In 2011, Armenia launched a program to make chess a mandatory part of the curriculum for all students above the age of 6. It might sound strange to make chess compulsory in schools, but the decision was a well-founded one. Teaching chess in schools for the sake of chess itself might not make sense, but […]

If you’re just getting into chess, you’ve probably run into the idea of castling in various chess guides. Let us start off by saying that castling is a very important strategy to understand. It’s a strategy that should define your opening moves. Castling is a unique move that requires your king and one rook to […]

Let’s continue our discussion of chess fundamentals by diving into the basics of the Bishop. The bishop is an exciting piece that first took form as the hastīn in early forms of chess, a Sanskrit term meaning elephant. Originally, the hastīn’s moves were more limited than the modern day bishop, but with the benefit of […]

Often overshadowed and always pivotal, playing your pawns properly can make or break your chess game. Chess fundamentals will teach you that a pawn can move forward one or two squares forward on it’s first turn, and a single square on all subsequent turns. This can feel like a snooze when compared to all the […]

Before you start memorizing openings and confining yourself to a play-style, it’s important to understand the basic principles around the opening moves of chess. Beginner chess strategy starts with having the correct mindset during the crucial ten first moves of your game.   Develop, Develop, Develop. The idea behind developing your chess pieces is as […]

The life changing benefits of chess are no secret. Problem solving skills, reading levels, academic performance, & social intelligence are all things that chess can help your child excel at. The hurdle is always introducing your child to chess in a way that will inspire them to continue with it on their own accord.   […]

Finding the right chess coach is a process, and we cover the basics of finding the right coach in a previous blog post here. But why exactly is a chess coach beneficial, and what are the biggest benefits of hiring a chess coach? At a time when the wealth of online knowledge is so vast, […]

Loving the game and playing chess daily is great, but it alone is not enough to propel you up the ladder! When we say practice makes perfect, we mean the right practice. Practicing right is more than just playing games, it’s revisiting those games, evaluating them, and understanding your shortcomings. That’s how you get better […]

While the fundamentals of tournament chess are of course the same, many new players are intimidated by tournament chess because it’s the etiquette they don’t have a grasp on quite yet. We’re here to tell you that this is normal, and completely understandable. Let’s go through some of the basics together, so you’re ready for […]

As a school administrator, teacher, or parent, you want your school to offer the best for the students. Exceptional extracurricular activities are an important part of that. Chess is growing hugely in popularity in schools as the benefits of chess in an academic setting are studied further. If your school doesn’t offer chess to students, […]