Study Guide for King 31 and before:
Week 1 - Monday
Lesson 1: Meet the Rook
Video - The Rook (5 min)
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/the-rook
Important to learn:
1. route the Rook
2. learn to name the square (e.g g7)
3. capture, (trade or exchange)
4. count the number of squares a Rook can move to or control (14)
5 practices (#4 is tricky)
Extra video: The Language of Chess - File (8 min)
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/the-language-of-chess-file
Rook, Queen
name a file (a-file)
file, closed file, open file, half-open (half-closed, semi-open) file
Week 1 - Wednesday
Lesson 2: Meet the Bishops
Video - The Bishop (5 min)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/the-bishop
Important to learn:
1. count the number of squares a Bishop can move to or control (most 13)
2. bishop vs rook
3. square color of the bishop
4. block (can't jump over)
5 practices
Extra bonus:
1. count how many sqaures a bishop can control from corner
2. draw a board diagram, mark each square with a number, which is the number of sqaures a bishop can control if the bishop is sitting in that square. For example, a1 is 7, d4 is 13, and etc.
Bonus Math Problem:
1. A0 = 4, A1 = A0 + 8, ..., An = An-1 + 8, ...
Prove A0 + A1 + ... + An is a perfect square, for any n.
(hint, Beast Academy talked about similar series)
2. A white square bishop can go to all white squares. There are 32 white squares on the board. Is it possible for a bishop visiting all the squares without repeating, i.e., you can't land in the same square twice? (passing is not counted, for example, Bishop a2-g8, you only used two squares, a2 and g8, b3, c4, d5, e6, f7 are not counted, i.e., they are still not visited.)
If the answer is no, reason.
If the answer is yes, give an example.
Week 1 - Friday
Lesson 3: Meet the Queen
Video - The Queen
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/the-queen
Important to learn:
1. count the number of squares a Queen can move to or control (most 27, why?)
2. rook + bishop
3. how many ways a Queen can attack a piece? (8 in lesson, 9 most, please provide an example)
4. route planning - taking all the pieces, one piece each move
5 practices (3 route planning, 4 double attack, 5 tricky)
Extra video: (not in lesson)
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/chesskid-curriculum-introduction-part-1
file, rank, diagonal
square name (letter first, number second, such as e4)
queen side, king side
white side, black side
============================
Week 2 - Monday
Lesson 4: Meet the King!
Video - The King
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/the-king
Important to learn:
1. King moves slowly, a square at a time
2. King moves all 8 directions (control 8 squares most)
5 practices (all simple, 5 is double attack)
Extra video: (not in lesson)
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/chesskid-curriculum-introduction-part-2
board setup (Queen follows color)
take turn (white first, no skip a turn)
value of pieces:
Pawn = 1
Knight = 3
Bishop = 3
Rook = 5
Queen = 9
King = infinite
Extra credit: how are piece values determined?
Week 2 - Wednesday
Lesson 5: Meet the Pawn
Video - The pawn
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/the-pawn
Important to learn:
1. Pawn only goes forward
2. Pawn takes diagonally
3. First move, one or two
5 practices (simple)
Extra video: (not in lesson)
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/the-magic-of-chess
My favorite video
quickly cover all the pieces, including something we have not touched yet, such as Knight, pawn promotion, and check.
Week 2 - Friday
Lesson 6: Meet the Knight
Video - The Knight
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/the-knight
Important to learn:
1. Knight goes L
2. Knight switches color
3. Knight is good in double attack
6 practices
Extra exercise:
Print out a chess board. Put a Knight on one corner. Jump the knight to one square, then mark the square. Keep jumping and marking. You can't jump to a square that is already marked. How many squares can you jump to?
My best class got 52 squares. Can you beat it?
=====================================================
Week 3 - Monday
Lesson 7: The check
Video - The check
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/check2
Important to learn:
1. CPR - Capture, Protect, Runaway
5 practices (alternatives are introduced)
Extra video
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/check-the-checks
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/bam
=========
If you are still not familiar with how pieces move yet
If you are still not familiar with how pieces move, please practice more.
Play with computer or do anyone. Don't worry about win or loss. Only pay attention to your piece move.
Try to move every piece.
When you play against computer, try to write down move number at the end.
I want you to make 100 moves everyday!!!
How to play against computer?
Login => Play => Play vs Bot
click Play
Ignore any suggestion for redo!!!
Do the move quickly. I want to training your intuition for legal moves, not for correct moves.
I just played a game. You can check it out: https://www.chesskid.com/computer/game/11ece5b07ce68de4ac735e043e02000c
Week 3 - Wednesday
Lesson 8: Checkmate
Video - Checkmate
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/checkmate3
Extra videos
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/fair-play
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/language-of-chess-win
Important to learn:
1. checkmate has to be a check
2. checkmate means no CPR
5 practices
Fair play is important:
- do NOT waste your opponent't time
- do NOT keep offering draws
- do NOT keep asking for outside help
From today's on, I will ask you to do some one-move checkmates.
Week 3 - Friday
Lesson 9: Stalemate!
Video - Stalemate
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/stalemate
Extra video (no need to watch if you feel you already understand the concept)
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/the-language-of-chess-stalemate
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/the-funniest-game-in-the-world
Important to learn:
1. Stalemate is not check and no legal move
2. To avoid stalemate, keep checking
5 practices
We will include a vision training now.
Click Learn => Vision => START
This is training you to name the squares correctly. It takes about 1 minutes. My scores were 20/20 and 16/17
To make it hard, choose "Hide Coordinates". My score was 22/23.
Please also start playing games. You should try at least ONE game a day!
========================================================
Week 4 - Monday
Lesson 10: Help needed for mate
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/help-needed
Extra video
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/secrets-of-the-battering-ram
Extra articles:
https://www.chesskid.com/terms/fools-mate
https://www.chesskid.com/terms/scholars-mate-chess
Important to learn
1. Help mate, any piece can help
2. battery (battering ram) is a powerful pattern, two pieces point to same direction, can be B+Q or R+Q
5 practices (a little bit hard, some may require 2 or more moves)
Last practice was Nigel Short's famous King walking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d58QPJJ7QPw
Please continue with the vision training everyday this week, 5 times a day.
Click Learn => Vision => START
Play one game everyday!!
Week 4 - Wednesday
Lesson 11: King and Queen mate!
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/king-and-queen-mate
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/checkmate-queen-vs-king
Important to learn:
1. Fencing the King with a Knight position
2. Shrink the jail slowly
3. No check until the end
1 workout
https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/mating-with-a-queen
5 Practices (A little tidious, but try it once anyway)
Please continue with the vision training everyday this week, 5 times a day.
Click Learn => Vision => START
Play one game everyday!!
Week 4 - Friday
Lesson 12: Rook Roller!
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/rook-roller2
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/nowhere-to-hide-checkmate-with-king-and-2-rooks-against-king
https://www.chesskid.com/videos/chesskid-curriculum-lesson-4---the-basic-mates (this is more like review)
Important to learn
1. For 2-rook mate, push the King to one edge
2. If the King is close, move the Rook to another side, as far away as possible
1 workout
https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/2-rook-mate
5 Practices (A little tidious, but try it once anyway)
Please continue with the vision training everyday this week, 5 times a day.
Click Learn => Vision => START
Play one game everyday!!
========================================================
Week 5 - Monday
Lesson 13: Castling
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/castling
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/he-shouldve-castled-early-on---part-12
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/when-we-were-chess-kids-learning-the-hard-way
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/when-we-were-chess-kids-if-you-dont-know-ask
If you really have time, enjoy these videos
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/he-shouldve-castled-early-on---part-2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/he-shouldve-castled-early-on---part-3
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/he-shouldve-castled-early-on---part-4
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/he-shouldve-castled-early-on---part-5
Important to learn:
1. Castling is a special move, making your king safe and activating your Rook
2. 5 conditions: no piece in middle, no move, no check (under, through, into)
3. Castling early!!
5 practices
Number counts!
Please play one game everyday!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 5 puzzles everyday!
Week 5 - Wednesday
Lesson 14: Special pawn moves
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/special-pawn-moves2
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-language-of-chess-promotion
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/using-quotspecial-movesquot-in-your-chess-games
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-language-of-chess-en-passant
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-square-rules (a little advanced)
Important to learn
1. Promotion
2. En passant (have to do it at next move). No need to worry about this. After a kid sees it couple times, s/he will remember.
3. under promotion
5 practices
Number counts!
Please play one game everyday!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 5 puzzles everyday!
Week 5 - Friday
Lesson 15: Back rank mates
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/back-rank-mate
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-1-what-is-back-rank-checkmate
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-2-the-doubled-heavies
Important to learn:
1. look out for back rank (especially after castling)
2. tactic knowledge: piece that is overloading (trying to protect two pieces)
3. twofold attack
4. get an escaping square for your king
5 practices (last two involve some tactics)
Puzzle => Themes => Back Rank
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/back-rank
Number counts!
Please play one game everyday!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 5 puzzles everyday!
========================================================
week 6 - Monday
Lesson 16: First move
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/first-moves---part-1
5 practices (last one is a little hard)
Extra videos:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/consequences
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-chess-piece-who-swallowed-a-fly---part-12
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-language-of-chess-development
Important to learn:
1. opening principles: center, develop and castling
Puzzle => Themes => Mate in 1
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/mate-in-1
Number counts!
Please play one game everyday!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 5 puzzles everyday!
week 6 - Wednesday
Lesson 17: First move - part 2
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/first-moves-part-2
5 practices (4 is the Opera game, 5 is scholar mate)
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/develop-pieces-not-pawns
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-chess-piece-who-ate-a-fly---part-2
Important to learn:
1. opening principles
2. do NOT bring major piece out too early
Puzzle => Themes => Mate in 1
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/mate-in-1
Number counts!
Please play one game everyday!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 5 puzzles everyday!
week 6 - Friday
This week we only do two lessons. If you are lag behind，please try catch up.
Puzzle => Themes => Mate in 1
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/mate-in-1
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday!
========================================================
week 7 - Monday
Lesson 17: Hanging pieces
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/hanging-pieces2
5 practices
Important to learn:
1. Watch out for hanging pieces
2. Compare values when there are two choices
3. Always think why your opponent made the move, any piece hanging?
Puzzle => Themes => Hanging piece
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/hanging-piece
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday!
week 7 - Wednesday
Lesson 18: Learn to count
video https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/learning-to-count
5 practices
Important to learn:
1. If you want to win a piece, the number of your attackers should be bigger than the number of defenders
2. If you want to safely protect your pieces, the number of your defenders should be at least equal to the number of attackers
3. Include the attacker/defender after exchange starts (mostly through battery)
Puzzle => Themes => Hanging piece
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/hanging-piece
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday!
week 7 - Friday
No lesson on Fridays any more. If you need catch up, please use the weekend to catch up.
Now our focus is on Puzzles and Fast Games!
Puzzle => Themes => Hanging piece
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/hanging-piece
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Extra video about back rank:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-1-what-is-back-rank-checkmate
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-2-the-doubled-heavies
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-3-creating-a-flight-square
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-4-protecting-flight-squares
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-5-quiz-time
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-6-more-advanced-mates
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-part-7-an-exciting-example
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-7-advanced-deflection-tactics
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/back-rank-checkmate-9-amazing-example-game
========================================================
week 8 - Monday
Lesson 18: Tactics: Double attack
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/tactics-the-fork
5 practices
Important to learn:
1. attack an unguarded target
2. attack the king (check)
We start to learn tactics. This is the very basic one. 5 exercises are definitely not enough. Double attack is a building block for chess tactics. In Step 2, we do hundreds of exercises on Double attack.
Puzzle => Themes => Fork / Double attack
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/fork-double-attack
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 8 - Wednesday
Lesson 19: Tactics: The Fork!
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/tactics-the-fork
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-fearsome-fork-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-fearsome-fork-2
Important to learn:
1. f7, c7, f2, c2 are the weakest pawns on the board
2. fork is just a special case of double attack, usually with Knight
Puzzle => Themes => Fork / Double attack
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/fork-double-attack
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 8 - Friday
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/tanis-tactics
Puzzle => Themes => Fork / Double attack
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/fork-double-attack
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
week 9 - Monday
Lesson 20: Tactics: The pin
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/tactics-the-pin
Extra videos
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-piercing-pin-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-piercing-pin-2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-piercing-pin-3
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-piercing-pin-4
6 practices (last one: Legall mate)
Important to learn:
1. absolute pin, relative pin
2. pp on pp: put pressure on pinned piece
Puzzle => Themes => Fork / Pin
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pin
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 9 - Wednesday
Lesson 21: Tactics: Skewer
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/tactics-the-skewer
Extra videos:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-scintillating-skewer-1-what-is-a-skewer
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-scintillating-skewer-2-simple-skewers
6 practices (last one: Legall mate)
Important to learn:
1. skewer vs pin
Puzzle => Themes => Fork / Skewer
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/skewer
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 9 - Friday
Extra videos
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-scintillating-skewer-3-recognizing-target-lines
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-scintillating-skewer-4-two-move-skewers
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-scintillating-skewer-5-trap-that-queen
Puzzle => Themes => Fork / Pin
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pin
Puzzle => Themes => Fork / Skewer
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/skewer
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
week 10 - Monday
Lesson 22: Tactics: Discovered Attack!
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/tactics-discovered-attack
(last example was smothering mate)
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-devastating-discovered-attack-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-devious-discovery-2-double-attack
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-devious-discovery-3-discovered-check
10 practices
(one is windmill, most similar to theme now)
Puzzle => Themes => Discovered Attack
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/discovered-attack
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 10 - Wednesday
Lesson 23: King and Rook Mate
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/king-and-rook-mate
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/closing-the-box-checkmate-with-king-and-rook-against-king
Important to learn:
1. cut off with Rook
2. waiting move
5 practices
(be patient)
Workout: https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/mating-with-a-rook
Puzzle => Themes => Basic Checkmates
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/basic-checkmates
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 10 - Friday
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/checkmating-patterns-anastasias-mate
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/crushing-the-castle-9-anastasias-mate
Puzzle => Themes => Basic Checkmates
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/basic-checkmates
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
week 11 - Monday
Lesson 23: Your opponent
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/your-opponents-move2
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-language-of-chess-defense
5 practices
(difficult, if you don't know what they are looking for)
Important to learn:
1. defending is most difficult!
Puzzle => Themes => Defense
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/defense
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 11 - Wednesday
Lesson 24: The openings
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/phases-of-the-game
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/how-to-keep-score-algebraic-notation
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-language-of-chess-opening-middlegame-endgame
10 practices
The difficulty level went up too quickly. If you can't get all the points, it's fine.
Puzzle => Themes => Mate in 2
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/mate-in-2
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 11 - Friday
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-italian-game2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/opening-traps-the-scholars-mate
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/opening-traps-more-scholars-mate
Puzzle => Themes => Mate in 2
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/mate-in-2
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
week 12 - Monday
Lesson 25: The passed pawn
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/the-great-pawn-race
Extra videos:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/language-of-chess-passed-pawn
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/watch-out-for-rook-vs-passed-pawns
(the second one is hard)
10 practices
(some about breakthrough and zugzwang, which are hard)
Important to learn:
1. square of the pawn
2. skewer
Workout:
https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/converting-an-extra-pawn
https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/kp-converting-extra-passer
https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/kp-converting-extra-passer
Puzzle => Themes => Pawn Promotion
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pawn-promotion
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 12 - Friday
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/tactics
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/play-like-alice
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/tanis-tactics
Puzzle => Themes => Pawn Promotion
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pawn-promotion
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
week 13 - Monday
Lesson 26: Opposition
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/king-to-king-opposition
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/a-tale-of-a-king-and-pawn
10 practices (opposition is the key, don't think too much for some practices)
Important to learn:
1. king opposition, flanking
2. key square
3. squeeze
Workout:
https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/most-important-k-v-kp-draw
https://www.chesskid.com/workouts/winning-with-an-extra-pawn
Puzzle => Themes => Pawn Promotion
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pawn-promotion
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 13 - Friday
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-3
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-4
Puzzle => Themes => Pawn Promotion
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pawn-promotion
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
week 14 - Monday
Lesson 27: The Scholar's Mate
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/tactics-on-the-f-pawns
10 practices (opposition is the key, don't think too much for some practices)
Important to learn:
1. f2, f7 pawn is the weakest spot
2. sacrifice is often the key to open the position, calculation is required for chasing the King into a mating net.
3. removing defender is another common theme to win the Queen
Puzzle => Themes => Attacking f7/f2
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/attacking-f7-f2
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
week 14 - Friday
Extra video
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/opening-traps-scholars-mate-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/think-before-you-move-that-f-pawn----part-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-3
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-4
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-5
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-6
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-7
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-8
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-weakest-square-9
Puzzle => Themes => Attacking f7/f2
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/attacking-f7-f2
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 15 - Monday
Lesson 28: When to check
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/when-to-check
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. do not do random check in openings (wasting time, helping/forcing your opponent develop，etc.)
2. check is a good way to gain a tempo (saving under double attack)
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 15 - Friday
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/ten-fancy-checkmates
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/two-bishops-checkmate
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 16 - Monday
Lesson 29: When to trade
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/trading-to-win
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. trade to simplify when you are up
2. trade to save your game when you are in danger
3. trade to simplify when you have a simple clear winning plan (may give back some material)
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 16 - Friday
Extra videos:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/two-bishops-checkmate
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/opening-traps-the-scholars-mate
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 17 - Monday
Lesson 30: When to trade
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/piling-up-on-pinned-pieces
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. adding more attackers to the pinned piece
2. do NOT exchange earlier
Puzzle => Themes => Pin
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pin
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 17 - Friday
Extra video
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-immortal-pin-game
Puzzle => Themes => Pin
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/pin
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 18 - Monday
Lesson 31: Open files
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/open-files
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. always look for open files
2. problem 9 is about defending, do NOT let your opponent create open files.
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 18 - Friday
Extra video
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/hot-file
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 19 - Monday
Lesson 32: Removing the guard
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/removing-the-guard
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. This is the third tactic we teach in Step 2
2. Find the target (treasure), find the guard (defender), then remove it
3. Three ways to remove the defender: capture it, luring it away, or drive it away.
Puzzle => Themes => Remove the defender
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/remove-the-defender
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 19 - Friday
Extra video:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/destroying-the-defender
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/distracting-the-defender2
Puzzle => Themes => Remove the defender
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/remove-the-defender
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 20 - Monday
Lesson 33: Decoy and Deflection
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/decoy-and-deflection
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. This is basically removing defender
2. Some under-promotion is required
3. Some are actually luring
Puzzle => Themes => decoy/deflection
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/decoy-deflection
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 20 - Friday
Extra video
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/the-deadly-decoy
Puzzle => Themes => decoy/deflection
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/decoy-deflection
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 21 - Monday
Lesson 34: Opposition: Advanced King Play
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/opposition-part-2---advanced-king-play
10 practices (some exercises are hard)
Important to learn:
1. Understand distant opposition
2. fixed pawns winning technics
3. key squares
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 21 - Friday
videos:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-3
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/more-king-and-pawn-endgames---part-4
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/king-and-pawn-endgames---part-5
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 22 - Monday
Lesson 35: Queen vs pawn
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/queen-vs-pawn
10 practices (some exercises are hard)
Important to learn:
1. Keep checking until the king gets in front of the pawn
2. Usually pawn on b, d, e, g files are win
3. Bishop pawn and Rook pawn are draw due to stalemate
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 22 - Friday
videos:
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/tricks-with-kings-and-pawns---part-1
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/tricks-with-kings-and-pawns----part-2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/tricks-with-kings-and-pawns----part-3
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/tricks-with-kings-and-pawns----part-4
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 23 - Monday
Lesson 36: Attraction
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/attraction
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. Usually we name this tactic as luring
2. Most problems are not hard
3. It's Step 3-4 material
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 23 - Friday
Videos: https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/funmaster-mikhail-tal
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 24 - Monday
Lesson 37: Smothered Mate
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/smothered-mate
10 practices (all are pretty easy)
Important to learn:
1. the classical smothering mate (Queen sacrifice and mate)
2. other similar ones
Puzzle => Themes => smothered mate
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/smothered-mate
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 24 - Friday
video: https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/chesskid-youth-speed-chess-championship-finals-fm-yagiz-erdogmus-vs-cm-ilan-schnaider
Puzzle => Themes => smothered mate
Try 10 problems
You may have to use link, if you can't see Themes:
https://www.chesskid.com/puzzles/smothered-mate
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 25 - Monday
Lesson 38: Strong And Weak Pawns
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/strong-and-weak-pawns
10 practices
Important to learn:
1. strong pawns: passed pawn, connect pawns
2. weak pawns: double pawn, backward pawn
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 25 - Friday
video: https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/attacking-the-hook-pawn
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/funmastermike-and-alices-pawn-palace-episode-1
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 26 - Monday
Lesson 39: Outposts
video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/outposts
10 practices (all are pretty ok)
Important to learn:
1. look for outposts, especially with an anchor pawn
2. don't think too much, get the outposts first, we will think about how to use it later
3. this is positional thinking, not tactical.
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Week 26 - Friday
video: https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/funmastermike-and-alices-pawn-palace-episode-2
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/funmastermike-and-alices-pawn-palace-episode-3
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 27 - Monday
Lesson 40: How Your Pieces Work Together
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/pieces-working-together-2
10 practices (only #9 is hard)
Important to learn:
1. the topic is very general.
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 28
Lesson 41: Bishop vs Knight (King 18)
Video: https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/bishop-vs-knight
10 practices (read instructions, some are just tactics)
Important to learn:
1. Good knight, bad knight
2. Good bishop, bad bishop
3. Knight maneuver
4. mobility and domination
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 29
Lesson 42: zugzwang (King 19)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/tactics-zugzwang
10 practices (#8 had a glitch, didn't let me go down. #10 is hard, I still can't calculate very clearly)
Important to learn:
1. wait for your opponent make a bad move (forced)
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 30
Lesson 43: How to plan (King 20)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/how-to-plan
10 practices (last exercise is hard)
Important to learn:
1. check, capture, threat
2. the lesson is not hard, most examples are seen somewhere, such as the most difficult one-move checkmate, the skewer sample, and the simple trap.
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 31
Lesson 44: What is tactics? (King 21)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/calculating-tactics
10 practices (last exercise is tricky)
Important to learn:
1. the lesson is actually easier than previous few
2. search for opportunities
3. trap, discover, luring, double attack, remove defender, etc..
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 32
Lesson 45: Opening the Center (King 22)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/opening-the-center
10 practices (they are hard, I only passed with 100% during second try)
Important to learn:
1. this is about opening principle, development is the key
2. opening the center when you can attack
3. attack is more important than piece values.
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 33
Lesson 46: Pawn breakthrough (King 23)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/pawn-breakthroughs-on-the-wing
10 practices (they are not hard)
Important to learn:
1. must know positions: 2 vs 1, 3 vs 3
2. always play on two sides
3. piece sacrafice is also possible to create breakthrough
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 34
Lesson 47: King Activity (King 24)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/king-activity
10 practices (end games and a few opening or middlegames, some are hard)
Important to learn:
1. it's beneficial to watch the lesson and do practices multiple times. The contents are hard, about Step 5 level.
2. do not focus too much on calculation, focus on activating king
3. not every game ends up as win, sometimes draw is good enough
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
Extra video
https://www.chesskid.com/learn/videos/practical-endgame-lessons-1-king-activity
========================================================
Week 35
Lesson 48: Ways to draw (King 25)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/ways-to-draw
10 practices (first 5 don't require any move. last 5 are a little difficult. be patient!)
Important to learn: (5 ways to draw)
1. Insufficient checkmating material
2. Repetition of position
3. Stalemate
4. Draw by agreement
5. The 50-move rule
6. Knowledge about fortress, wrong bishop
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 36
Lesson 49: Rooks On the Seventh Rank (King 26)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/7th-rank-power-rooks-in-the-endgame
10 practices (first few are a little hard, later few are more tactical)
Important to learn:
1. This is important positional idea
2. open file + 7th rank
3. critical in endgames with Rook and a few pawns
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 37
Lesson 50: Good pieces vs bad pieces (King 27)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/good-and-bad-pieces
10 practices (most are ok, one is more positional)
Important to learn:
1. This is important positional idea
2. Rook likes 7th rank
3. active pieces are better than passive pieces
4. improve your piece activities
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 38
Lesson 51: Underpromotion (King 28)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/underpromotion
10 practices (problem 5 and 10 are hard, others are ok)
Important to learn:
1. Do not stalemate your opponent
2. promote with a check is usually good
3. Zugzwang move will help gain pieces
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 39
Lesson 52: Isolated pawn (King 29)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/more-on-isolated-pawns
10 practices (the first 5 are easy, but the second 5 are hard. I took it twice to pass. Not sure what is required.)
Important to learn:
1. Isolated pawn is a weakness, need to be blocked.
2. Isolated pawn gives space adavantage.
2. The side with isolated pawn should avoid entering endgame too soon.
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 40
Lesson 52: Double pawn (King 30)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/more-doubled-pawns
10 practices (the first 6 are easy, problem 6-9 has glitch. If you can't pass, try refresh the screen. If you failed the whole test, try it again.)
Important to learn:
1. Double pawns are usually bad, especially when they are isolated and blocked.
2. The adavantage of double pawns: create pawn mass, control more squares, and provide open files for Rook.
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================
Week 41
Lesson 51: Backward pawn (King 31)
https://www.chesskid.com/lessons/video/more-on-backward-pawns
10 practices (the first 3 are easy, but the rest are hard. If you failed the whole test, try it again.)
Important to learn:
1. Backward pawns are more close to positional idea.
2. Outpost is important to take over
Number counts!
Please play 10 games every week!!
We will start working on puzzles. Please try 10 puzzles everyday, i.e. 70 puzzles every week!
========================================================