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 by ninahale via Flickr

In a little over a week we will have our first chess tournament of 2010!  The children are all very excited.  There will be over 40 children in attendance, their ages ranging from 5 – 14.  Some are experienced chess players, while some just learned how the pieces move.

We will have the tournament in the lunchroom at Delphi Academy of Florida on Monday, February 22nd.  It is the perfect location.

Delphi Academy, Clearwater Academy and Jewish Day School will all be in attendance.  Although Jewish Day School are the “new kids on the block” for these tournaments, a number of them have been playing in local tournaments on the weekends.

In the past we have kept it informal, focusing on the win of participation. However this year we will offer prizes to the winners of each section.

Although there will still be the joy of becoming a “tournament chess player” for all our new students, prizes are important motivation for study and play outside of class.

My husband will be playing 10 children at the same time this Wednesday at Academie Da Vinci Charter School for the Arts in Dunedin, Florida at 3pm.

This event is called a Simultaneous.  They are a lot of fun and show that chess doesn’t have to be so serious and stuffy.

When we do this the kids often help each other, talk over moves, banter with Dan and just have a raucous time!

We are always happy to give these events for free for any school or organization.  Making chess cool and fun is one of our chief goals!

The winner of this month’s photo contest: Louis Lima and his daughter playing chess

We started a photo contest last month, which was successful.  So many great pictures were sent in!

I invite any of your to send me pictures of your children playing chess.  Also let me know if I can feature them on my blog and newsletter (and how you’d like the credit to read).

The winning pictures will get a little prize from us (for your child).

If you wish to receive our newsletters, please opt in at www.YourChessCoach.com or just contact me at Laura@YourChessCoach.com.