Chess

1

Merit Badge Presentation by Robert Casto

Robert CastoTroop 952

Dan Beard CouncilCincinnati, OH

Instructor / Presenter

Participation and Content

• Everyone is expected to participate• Don’t be afraid to ask questions• Attitude determines altitude• Be prepared to think hard• Don’t fear failure!

It’s a great teacher!

Class Timeline

History, Benefits, Test (9-9:30) [1,2]

Training (9:30-12) [4,5]

Lunch (12-1) [3]

Tactics & Problem Solving (1-1:45) [5]

Tournament (1:45-3) [6]

Game Review (3-4) [6]

Requirement 1

Discuss with your merit badge counselor the history of the game of chess. Explain why it is considered a game of planning and strategy.

9 am

Originated in India 6th century – called chaturanga In Persia called chatrang, evolved

to shatranj Started calling “Shah Mat!”

meaning “the king is helpless” Spread to Europe by 1000

History Of Chessby Susan Polgar 5:50

Requirement

1

History of Chess

Krishna and Radhaplaying chaturanga

Fischer vs Hope 6:37

Requirement

1

Great Players

Two equally strong armies have gathered on opposite sides of a river. One commander evaluates the pluses and minuses of his and the enemy’s armies’ dispositions and comes up with a plan taking into account possible counter-attacks. The other relies on the strength of his troops and charges forward.

The outcome of the battle is rather predictable, isn’t it?

In chess the same thing happens all the time. A player who simply makes the moves he likes and hopes to win by random tactics usually succumbs to an opponent who has a plan behind his moves.

Requirement

1

Planning

• Concerned with the evaluation of chess positions and setting goals for long-term plans and future play.–Position of pieces–Pawn structure–King safety–Control of key squares–Piece Development

Requirement

1

Strategy

Requirement 2

Discuss with your merit badge counselor the following:

a) The benefits of playing chess, including developing critical thinking skills, concentration skills, and decision-making skills, and how these skills can help you in other areas of your life

b) Sportsmanship and chess etiquette

9:30 am

Chess is good for something?• Abstract reasoning - reaching

conclusions from previous knowledge• Analysis - breaking something down

into smaller things to solve• Concentration - the ability to direct

your attention to one thing.• Creativity - ability to think of

something and bring it to reality.• Critical thinking - applying logic and

careful reasoning.

Requirement

2

BenefitsPlayingChess

Requirement

2

BenefitsPlayingChess

• Evaluation - determining the value of something

• Pattern recognition - recognizing something that you have previously seen and knowing what to do in that situation.

• Problem Solving - recognizing a problem and coming up with a workable solution.

• Strategic planning - deciding what is to be done with the resources available.

• Synthesis - combining previous knowledge to help out in a current situation.

Requirement

2

BenefitsPlayingChess

Requirement

2

Sports-manship

• YOU CAN WIN: None of these have any effect on the game– Age, position, profession, rank,

gender, wealth, luck, etc.– Your skill determines the outcome

Requirement

2

Sports-manship

• Start and end with a handshake• Never gloat over a victory• Do not distract your opponent

Requirement

2

Etiquette

• Cell phones off• Observe but do not comment on

games in progress• Follow Touch-Move rule• Avoid frequent adjusting of

pieces• Behave with respect

Requirement 3

Demonstrate to your counselor that you know each of the following. Then, using Scouting's Teaching EDGE*, teach someone (preferably another Scout) who does not know how to play chess:

a) The name of each chess pieceb) How to set up a chessboardc) How each chess piece moves, including castling

and en passant captures

Do during lunch break!noon

Requirement 4Do the following:a) Demonstrate scorekeeping using the algebraic system of

chess notation.b) Discuss the differences between the opening, the middle

game, and the endgame.c) Explain four opening principles.d) Explain the four rules for castling.e) On a chessboard, demonstrate a "scholar's mate" and a

"fool's mate."f) Demonstrate on a chessboard six ways a chess game can

end in a draw.

10 am

How to Use Chess Notation 4:35

Requirement

4.1

Algebraic Notation

• Opening– The first 4 to 10 moves– Many sequences well known– Well studied and memorized

• Middle Game– More complicated with more options– Must rely on strategies and planning

• End Game– Final stage with few pieces left– Work to promote pawns– Understand how to checkmate with

certain piece combinations

Requirement

4.2

OpeningMiddle Game

Endgame

• 3 Basic Opening Strategy Principles 3:00

• Basics of The Italian Game 3:12

• Basics of The Ruy Lopez 4:31

• Basics of the Sicilian Defense 2:48

Requirement

4.3

OpeningPrinciples

• How– Move King 2 squares left or right– Bring Rook to other side of King

• Restrictions– King may not be placed into check– King may not pass through controlled

square– Neither piece may have already moved– The squares in between must be empty– King may not castle out of check

Rules of Castling in Chess 2:38

Requirement

4.4

Four Rulesfor Castling

• Also known as the 2 move checkmate

• 2 Move Checkmate 2:31

Requirement

4.5

Fool’sMate

• Also known as the 4 move checkmate

• 4 Move Checkmate 3:09

Requirement

4.5

Scholar’sMate

1. Threefold Repetition2. By Agreement3. 50 Move Rule4. Insufficient Materials5. Perpetual Check6. Stalemate

6 Ways to Draw 5:25

Requirement

4.6

Six ways to end in a draw

Requirement 5

Do the following:a) Explain four of the following elements of chess strategy: exploiting

weaknesses, force, king safety, pawn structure, space, tempo, time.b) Explain any five of these chess tactics: clearance sacrifice, decoy,

discovered attack, double attack, fork, interposing, overloading, overprotecting, pin, remove the defender, skewer, zwischenzug.

c) Set up a chessboard with the white king on e1, the white rooks on a1 and h1, and the black king on e5. With White to move first, demonstrate how to force checkmate on the black king.

d) Set up and solve five direct-mate problems provided by your merit badge counselor.

11 am

• Find ways to take advantage of weaknesses in your opponent’s game– Poor pawn structure– Weak King– Undeveloped pieces– Lack of center control

Requirement

5.1

Exploiting Weaknesses

• Refers to moves where the opponent has no choice– A check, capture, or threat

• With few options, it is easier to plan ahead what will happen

• Can move a king out into the open, or back into a corner

• A double-check, where 2 pieces are checking the king, forces it to move since both pieces cannot be taken

Requirement

5.1

Force

• King is the most important piece• Must keep it safe at all costs• Doesn’t mean it cannot help– End game is where it can be strong

• Careful moving pawn in front• Look for the stalemate• Keep opponent’s King position in

mind• Look for tactics with a weak King• Attacks are coming. Deal with it!• King Position and Safety 11:31

Requirement

5.1

KingSafety

• How to Understand Pawn Structure 3:56

Requirement

5.1

PawnStructure

• What is Space in Chess 1:57

Requirement

5.1

Space

• What is Tempo in Chess 1:26

Requirement

5.1

Tempo

• Time limit on game – Each player gets a limited amount of time to complete all of their moves

• If one player runs out of time, the game is over and they loose– Blitz : 5 minutes each– Rapidplay : 30 minutes each– Local league : 35 moves, 75 mins– International : 40 moves, 2 hours

• Don’t forget to check if your opponent has run out of time

• Know time limit before you play

Requirement

5.1

Time

• Chess clocks have 2 clocks, 1 for each player

• Black starts the clock• Pressing clock stops your timer

and starts the opponents• Digital is much easier to use• Use same hand as moved piece• Do not pick up or you forfeit• Analog clocks have a flag that

will fall when time is up

Requirement

5.1

Clocks

• A move where you give your opponent a piece in order to free up space for a move of another piece

• Usually made when a checkmate is close at hand

• Beware should your opponent offer something for free

• Brilliant Clearance Sacrifice 3:24

• Top 5 Greatest Sacrifices 12:44

Requirement

5.2

ClearanceSacrifice

• A tactic of ensnaring a piece, usually the King or Queen, by forcing it to move to poor position

• The Decoy 2:50

Requirement

5.2

Decoy

• A situation where moving a piece reveals an attack by another piece

• Discovered Attacks 5:39

Requirement

5.2

Discovered Attack

• Two attacks made at the same time

• Very unlikely to defend against both attacks

• Double Attack 5:38

Requirement

5.2

Double Attack

• Use of the Knight to attack 2 or more pieces

• When used against the King, the other attacked piece is defenseless

• Knight Fork Signals 7:57

Requirement

5.2

KnightFork

• The King doesn’t always have to move to get out of check

• Another piece can be used to block the attack

• Pawns are a good option to block the attack of a more powerful piece

• Your opponent will look for other pieces to attack the interposing piece for a chance to win it if defenses are weak

Requirement

5.2

Interposing

• A piece that is protecting too many pieces

• If the piece moves away, it will leave something unprotected

• How Overloading Works 5:53

Requirement

5.2

Overloading

• Having more than one piece controlling or attacking a single square

• The more pieces able to move to the position, the more protection there is

• It serves to discourage an opponent from attacking the position

Requirement

5.2

Over-protecting

• A piece that cannot move because it will expose a check on the King or allow a powerful piece to be taken such as the Queen

• The Pin 6:56

Requirement

5.2

Pin

• Remove the piece that is protecting another

• Once it is gone, then the other piece or position becomes vulnerable

• Removing the Defender 6:30

Requirement

5.2

Remove the

Defender

• Attack against King with a piece behind it

• Sometimes called a reverse pin• King must move out of the way• The revealed piece can be taken• Other pieces can also be

skewered

• Skewers 4:47

Requirement

5.2

Skewer

• German word that means intermediate move

• Making a move before the obvious move for some kind of benefit

• Zwishenzug 2:29

Requirement

5.2

Zwischenzug

Requirement

5.3

Show Forced

Checkmate

Requirement

5.4

Solve For Mate

Practice#1

2 Moves

Requirement

5.4

Solve For Mate

Practice#2

2 Moves

Requirement

5.4

Solve For Mate

Practice#3

2 Moves

• Use handouts to find chess problems to solve

• Pages show how many moves are needed

• You get a point for each move– So a 2 move puzzle is 2 points

• Get a total of 5 or more points• Write down the moves using

algebraic notation• Show counselor your answers

Requirement

5.4

Solve For Mate

Problems

Blue Cards

• Fill out during tournament• Fill all dates, even those for the counselor• If getting partial, fill out numbers and dates on

back in table. I will initial each as I review.• Do not present card unless it is filled out

Open Time

Tournament starts at 1:45 pm

Use this time to ask questions, review puzzles, restroom, etc.

Requirement 6Do ONE of the following:1. Play at least three games of chess with other Scouts and/or

your merit badge counselor. Replay the games from your score sheets and discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently.

2. Play in a scholastic (youth) chess tournament and use your score sheets from that tournament to replay your games with your merit badge counselor. Discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently.

3. Organize and run a chess tournament with at least four players, plus you. Have each competitor play at least two games.

1:45 pm

Tournament• Double Elimination• Medals for top 3 finishers• Must record games• Limit of 10 minutes per game

Requirement

6a

• Games chosen at random from tournament

• Due to limited time per game, many opportunities will have been missed

• This is not intended to be critical. Please view as instructive to improve play.

• Analyze decisions and possible better moves

Requirement

6a

ReplayGames

3 pm

MyContact

Info

• EMAIL: casto.robert@gmail.com

• POST:7723 Tylers Place Blvd #180West Chester, OH 45044

Help clean up please!

Geri’s Game 4:51

Intelligent Chess Move :41

Speed Chess – 2 minute game 2:47

Magnus Carlsen vs Hou Yifan 20:19