I’ve never been a great chess player – totally right hemisphere in the brain department

My oldest son however is very analytical and is showing promise at the game..
I’m learning as steeply as he is but even though he is only six years old he is likely to advance beyond my capabilities very quickly

Any tips for beginners?

Learn fools mate, then he’d be able to beat me no problem 🙂

<aside – I got bollocksed for going for fools mate in a competition, when I was in primary school, apparently it was unsporting. The prick who ran our club stepped in and made us reverse the move and play on, and I ended up getting humped and put out of the contest entirely. In short, I can’t give much advice on chess but there’s nothing I don’t know about carrying a petty grudge for 30 years.>

How into the theory side is he? It turned out I had a good intuitive feel but I no patience for sitting and learning about the game, so I never amounted to more than just a really good half-assed player, I never became even a really bad proper player. I couldn’t even be bothered to learn openings, it took all the fun out. It seemed to me, and still does, that it’s basically a different game when you play it with the deeper knowledge, but that takes effort… And you probably need to be quite a different person or at least happy to play in a different way.

If in doubt, respond to everything he does with an arched brow and say something like “Ah, the Ballsteiber Inversion- you don’t see that much these days”.

It turned out I had a good intuitive feel but I no patience for sitting and learning about the game,

I was sort of the opposite – not naturally a good player but I enjoyed learning about the game. My favourite source was “My System” by Nimzowitsch. Sounds weird but it is really an entertaining book. Not for a 6 year old though …

http://64squareschess.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/my-system-by-aron-nimzowitsch.html

The game quick chess is good for learning but if you have already started playing it may be a bit too basic.

Find a club, or start one at school?

My kids all played through a school club at that age, and by 8 were on county teams and were winning some national schools competitions. Never really saw the fun myself, but quite used to like the various trips across the country with other parents to take them to events. My first ever trail centre ride (Llandegla) was at a weekend chess competition at Prestatyn, when me and a couple of other snuck off for an hour or two.

They all gave it up when they hit 11 as there was no club at the secondary school…

Tips for you, or tips for teaching them? My 6-yr-old also likes playing – I try to make her win half the time, it often works well to sacrifice a rook or queen early on to give her an advantage. I also say what I’m planning out loud, partly to giver her a hint, partly to giver her an idea of the strategy behind doing things.

It’s all about looking ahead, try and anticipate 5+ moves for you and your opponent. In a galaxy far far away, I was in the school chess team, don’t think I’ve played at all now for ~20 years!

At the risk of being that guy who says “buy a Mac instead”,

Throw the dreary game in the bin and learn Backgammon instead.

(-:

Cougar. Aren’t the Mod’s supposed to stop arguments in here not start them?

Irrespective of the relative merits of the games, surely chess is a much better choice in terms of availability of clubs and competition. Competitive chess is a great mental workout, builds concentration and performance under stress.

Cougar. Aren’t the Mod’s supposed to stop arguments in here not start them?

Maybe after coffee. (-:

Ours started about a year back (7 and 9), signed them up to the local Chess club.. daughter resisted and complained for the longest time but now that she has progressed quite enjoys it.

Chess club, also got them to play online. We also tried having ‘chess competitions’ at home with their pals – pizza, snacks etc and also playing the various variant’s ( can’t remember the names) but they quite liked Losing Chess/Take Me and Hostage Chess

I tried learning the game to play with them but they soon figured out I was a cake walk.