Chess books for 7yo?

[Robin]

I'm working out the holiday book list for my kids, and I could use
some advice on a chess book for my 7yo.

Roger's in second grade, and he has been playing chess with a school
club since last year. It's definitely more recreational than
instructional; the kids get together and play games with one another,
so they get practice. But I'm not sure how much he's really learning
about strategy, and until he can master some basic concepts he's not
going to get much better. Mostly I think he just reacts and guesses.

I'd like to find a good chess book that would be entertaining for him
and help him move forward at the same time... not to turn him into a
chess whiz, but to help him hold his own with the other kids at the
club, and to get some better control and sense of what he's doing when
he plays. I know he'd like to be better at chess, but it's not a
passion for him, so I suspect he wouldn't be interested in books that
focus on memorizing openings and routines, because that would seem too
much like work. But he does like puzzles, games, comics, and stories.
So I'm hoping there might be a book that offers tips and concepts in
the context of something "fun" like that.

Amazon lists almost 600 *children's* books on chess, and there's no
way I can judge what's suitable. I'm hoping someone can recommend
something from personal experience with their own kid. A "teach
yourself chess" book would probably be below him, but I don't think he
knows a lot of specialized chess terms or strategies, so it does need
to be at a pretty basic level. He's an excellent reader and very good
with math problems for his age. (I'll be getting him some puzzle/story
books, too.)

Thanks for any recommendations!

--Robin

[Harold Buck]

In article >,
(Robin) wrote:

> I'm working out the holiday book list for my kids, and I could use
> some advice on a chess book for my 7yo.
>
> Roger's in second grade, and he has been playing chess with a school
> club since last year. It's definitely more recreational than
> instructional; the kids get together and play games with one another,
> so they get practice. But I'm not sure how much he's really learning
> about strategy, and until he can master some basic concepts he's not
> going to get much better. Mostly I think he just reacts and guesses.
>
> I'd like to find a good chess book that would be entertaining for him
> and help him move forward at the same time... not to turn him into a
> chess whiz, but to help him hold his own with the other kids at the
> club, and to get some better control and sense of what he's doing when
> he plays. I know he'd like to be better at chess, but it's not a
> passion for him, so I suspect he wouldn't be interested in books that
> focus on memorizing openings and routines, because that would seem too
> much like work. But he does like puzzles, games, comics, and stories.
> So I'm hoping there might be a book that offers tips and concepts in
> the context of something "fun" like that.


The best first book is probably "Bobby Fisher Teaches Chess." No chess
notation, and it teaches basic tactics. He should have no trouble
reading it on his own.

If you want to work through a book with him, I.A. Horowitz's "Chess for
Beginners" is a good intro to a lot of chess topics. I doubt he could
read it himself, but you could go over it with him. It uses the older
chess notation, which is explained in the book.

Finally, "Winning Chess: How to see three moves ahead," by Chernev and
Reinfeld, is full of well-explained tactical situations that work well
as puzzles. Look at the diagram while covering the solution up, try to
solve it, and then see if you were right. If you worked through the
second book together and he picked up chess notation, he might be able
to do this one on his own. This book is the best book I know of for
explaining how to find tactical combinations, which are at the heart of
chess and on which kids should focus until they get pretty darn good. Be
careful, as many authors have books called "Winning Chess."

I'd bet you can find both cheap on half.com. If you decide to go that
route and haven't used half.com before, I think I can still get them to
send you a $5 coupon (I'd get one too after you made your first order).

I hope this helps.

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

[H Schinske]

Harold Buck writes:

>The best first book is probably "Bobby Fisher Teaches Chess." No chess
>notation, and it teaches basic tactics.

Isn't the chess guy spelled Fischer? I'm just mentioning it as you'll need to
look up the title.

--Helen

[Harold Buck]

In article >,
(H Schinske) wrote:

> Isn't the chess guy spelled Fischer? I'm just mentioning it as you'll need to
> look up the title.


Whoops, that's correct. It's Fischer. My bad!

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

[Moo]

Another option is to get some software. Chessmaster (get the latest
version--I think it is 9000) comes with a lot of tutorials suitable for kids.
It also allows you play games against different "opponents"
with various playing strengths and personalities ranging from the chimp
that makes random legal moves, to grandmaster strength.

[Harold Buck]

In article >,
(Moo) wrote:

> Another option is to get some software. Chessmaster (get the latest
> version--I think it is 9000) comes with a lot of tutorials suitable for kids.
>
> It also allows you play games against different "opponents"
> with various playing strengths and personalities ranging from the chimp
> that makes random legal moves, to grandmaster strength.

Yeah, chess software is not a bad option, but think about how bad I feel
when the chimp keeps beating me. Err, I mean, think about how bad you'd
feel if the chimp were to beat you.

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

[Robyn Kozierok]

In article >,
Robin > wrote:
>I'm working out the holiday book list for my kids, and I could use
>some advice on a chess book for my 7yo.
>
>Roger's in second grade, and he has been playing chess with a school
>club since last year. It's definitely more recreational than
>instructional; the kids get together and play games with one another,
>so they get practice. But I'm not sure how much he's really learning
>about strategy, and until he can master some basic concepts he's not
>going to get much better. Mostly I think he just reacts and guesses.

I think this one may be to basic for Roger, but Matthew has an Usborne
Chess book called "Starting Chess". It introduces all the pieces and
their moves (including the "special" moves -- en passant and castling)
and some *very* basic strategy (introduces the concept of a fork, pin,
etc.) It also gives a tiny bit of "start game" strategy. What it most
lacks, in my opinion, is advice/info on how to finish the other guy off
when you have the advantage in the end game, which is what I think most
beginning players (myself included!) have trouble with. It does also
introduce algebraic chess notation.

It's written in a child-friendly format and is a small paperback.

--Robyn

[Zarah]

On Sun, 30 Nov, (Robyn Kozierok) wrote:

>In article >,
>Robin > wrote:
>>I'm working out the holiday book list for my kids, and I could use
>>some advice on a chess book for my 7yo.

>I think this one may be to basic for Roger, but Matthew has an Usborne
>Chess book called "Starting Chess".

We also now have a TERRIFIC book called _The Usborne Internet-Linked
Complete Book of Chess_ (Internet-linked books don't have Web sites
listed in them; you go through usborne-quicklinks.com so the sites are
continually reviewed and updated.) Here's the description:

"Whether you are a complete beginner or a more experienced player,
this book is for you. Find out how to lay deadly traps for enemy
pieces, plan cunning move combinations, launch effective attacks and
form solid defense strategies. Test your new-found skills with over 80
teasing chess puzzles."

There is also _The Usborne Book of Chess Puzzles_, description here:

"Chess Puzzles is packed with over a hundred fun and fascinating chess
problems to help you improve your playing skills. The book contains a
wide range of puzzles, from simple one-move checkmates to more
challenging brain teasers. You can even work out how you might have
defeated some of the world's champion players. Expert tips throughout
the book help you build up your puzzle-solving skills and prepare you
for the ultimate challenge -- the Puzzle Master Quest. All the puzzles
are illustrated with colorful board diagrams and many have clues to
help you spot key features. The answers, with detailed explanations
and color diagrams, are given at the back of the book. There is also a
glossary of chess terms as well as lots of entertaining facts about
the fame of chess and famous players."

--
Cheryl >
Mom to Gabriel 10-97 and Maris 6-00