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In a world where video games and memes are taking over our younger generations, it’s nice to know that chess is still finding its way into our schools and inspiring kids to actually think while they’re having fun. At Forked River Elementary School, students were introduced to the various sizes and shapes of Chess boards and pieces. No electronic devices necessary. Just good clean fun with an enormous, life-size chess set. Purchased through a grant from Plymouth Rock Assurance-Teacher’s Insurance Plan of New Jersey, the enormous set was designed to be a learning tool. Although students needed to give up their recess-time to play chess, Andrea Blatt, one of the adviser’s for the school’s chess club says, “We often take the set outside to the playground”, turning a seemingly ancient … Read entire article »

“Chess is my world,” said the former Soviet world champion Mikhail Tal. “Not a house, not a fortress where I hide myself from life’s hardship, but indeed the world. The world in which I live a full life, in which I prove myself.” It is a place of beauty, challenge, fierce competition, endless calculation, a unique blend of art and science. So bravo to Armenia for making it a compulsory part of the primary school curriculum. Educationists in that former Soviet republic argue that playing chess will breed a sense of responsibility in young children and be character-building. Well maybe, though in my experience the most likely result is that you go to bed at 2am having roundly abused someone in Minnesota who has just beaten you in an online … Read entire article »

Women’s chess is unbelievable! You could hardly imagine two weeks ago that the 9th rated chess player in the tournament could have 8.5 points after 9 games and she would be a comfortable winner with 2 rounds to go. Almost all the leaders of the world of female chess gathered in Nalchik with the exception of Hou Yifan, Humpy Koneru from India and Anna Muzychuk from Slovenia. Three former world champions: Zhu Chen, Antoaneta Stefanova and Alexandra Kosteniuk were in the list of competitors. The Russian top women players: two sisters, Nadezhda and Tatiana Kosintseva and also former World candidate Alisa Galliamova. The champion of Europe Viktorija Cmilyte, and the number one of the Ukrainian national team Kateryna Lahno. This phenomenal achievement of Zhao Xue reminds us of Bobby Fischer and Garry … Read entire article »

Wendi Fischer aka “The Chess Lady” is known for her teaching technique through chess. She is know all over the country to second and third graders who can’t contain their glee when she makes surprise visits. … Read entire article »