Chess

CHESS STUDY GUIDE

Study-aids are listed after requirements
Get worksheets at usscouts.org

2013 Requirements

Discuss with your merit badge counselor the history of the game of chess. Explain why it is considered a game of planning and strategy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_chess
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
http://www.gatewaychess.org/Quick_Guide.pdf
http://www.il-chess.org/index.php/sportsmanship-and-etiquette Archived
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 piece
b. How to set up a chessboard
c. How each chess piece moves, including castling and en passant captures
http://www.chess.com/learn-how-to-play-chess Archived
videos: http://www.chess.com/video/library
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess
- You may learn about Scouting’s Teaching EDGE from your unit leader, another Scout, or by attending training.
  "What does EDGE mean?
  Explain how it is done - Tell them
  Demonstrate the steps - Show them
  Guide learners as they practice - Watch them do it
  Enable them to succeed on their own - Use memory aids, practice it, they teach it"
  source: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Trainer’s_EDGE
Do the following:
a. Demonstrate scorekeeping using the algebraic system of chess notation.
video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ntPPfbh3zEM?rel=0   Algebraic Notation-Chess (Beginner)
  danheisman.com/Articles/recording_chess.htm Archived
b. Discuss the differences between the opening, the middle game, and the endgame.
slides 18-29: slideshare.net/rockmarttroop23/chess-merit-badge
c. Explain four opening principles.
See slides in 4b: "centralization (control the center of the board), quick development, early castling, knights before bishops."
d. Explain the four rules for castling.
   "1. The King & Rook have not yet moved 2. All squares between the King & Rook are empty 3. The King is not in check 4. The King does not move to or through check."
   source: slideshare.net/ChuckVohs/chess-45176032 slide 29 Archived PDF from MB class
e. On a chessboard, demonstrate a "scholar's mate" and a "fool's mate."
   fool's mate: chess.com/chessopedia/view/fools-mate
scholar's mate: youtube.com/embed/rjirhvSc7_c Chess - Scholar's Mate from Chess4Success
f. Demonstrate on a chessboard four ways a chess game can end in a draw.
   "Draw: When a Game Ends in a Tie!
-Stalemate: when the player to move has no legal move and is not in check
-Threefold Repetition: when the same position occurs 3 times with the same player to move
-Fifty-Move Rule: when the last 50 successful moves made by both players contains no capture or pawn move
-A draw also occurs when neither player has sufficient material to checkmate. "
   source: slideshare.net/rockmarttroop23/chess-merit-badge    slide 28
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.
   For a and b: meritbadge.org/wiki/images/e/e2/06_Presentation_--_Strategy_and_Tactics.ppt   Available online from troop 007
See also slides 29-30: slideshare.net/rockmarttroop23/chess-merit-badge
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.
From the editor: First try to solve this on your own, but if help is needed, see the following:
   PPT presentation: meritbadge.org/wiki/images/a/ae/09_Presentation_--_Chess_Problems.ppt
Available online from troop 007
d. Set up and solve five direct-mate problems provided by your merit badge counselor.
   For the counselor's consideration: Google search for "win in 1-2 moves, chess problems for beginners"
  http://www.chess.com/forum/view/more-puzzles/300-checkmate-puzzles-puzzles-1---50
editors' note: "direct-mate" means to win in a few moves, usually 1 or 2.
Do ONE of the following:
a. 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.
b. 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.
c. Organize and run a chess tournament with at least four players, plus you. Have each competitor play at least two games.

Additional learning:
A free chess game for Windows: ShaagChess.zip from gamesbyscott.com, distributed with permission.
   (editor's note: this is my favorite free game to learn how to play chess because it shows eligible moves and has differing levels of difficulty, but it doesn't work at high levels. For challenging levels, consider Brutal Chess. See also DreamChess)
   video: http://www.chess.com/video/player/play-chess-today-part-i Intro to Chess
   Kindle e-books ($0 - $3, available to read on PC or at read.amazon.com)
videos youtube.com/user/MatoJelic/playlists from Mato Jelic
   chess-teacher.com/free-training-course from Igor Smirnov youtube.com/user/GMIgorSmirnov
  mateinone.com win in 1 move