| Many people still think that the game of chess is | | | | were highly gifted. I will never forget a little boy, 8 |
| appropriate for old people. In their mind's eye, | | | | years old, who played a game of "blindfold" chess |
| they see 2 elderly people sitting across from each | | | | with the teacher, who was a master. "Blindfold" |
| other in the park, playing a game of chess.Well, it | | | | means that the player is not looking at the board, |
| might sound surprising to you, but you can teach | | | | and has to play the game out of memory. The |
| a baby to play chess. It has shown to be | | | | little boy played a whole game out of memory, |
| extremely beneficial for children of all ages to | | | | and beat the master.The most successful children |
| learn to play chess, and in addition, it is very | | | | were the ones who started very early. Children |
| entertaining. It is impossible to describe how much | | | | who had an older sibling who played Chess, or a |
| value a child gets from playing chess.When my | | | | parent who played Chess, and had the |
| son Eric was about 2 or 3, he showed interest in | | | | opportunity to watch the game when they were |
| board games, so I asked my husband if he knew | | | | babies.If you have a baby, if possible let the baby |
| how to play chess. I didn't know how to play | | | | watch people playing Chess. Do you play Chess? |
| Chess at the time, but luckily my husband knew | | | | Wonderful! Let the baby watch. If you do not play |
| the basics, and volunteered to teach little Eric. Eric | | | | Chess, find a Chess club in your neighborhood, a |
| took to it immediately. One day, my husband and | | | | park or a coffeehouse and let the baby watch |
| I walked into a computer store, to buy a piece of | | | | the games as long as the baby is interested.Some |
| hardware, and in the back room, we saw a | | | | babies will be fascinated and watch the game for |
| person sitting in front of the computer, playing | | | | a long time, some will watch just for a few |
| Chess. We started a conversation with him, and | | | | minutes. No problem! Let the baby watch as long |
| found out that he was a Chess teacher. When | | | | as it wants. Even a few minutes will do. Do it as |
| we came home, we asked Eric if he would like us | | | | often as possible.At home, have a Chess board |
| to find a teacher for him, and he was very | | | | around, and occasionally just show the baby the |
| excited about it.After some looking around and | | | | different pieces, and mention their names. Do it a |
| making some phone calls (now I know exactly | | | | few times a day. This is a good start for a baby, |
| who to call and where to look) we found a new | | | | to get acquainted with the Chess pieces.When |
| immigrant from Russia who was a gifted Chess | | | | your child is ready (and the parents know best!), |
| teacher. Some of his students became very | | | | you can show him how to move the pieces. A |
| famous grandmasters. So we made an | | | | little bit a day will do. Make sure that the child |
| appointment with the teacher, and he played a | | | | spends some time around Chess players and gets |
| game of Chess with our baby. He looked at us | | | | the opportunity to watch some games.For school |
| after the game and said, a little bit amazed: "he is | | | | age children, the best thing to do is to sit with |
| making all the right moves, it is amazing". Eric was | | | | them, explain the game and play with them. If |
| 4 at the time, and the teacher took him on as a | | | | you don't enjoy Chess or don't know how to |
| student.Since then, Chess has been a part of our | | | | play, you can find a teacher, or a Chess club that |
| life. Chess has enriched our lives a great deal. | | | | accommodates children.Here is a special word |
| Thanks to Chess, we have traveled and seen | | | | about girls and Chess: some of the best chess |
| some parts of the world and the country we | | | | players are girls! Just look at the sisters Polgar, |
| would have never traveled to otherwise. | | | | and many other female chess players. If you |
| Whenever we visited a new place, we always | | | | have a girl, encourage her to play chess, it is a |
| looked for a street corner or a coffee house | | | | most beneficial activity for girls, as well as |
| where people play chess, and always met | | | | boys.There are many Chess computer games on |
| interesting people and made new friends. There is | | | | the market, starting from very affordable |
| always something new to learn, and avid players | | | | programs, like Chessmaster, and up to very |
| spend a significant amount of time learning and | | | | expensive software and dedicated Chess |
| practicing. Many people find enjoyment in | | | | computers. They are all fine, but remember - |
| participating in tournaments.All over the country | | | | when your child plays with human beings, he |
| there are many chess clubs that encourage the | | | | learns much more and enjoys himself a lot more. |
| participation of children, and many scholastic | | | | It is a completely different experience. So take |
| tournaments are taking place all over the country. | | | | my advice, let your child play with other children, |
| Players of all skill levels are encouraged to play in | | | | or even adults. Computer games can be a good |
| tournaments, and players of similar skill levels are | | | | addition.A good place to start is the Chess |
| paired to play with each other.What will your child | | | | Federation of your country. Here, in the US, we |
| learn from playing Chess?- He will learn how to | | | | are lucky to have a very active Chess federation, |
| put together a plan, and follow up on it.- He will | | | | and many Chess activities for young children. Here |
| learn to calculate a few moves ahead of time, | | | | are some helpful links and resources: - Ten Tips |
| based on memory and imagination.- He will learn | | | | for Winning Chess - The US Chess Federation - |
| how to concentrate.- He will learn the difference | | | | The World Chess FederationFor the last 26 years, |
| between strategy and tactics.- He will learn to | | | | Esther Andrews has studied, researched and |
| think before he acts. That every move has | | | | practiced the ways to develop a child's intelligence. |
| consequences.- He will learn to play fair and to be | | | | She also served as the principal of the School for |
| courteous.- He will improve his visual memory and | | | | Gifted Education. As a result of this experience, |
| visual discrimination.- He will learn how to follow | | | | she developed her own method and philosophy, |
| the rules.- He will learn to take responsibility.- He | | | | that proved to be extremely successful with her |
| will learn to have patience.- He will develop his | | | | own 2 highly gifted children. In her web site, , she |
| creativity.There are so many more benefits to | | | | helps parents develop their child's genius, and |
| studying and playing chess, that you will have to | | | | provide for their kids the opportunity to achieve |
| discover for yourself.When we started taking little | | | | their maximum potential. |
| Eric to a kids' Chess club, we met some kids that | | | | |