I am hosting a free writing contest here on my blog!  Please email your story to LauraSherman@earthlink.net.

The winner will receive a small prize geared especially for them.  Plus their story will be featured on this blog, as well as my writing blog.

This is a “Flash Fiction” contest.  Flash Fiction is a story that is very short (typically less than 1000 words).

Write about a personal chess memory you had as a child.  It could be the first time you played a parent, or when you stepped into your first tournament or when you played in your school’s chess club.

I have so many wonderful chess memories.  I look forward to hearing about yours!

Deadline is June 30, 2010.  Enter as many times as you like.

Image via Wikipedia

I asked my husband to write a piece on his tournament chess experience as a child. Here is a fond memory from Dan:

Tournament Life
By Dan Sherman

As I became more interested in chess as a boy, I knew I wanted to play in a tournament. Of course I hoped for success, but mostly I longed to be part of a competition with rows of players at their boards, each pitting their skill against an opponent.

Finally the day arrived. I walked into the large tournament hall, on the ground floor of a hotel by the airport. There were a few hundred players, of all ages and abilities. I found the pairings sheet, which tells all the players their board number and whether they have the white or black pieces, and sat down at my board. The Tournament Director thanked everyone for coming, made a couple of announcements and instructed us to start our games.

I lost my first game, but there were five more to go and I was thrilled to be part of this chess gala. Yet the best part of the tournament, the one that would improve my play the most, took place between the scheduled games.

I walked with a group of chessplayers to a nearby fast food restaurant. There was plenty of time before the next round. Inside the restaurant was an incredible scene, one I had never imagined. Chessplayers were everywhere. Most of the tables had a roll-up board in the middle, with players seated on both sides looking on as someone “went over their game” by reading moves from their scoresheet and re-creating the tournament game he or she had just played. I found an open seat at one of the tables and sat down.

The player showcasing his or her game gave their opinion of various moves, whether each was good or bad, and what moves might have been played instead and why. The onlookers chimed in with suggestions. You could ask a question, like “Why can’t white go here?”, and the player going over the game might say, “Right, I thought he might do that, and I was going to play this…”, or “No, he can’t do that…” and he or she would show you why. No one criticized you for suggesting something or asking a question.

For the three days of that tournament I happily lived and breathed chess. There was the morning game, then over to the fast food place to go over games and eat, or just sip a drink if you weren’t hungry, then the afternoon game.

I finished with two wins, three losses and a draw in the tournament. Yet starting with that tournament my skill improved greatly. I could beat my friends at school every time now. At subsequent tournaments I could see I had improved. And of course I always went with fellow players between rounds to eat and “go over games”.

Chess gives children so much self-confidence.  In a world where they are often ignored, their viewpoints and opinions are overridden by adults on a regular basis, it is wonderfully exhilarating for them to have an area where they are king or queen.

You may think that a child needs to be a champion in order to feel great about themselves.  Actually I have found that children just need to start playing.  They get an almost cocky edge when they know a bit about the game.  It’s the slightly crooked smile that is the dead give away.

When we teach at schools we are often greeted with an enthusiastic “CHESS!!!” when we enter the room.  Some days we come in and volunteer time in order to give the children a chance to just play.

Last Wednesday we went to Delphi and I entered a lower school class of 8 year olds.  Their teacher had given us permission to take them to the library to play a little.  It was open to anyone who was interested.  We were all amazed when every single student jumped up and formed a line.  They all wanted to play.

They love to play and learn.  They love to show off their skills and try new things.

Consider teaching your children to play chess.  Allow them to be proud of every step they take, praise them and watch their self-confidence soar.

Image by cambodia4kidsorg via Flickr

Dan and I started a chess club at one of the schools where we teach.  We volunteer our time to come in and set up boards and pieces and just let children play (without instruction). 

We set up a chess ladder, where the children a ranked by victories.  If they win a game they swap places with the person they beat (if that child is higher on the ladder).

This is a time honored chess club tradition, one that is proving to be popular with our students.  We started this to encourage students to play more.  It is important that they practice during the week, trying out what we teach them about the game.

We update the ladder weekly and post it up in their lunchroom for all to see.  They love to see where they stand and enjoy playing with each other to move up to a higher position.  I hope to find a way to get them to play more, at home and during free time at school.  One of the best ways to improve at chess is simply to play. 

At the end of the school year we will offer the winner a trophy and prize.  Hopefully it will carry over to the next year and many students will try to be number 1 on the ladder!