Chess for Children Activity Book
by Sabrina Chevannes
Hardcover, 120 pages
Published by Batsford, 2025
ISBN 9781849949026
Find the book on the publisher’s website:
https://www.batsfordbooks.com/book/chess-for-children-activity-book/
Chess for Children Activity Book will delight chess lovers, children learning chess, and the chess instructors who teach them. The book is written as a dialogue between two young chess players, Jess and Jamie, who are later joined by their friends and stronger players, Marnie and Harry. The book explains more than 40 interesting topics about chess tactics and strategy, chess variants, and chess activities.
The book reviews some fundamental chess rules, including pawn promotion and the intriguing capture en passant. You’ll quickly find yourself fluent in the language of chess, as the author provides a clear and concise guide to writing and reading chess notation.
But this isn’t just a dry recitation of rules. The author breathes life into the game with a series of captivating chess activities. Imagine engaging in “Pawn Wars,” a thrilling exercise that tests your strategic use of pawns, or navigating the intricate “Knight’s Tour,” a puzzle that challenges your spatial reasoning. Then there’s the “Hungry Horse,” a strategic puzzle that teaches you how to use the knight effectively.
Tactical sharpness is honed through a variety of engaging exercises. You’ll learn to “spot the threat and stop it,” a crucial skill for any chess player. The book delves into the intricacies of chess tactics, illuminating concepts like pins, forks (double attacks), and the concept of the overworked piece. To reinforce your understanding, you’ll tackle numerous chess tactics puzzles, with answers conveniently located in the back of the book, allowing for self-paced learning and improvement.
The book doesn’t shy away from the more advanced topic of strategic thinking. It provides a clear explanation of chess strategy, emphasizing the importance of planning ahead and formulating a coherent plan. This section includes insightful discussions, such as the nuanced comparison between the value of the knight versus the bishop, helping you understand their unique strengths and weaknesses.
The author introduces innovative games to keep the learning process exciting. “Mine Alert” provides a fun and effective way to practice keeping your king safe, while the “Checkmate Challenge” tests your speed and precision in delivering the final blow. Furthermore, a thorough review of check and checkmate is provided, reinforced by the handy “ABC” reminder: Avoid, Block, Capture, ensuring you’re never caught off guard.
For those eager to explore beyond the standard game, the book offers a fascinating glimpse into chess variants. You’ll discover the chaotic fun of bughouse, the strategic depth of three-check, and the escalating challenge of progressive chess.
The book concludes with a well-chosen glossary of chess terms, serving as a valuable reference for any aspiring chess player.
All told, the text is lively, the illustrations are wonderful, the explanations are clear and easy to understand. Chess for Children Activity Book invites its readers to play and participate, which guarantees to make chess learning lasting, lively, and fun.
— Michael Pastore