STARTING A CHESS CLUB – A CHALLENGING AND EXCITING ENDEAVOR

The U.S. Chess Trust will be donating some chess sets to this program, and an e-mail has been sent to the U.S. Chess Federation requesting further information about the Club Tournament Director’s Certification.

I would like to thank Mr. Larkin for sending us the following information, we hope it will inspire others to start a chess club !

YOUNG KNIGHTS CHESS CLUB – EDWARD J. LARKIN

I plan on teaching and promoting chess to both students new to chess and the more advanced.

By teaching a curriculum which includes board set up, how pieces move and value of each piece, concepts such as check, checkmate, castle, en passant and pawn promotion to beginners.

For students who have grasped the basics, plans are to teach in conjunction with criteria established by myself and a high school student teacher – the tools needed to prepare for tournament level chess strategy, etiquette, and rules.

Students will need to demonstrate mating strategies, tactics, board vision and control as well as testing in order to advance to various levels of certifications and recognition.

I have aligned myself with other instructors and players in Wisconsin to produce and understand knowledge to run a program consistent and worthy of U.S. Chess Federation backing. I am most interested in resources that will enable me to become an efficient USCF tournament director.

As a follow-up to a recent blog here are some pictures of a Young Knights Chess Club meeting given by the Young Leaders Academy, the school connected to the Northside YMCA in Milwaukee.

Edward J. Larkin