Attack and defence
Ready when: First checkmates (b5) done.
What you are learning
Counting how many pieces attack a square and how many defend it, so the child knows whether a piece is safe; and capturing with the cheapest piece first.
Words on this card Board, File, Diagonal, Queen, Knight, Pawn, Capture, Opening
- Board
- The board has 64 squares, light and dark in turn.
- File
- A file is a column of squares going up the board, named by a letter a to h; a rank is a row across, numbered 1 to 8.
- Diagonal
- A slanting line of squares of one colour.
- Queen
- Moves any number of squares in a straight line or diagonal.
- Knight
- Moves in an L shape (two squares one way, then one square to the side) and jumps over other pieces.
- Pawn
- Moves one square forward (two from its starting square) and captures one square diagonally forward.
- Capture
- Taking an enemy piece by moving onto its square.
- Opening
- The start of the game, the middle, and the end when few pieces are left.
Set up
A board with a middlegame position (from a worksheet or a game).
Weather: any weather
Show it first for the one teaching
- Put a knight in the middle and point to each enemy piece that attacks it.
- Point to each of its own pieces that defend it.
- More attackers than defenders: it is in danger. When capturing, take with the cheapest piece first.
Your part while they practise
Ask "what can they take?" and "what do you protect?"
Step by step
- Count the attackers on a piece.
- Count its defenders.
- Decide: safe or in danger.
- Capture with the lowest-value piece first.
How much: 6 positions 12 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Safe or in danger
You point to a piece; the child counts and calls it.
Who plays: the child against you; swap halfway.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Set a middlegame position
- Point to one piece
- The child counts attackers and defenders aloud and says "safe" or "in danger"
- 10 pieces, then swap
- Fair play
- A grown-up answers without touching the pieces.
- Points
- 1 point for the right count; 1 point for the right call.
- Fouls
- No points
- Forgetting a piece that attacks along a long diagonal or file
- Calling before counting
- Winning
- More points after 10 pieces each.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 14 points for 2 stars
- 18 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
One attacker and one defender.
Three against three.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child leaves a piece undefended
Ask what it is guarded by
Count before moving. - they capture with the queen first
Use the cheapest piece first
A pawn takes before a queen.
Self-check
4 of 5 positions judged correctly.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains looking at threats.
awiseathlete.com/sports/mind-sports/mind-sports-i1