Comments on: Breaking the rules http://sayyestochess.com/wordpress/2010/03/14/breaking-the-rules/ Teaching Chess to the Next Generation Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:23:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: learn chess http://sayyestochess.com/wordpress/2010/03/14/breaking-the-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-198 learn chess Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:58:55 +0000 http://sayyestochess.com/wordpress/?p=232#comment-198 [...] Some might remember everything and some may be rusty. Some may not be able to tell the differenceSay Yes To Chess Say Yes to ChessThere are not many official rules in chess. Once you learn how the pieces move and how you win the [...] [...] Some might remember everything and some may be rusty. Some may not be able to tell the differenceSay Yes To Chess Say Yes to ChessThere are not many official rules in chess. Once you learn how the pieces move and how you win the [...]

]]> By: Your Chess Coach http://sayyestochess.com/wordpress/2010/03/14/breaking-the-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-101 Your Chess Coach Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:43:18 +0000 http://sayyestochess.com/wordpress/?p=232#comment-101 Tony, that is a very astute comment. Yes, it is important that a student know the rules first and really be pretty fluent in them, before they start playing with them too much. I don't teach about the exceptions until they come up naturally and the student is ready for it. However, in this case with the lesson last Friday, the boy was naturally coming up with the idea. I wouldn't want to tell him, "No, that's not right because the bishop is worth less than the pawn, so don't do that." because the principle was correct. He's on the right track with his thinking. It's just a bit more advanced. When you understand the value of pieces and then can see the value of a position, you can weigh them accordingly. It is important when teaching to see when a student can grasp a concept quickly and help them move along that path, at their speed. One of the beautiful things about chess is that it teaches you to think outside the box. You learn to solve the problem in creative ways. This lesson definitely translates to life! Tony, that is a very astute comment. Yes, it is important that a student know the rules first and really be pretty fluent in them, before they start playing with them too much. I don’t teach about the exceptions until they come up naturally and the student is ready for it. However, in this case with the lesson last Friday, the boy was naturally coming up with the idea. I wouldn’t want to tell him, “No, that’s not right because the bishop is worth less than the pawn, so don’t do that.” because the principle was correct. He’s on the right track with his thinking.

It’s just a bit more advanced. When you understand the value of pieces and then can see the value of a position, you can weigh them accordingly.

It is important when teaching to see when a student can grasp a concept quickly and help them move along that path, at their speed.

One of the beautiful things about chess is that it teaches you to think outside the box. You learn to solve the problem in creative ways. This lesson definitely translates to life!

]]> By: Tony Russo http://sayyestochess.com/wordpress/2010/03/14/breaking-the-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Tony Russo Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:36:05 +0000 http://sayyestochess.com/wordpress/?p=232#comment-99 First: I'm really not very good at chess, though I enjoy it. But. I'd like to think it's a lot like learning to write; you should have a pretty good mastery of the language before you start breaking its rules. My kids are notorious for massaging the language and, when questioned, say they understand they "broke a rule" but that they did it on purpose. What I tend to tell them is that if their audience (teacher) doesn't know they know they're taking liberties it just looks wrong. As an instructor, isn't it difficult to tell when the kids are actually experimenting as opposed to just not getting the precepts? First: I’m really not very good at chess, though I enjoy it.
But.
I’d like to think it’s a lot like learning to write; you should have a pretty good mastery of the language before you start breaking its rules.
My kids are notorious for massaging the language and, when questioned, say they understand they “broke a rule” but that they did it on purpose.
What I tend to tell them is that if their audience (teacher) doesn’t know they know they’re taking liberties it just looks wrong.
As an instructor, isn’t it difficult to tell when the kids are actually experimenting as opposed to just not getting the precepts?

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