OzSchools Chess Challenge
  • Chess Challenge
  • RUNNING A TOURNAMENT IN YOUR SCHOOL
    • HOW TO RUN A TOURNAMENT IN YOUR SCHOOL
    • Teacher Tutorials
    • Chess Mascots
  • Learn Chess
    • Beginner Lessons
    • Advanced Lessons
  • Case Studies

Good luck with your challenge! The videos below are designed to provide 3 to 6 months worth of weekly lessons.

Each week your chess group should work on just one lesson below. Fully comprehend that strategy before moving on to the next. If you find that your players have grasped all these then go on to the Advanced Lessons - each of those lessons is much longer and more detailed.

If you'd like to access more video lessons on an ongoing basis please ask about a 12-month subscription. For just $15 per student (inc GST) you can have 12-months access to lessons, puzzles and play online games from home or school.
Try a printed curriculum as well (zip file with 20+ lessons). Thanks to www.ChessKid.com
File Size: 3533 kb
File Type: zip
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Reading and writing chess notation (eg. 1. e4 Nf6)

Chess games are recorded using a simple code and use the algebraic co-ordinates on a chess board. Using chess notation is also a good maths activity for kids to practice co-ordinates. Download this PDF to learn how to read the notation!
Recording Your Games (pdf)
File Size: 171 kb
File Type: pdf
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Click here if the video above doesn't play

Lesson 1 - The 3 Golden Rules

Paul Morphy was the greatest player of all time. A child prodigy he had a great attitude towards chess - he always wanted to be improving. Although after a few short years there was no challenge that he could take on that he couldn't win...

In this lesson you learn the 3 strategies that Paul Morphy invented over 150 years ago which are still the MOST important and MOST used strategies for every Grandmaster today.  (Duration: 27 minutes)
More info about Paul Morphy
File Size: 83 kb
File Type: pdf
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Click here to watch the Deadly Diagonal lesson

Lesson 2 - The Deadly Diagonal

For quick checkmates you need to know everything you can about the Deadly Diagonal. You'll use it in your games to defeat your opponents quickly, but you also need to make sure you don't weaken yourself along this diagonal.
Some homework ...
File Size: 16 kb
File Type: pdf
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And some more homework ...
File Size: 17 kb
File Type: pdf
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Click here to watch the Checkmates lesson

Lesson 3 - Checkmates

Checkmate comes from the ancient Persian words "shah" meaning king and "mat" meaning dead. So literally, "the king is dead". This is the only way to win a game...in this lesson you'll see quite a few famous checkmate patterns.
Practice, practice, practice ...
File Size: 40 kb
File Type: pdf
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Lesson 4 - Electric Fence

Have you ever been in a situation where you have played brilliantly all game and you've got WAY more pieces left than your opponent .. but you just can't finish it off?

In Interschool events the Electric Fence checkmate strategy is used to finish over 80% of all games! This is one you MUST practice again and again and again...
Print-out of the Electric Fence strategy
File Size: 48 kb
File Type: pdf
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Click here to watch The King Hunt lesson

Lesson 5 - The King Hunt

One of the most exciting parts of a game is when you finally focus in all your attacking pieces on the enemy king.

Sometimes a King Hunt can begin early in the game and the enemy King gets chased to all sorts of uncomfortable spots!

Lesson 6 - The Turk

In 1770 a "machine" was unveiled in Vienna...a machine that could play chess! How was it that this first "chess computer" was, for the next 84 years, virtually unbeatable? The first computers weren't invented until 1936 - 166 years after this amazing automaton!

Find out more - how did this amazing contraption work?
More info about The Turk
File Size: 51 kb
File Type: pdf
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Click here to watch the Double Check lesson

Lesson 7 - Double Check

Double check is one of the most powerful moves you can do in chess. It is when you have 2 pieces attacking your opponent's king at the same time.

In this lesson you learn the power of the Double Check and how to achieve this powerful trick.
Some puzzles to reinforce the pattern
File Size: 50 kb
File Type: pdf
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Click here to watch the lesson about Pins

Lesson 8 - Pin and Win

Imagine how good it would be if your opponent couldn't move their pieces. How easy it would be to win!

Well, that's just what a PIN is good for. Use this lesson to learn how to spot and use pins in your games.
Find the pins in these puzzles
File Size: 52 kb
File Type: pdf
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Click here to watch the Opening Traps lesson

Lesson 9 - Opening Traps

Getting off to a good start is a sure-fire way to maximise your chances of winning the game.

This lesson shows you a few of the most common tricks and traps in the first few moves of a game.

Click here to watch the Endgame lesson

Lesson 10 - Endgames

If you think that with just 2 pieces left on the board the game is simple then think again! If you have the smallest of advantages, just one pawn, you can use that advantage to drive home victory -- but you'll need this lesson first!
Once you've mastered the strategy try these puzzles
File Size: 21 kb
File Type: pdf
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EQUIPMENT SPONSOR

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Does your school need more chess sets?

Do you want to use clocks and make it a really "professional" tournament?

www.GiantChess.com.au for the guaranteed lowest prices on chess sets for schools.

COACHING SPONSOR

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For coaching, clubs and tournaments. Chess Kids is the largest chess coaching organisation in Australia and runs monthly tournaments for kids.

www.chesskids.com.au

  • Chess Challenge
  • RUNNING A TOURNAMENT IN YOUR SCHOOL
    • HOW TO RUN A TOURNAMENT IN YOUR SCHOOL
    • Teacher Tutorials
    • Chess Mascots
  • Learn Chess
    • Beginner Lessons
    • Advanced Lessons
  • Case Studies