by Todd Bardwick, 188pp. (2006 Chess Detective; large format)
A Workbook and Instruction Book for Beginners
This is a large-format, fun, comprehensive workbook and instruction book for children (and adults!) who are new to chess or who are in the beginning stages of learning to play the royal game. Ten basic chess lessons and chess rules are presented in detail.
Chess Workbook for Children can be used in conjunction with the book Teaching Chess in the 21st Century, a teaching guide for teachers or parents, complete with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards. Chess Workbook for Children includes:
Chess rules and basic strategies
200 problems with comprehensive answer key at two skill levels: Basset Hound (beginner) and Chess Detective (Intermediate)
Tried and true tested analogies that children will relate to so that they will learn chess in an effective and fun way
I have been teaching chess in my intermediate classroom for 18 years. I have searched high and low for teaching materials to use with my students new to chess, and can confidently state that NM Bardwick's books are the most organized and ability appropriate activity books I have found. By using his new workbook in coordination with "Teaching Chess in the 21st Century," I am confident that I can systematically develop a more effective teaching plan with the members of my chess club.
The material in his workbook is organized in a truly systematic and easily read manner, focusing upon the student who is in the beginning stages of learning the game of chess. Each chapter has 20 problems for the student, ten for the pure beginner, ten for the intermediate student. This book uses cartoons and diagrams (always with lucid explanations) which further facilitate a clarity of learning. These visuals are creative and appealing and correlate to the material presented. Both are completely consistent with the concepts taught within the given chapter, providing the student with immediate reinforcement of their progress.
As a final bonus, the answers to the chapter questions, which are found in the appendix of the book, are also extremely effective learning tools, given that the answers are explained in detail. One thing I really appreciate about this workbook is that it remains focused upon the basics. The student is never required to make a massive 1000 point rating jump, which seems to be commonplace in most other introductory chess books.
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Only a few chess players work at chess to the best of their abilities.
Boris Gelfand
Puzzle Answer
1.Rd7! Bxd7 2.Qxd7 Qb6+ 3.Kh1 Re8 4.Rxe7! Rxe7 5.Bd6 Qxd6 6.Qxd6+- Gelfand-Salov, Madrid 1996 (Source: Anthology of Chess Combinations)
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