of time.
5th graders, remember --- you'll be filling out middle school applications in December. Wouldn't "5th Grade State Chess Championship" look groovy on an application? Get to work.
Remember, we need 3 people in a grade to have a complete team, and the more people we bring the better. Mark your calendar for November 15th. Cost is $20, but the PTA is willing to take care of that if you need it. Just talk to me.
So, in the next 50 days, this blog will be buzzing. I'll try to add a new lesson each day. But I can't play the games for you. You have to learn it. You have to practice practice practice. And you have to want it more than the other guys.
Parents, don't let this message give you the impression that chess club is cut-throat. We're here for a safe, no-cost after school activity. Your kids can play chess at school with their friends, never enter a tournament, and they will still gain all the academic benefits chess provides. If your kid wants to compete, we're here to show them how. If they don't want to compete, that is Kool and the Gang. No pressure. Ever.
Thanks,
Dan
wilsonchess@cox.net
Friday, September 19, 2008
It's Tournament Weekend!!!
Not one, but two chess scholastic tournaments in the metro this weekend. Can life get any better?
Saturday is the first OSCO tournament of the year - last year we averaged about 200 kids from all over the state. C will be our lone representative in the K-4 section. S, Z, and E will be a 3-person team in the K-6 section.
Since the team score is based on the top 4 scorers in the school for each section, C will not be playing for a team award, but instead for personal glory.
Similarly, S, Z, and E are one player short of a full team. That means they need one more 5th grade player to help their chances. You can register at the door --- you'll just have to miss your first game. Or if you email me tonight, I might be able to sweet talk the director into letting you play your first game.
The tourney is at Del City High School (1900 S. Sunnylane). You need to be there by 8:45, and it should be over around 4:00 -- just a guess.
Best of luck to C, S, Z, and E.
Sunday afternoon is the City School tournament at the downtown library; it's a Wilson fundraiser. We start at 1:30, and will definitely be done by 5:30 (possibly earlier). Everyone plays five games --- cost is $2 if you email me your information by Saturday afternoon, or $5 at the door. We're also looking for people to run concessions, work the registration table, and serve as wandering referees. This tournament has sections for elementary, Middle school, and High School, so bring your older siblings and their friends.
Tournaments are, of course, totally optional. You can have a complete chess club experience by hanging out with us on Thursday afternoons. But if you want to see how you stack up against other schools, it's worth a day out of the house.
Saturday is the first OSCO tournament of the year - last year we averaged about 200 kids from all over the state. C will be our lone representative in the K-4 section. S, Z, and E will be a 3-person team in the K-6 section.
Since the team score is based on the top 4 scorers in the school for each section, C will not be playing for a team award, but instead for personal glory.
Similarly, S, Z, and E are one player short of a full team. That means they need one more 5th grade player to help their chances. You can register at the door --- you'll just have to miss your first game. Or if you email me tonight, I might be able to sweet talk the director into letting you play your first game.
The tourney is at Del City High School (1900 S. Sunnylane). You need to be there by 8:45, and it should be over around 4:00 -- just a guess.
Best of luck to C, S, Z, and E.
Sunday afternoon is the City School tournament at the downtown library; it's a Wilson fundraiser. We start at 1:30, and will definitely be done by 5:30 (possibly earlier). Everyone plays five games --- cost is $2 if you email me your information by Saturday afternoon, or $5 at the door. We're also looking for people to run concessions, work the registration table, and serve as wandering referees. This tournament has sections for elementary, Middle school, and High School, so bring your older siblings and their friends.
Tournaments are, of course, totally optional. You can have a complete chess club experience by hanging out with us on Thursday afternoons. But if you want to see how you stack up against other schools, it's worth a day out of the house.
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