- Check the space and the kit.
- Get your child's attention first.
- Show it from two sides.
- Say one thing only.
- End on one that works.
Put the phone down where you can see it. Tap Next with your thumb, or use the arrow keys.
Is the space marked?
- Set the board with a white square at the bottom right of each player
- Queen on her own colour
A full board.
Three minutes to get warm.
Easy jogging on the spot, then arms and legs. How to warm up well is explained at workonfitness.com.
- Put a king in check from a rook and show the three ways out: move the king, block, capture.
- Set a position where none of the three works: checkmate.
- Set a position where the king is not in check but has no safe move, and no other piece can move: stalemate, a draw.
Show it once from the front and once from the side, slowly. Then let your child try.
- Look at each position.
- Say "check", "checkmate" or "stalemate".
- For check, find the way out: move, block or capture.
How much: 10 positions
Never move into check
Call it
The rules
You set 10 positions; the child calls each one and, for check, shows the way out.
- Set a position with a few pieces
- The child says "check", "checkmate", "stalemate" or "none"
- For check, they show a way out
- 10 positions, then swap
Fair play: A grown-up must solve each in under 10 seconds.
- Points
- 1 point for the right call; 1 point for a correct way out of check.
- Fouls
- No points: moving the king into another attacked square; calling stalemate a win
- Win
- More points after 10 positions each.
Child
Grown-up
- 6
- 10
- 14
8 of 10 positions called correctly.
End on one that works. If it was hard today, finish with the easier version.
Well played.
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