|
|
In the latest newsletter of Chess in Education, our American counterpart, there was an interview with Principal EL, one of the many inspiring speakers at ChessTech2020, the online London conference.(<5 mins) Read more.
|
|
Anecdote
Sports reporting
The Hamburg master Paul Krüger (1871-1939) liked to participate in small club tournaments in the 1920s.
During one of these tournaments he was interviewed by a reporter from the local newspaper. Krüger soon realised that the writer of the paper had no idea what chess was and he did not miss the opportunity to make fun of it. The next day the astonished subscribers to the paper could read the following:
"The most exciting game of yesterday's round was contested between the Hamburg master Krüger and our top player M. The latter opened the game with the black pieces, but the guest parried the dreaded king's tiger variation of the queen's gambit and he very quickly brought M's king into the trap. After a few powerful moves, the white king also attacked the black queen, chased her all over the chessboard and when she too finally fell into a deadly trap, Krüger won the game."
Source: Anekdoten (schachecke.de)
|
|
|
|
A light-hearted take on a famous game focusing on the cadence of the moves. What rule(s) of chess did they break?
|
|
At last, a relevant book
Even without a lockdown I would prefer stay at home today. The cold temperatures are really not my cup of tea. What I like now, is a real cup of tea or a hot chocolate (OK, in the evening I would prefer a glass of Saint-Emilion Grand Cru), a cosy blanket and a good book. Pure pleasure.
I have plenty of - I guess - good books. Every day, they look at me from the bookshelf, begging me: Read me, read me, please... but I always fend off their pleas with an excuse. I will, I will, when I have lots of time or Patience, I will when I retire...
But now that I have time, those books remain on the bookshelf: I have started reading a recently published chess book. That in itself is a contradiction in terms. Chess books are not reading books. Chess books are workbooks.
Chess for Educators by Karel van Delft published by New in Chess may be the exception. A chess book with more than 260 pages of reading pleasure. Hardly any diagrams (my fingers were enough to count them. How many chess books can say this?). In a normal book, the text is then interrupted by an illuminating diagram and a variant. That is usually the reason to put the chess book aside: I am too lazy to pick up a chessboard and I cannot visualise the variant from the diagram either. Lack of skill or excess of red wine?
No, with the book I immediately get more than 260 pages of pure motivation and inspiration to give my chess lessons at school again. This must be one of the few books that fits so well with our core business: teaching chess in schools.
While other school chess books focus on concrete lessons, Karel provides insight into everything else that should be in the chess teacher's school bag (chess and autism, chess and girls, chess as social and therapeutic tool, role of the parents,...).
The author, Karel van Delft, a regular blogger at the London Chess Conference, strikes a wonderful balance in his book between practical tips and scientific foundation. On the one hand, you can use some pages as a checklist, on the other hand the references to scientific works can make any school headmaster realise that chess really belongs in the classroom. And isn't that exactly what we need to spread chess in schools?
In short, a book you should definitely read before you retire.
Philippe Vukojevic
First Rank Chief Editor Newsletter, ECU Education
|
|
Karel van Delft: Chess for Educators
Available at your specialized book shop.
|
|
|
After snow chess, try ice chess
Source: Facebook
No, the hammer is not used to bash the opponent's head in, but to ensure that the player does not get stuck in the ice. In those circumstances these gentlemen can undoubtedly take on Magnus Carlsen. It would not even surprise us if the world champion played 1.f3 and 2.g4.
|
|
Puzzle
Out of the Box
Although White is a pawn up and that he has the move, it does not look good for him. He will never catch the pawn on g5 and as long as the black King is on h8, there is no chance he will promote his pawn. Time to resign? No, not in a draw position! The question is ... with what plan can White make a draw?
Source: chess.com (15.06.2015)
White to play and draw.
|
|
Calendar ECU Education 2021
ECU-courses - Open Day
The Open Day on 13 February was a huge success and several courses were immediately confirmed!
|
|
ECU101 Course - The Smart Method to Teach Chess
* 20 & 21.02.2021 - English - John Foley/Jesper Hall - registration.
* 12,13 & 14.03.2021 - German - Boris Bruhn - registration
* 13 & 14.03.2021 - Spanish - Pep Suarez - registration
|
|
ECU102 Course - Playing mathematics on a chessboard
* 27 & 28.02.2021 - English - Rita Atkins - registration.
This course will be going online soon so there are few opportunities to have a live webinar with chess and mathematics education experts. As an example of the content, watch the video below on the knight's tour. Catch the February course whilst you still have the chance.
|
|
|
|
The knight's tour is a classic challenge to bring the knight around the board visiting each square and arriving back where it started from. The course looks are various methods: the diamond, the edge-hugging and the Warnsdorff.
|
|
ECU103 Course - Teaching Chess for Early Years
* 22, 25, 29.03.2021 & 01.04.2021
In English - Alessandro Dominici/Irene Pulzoni - registration.
If you cannot attend one of the above-mentioned courses, complete this form of pre-registration, so that we can plan a course at a moment that suits you better.
|
|
Puzzle - Answer
Out of the Box
In the diagram below, you can see a stalemate position and you can force to reach it in the following way: 1.Kf6 [Taking the black pawn is enough to draw, because the black King will simply wait on h8 or g8 till it is stalemate] 1...g4 [Only chance not to be captured] 2.Kg6 Kg8 [If 2...g3, White plays 3.h7. Black can only play his pawn: 3...g2 4.Kh6 et after the promotion of the g-pawn, the position is a draw, either by stalemate or by insufficient material to mate.] 3.h7+ Kh8 4.Kg5 g3 [Losing the pawn leads to a drawn position again] 5.Kg6! g2 and 6.Kh6! Mission accomplished!
|
|
We want your feedback
What do you think of the newsletter? What do you like, what can be better? Send us your feedback.
|
|
|
|
|
