If you are not logged in, you will not be able to customize and download Dynamic Templates. The Hungarian inventor Wolfgang von Kempelen created The Mechanical Turk, an automatic chess machine that could actually compete against human players! Replay the games from your score sheets and discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently. Now it’s your turn! Chess, MB requirements and resource list, 2016 printing; Presentation: Chess, 58 slide presentation courses, By Roberto Castro, Troop 592, Dan Beard Council, Cincinnati, OH, at “in” slide share site. Knights capture in the same manner they move and are worth three points when keeping score. When setting up a chess game, remember: Put the queen on her color. So, if you are committing a large percentage of your force to defending your king, the best you can often hope for is a draw. To do this, write the first letter of the piece, followed by the square it moves to. To complete the Chess merit badge, scouts must develop a firm understanding of the history, rules, and strategies associated with the game of chess. Ideally, you want your central pawns more advanced, with the pawns on the sides staying further back as a line of defense. It’s alright to get behind in points if it’ll help to further your overall strategy. Take your time learning, and you might just make a lifetime hobby of this strategic game. ScoutSmarts.com is not sponsored or endorsed by the Boy Scouts of America. History of the Game of Chess. For example, if black moved to “e5” in response to white’s initial “d4” move and white decided to capture on the next move, it would be recorded as “d4xe5.”. For instance, if you’re trying to maneuver your opponent’s king into checkmate, you may want to use one of your pieces as “bait” to move the king’s protection away. For more search internet for “teaching chess merit badge”. In official competition, chess players are required to keep track of their moves to help resolve any disputes that may arise later in the game. A common method of clearance sacrifice is used to open a diagonal. However, all of this changed in the year 1280. Root strongly recommends Scouts read the Chess merit badge pamphlet before meeting with her or taking one of her workshops. Check ScoutSmarts often, because I’m constantly uploading new content for scouts like you. The knights are easily identifiable by their horse-like appearance and are sometimes mistakenly called “horses” by novice players. Chess This Merit Badge requires 2 sessions to complete. Even though the rules had evolved from the first game in 600 AD, the creation of the “Mad Queen,” was a radical development in the world of chess. Knights are capable of moving in an L-shaped pattern, either one square up and over two, or two squares up and over one, forward or backward. By developing your chess strategy, learning different tactics, and simply playing often, you’ll even develop useful skills outside the chessboard! The white king will start on e1, and the black king will start on e8. Rooks can move an unlimited amount of spaces horizontally or vertically, forward, or backward. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. Before we can get into the names and functions of each chess piece, we should first talk about board setup. CORRECTION: valeyard00 pointed out, I did not demonstrate 3c Castling or En Passant correctly. The Chess Merit Badge is a valuable tool that you can use to increase your personal Chess playing abilities. This allows them to develop their side and take your piece — an effective tactical move. Pawns capture other pieces diagonally. In this article, I'll be telling you my 7... Hey there, reader! Rooks are among the most valuable pieces on a chessboard, especially when the board clears pieces and opens up. Have each competitor play at least two games. Some of the benefits students have reported from playing chess just a few hours per week include: In addition to these highly practical benefits, from personal experience, I’ve noticed that chess also allowed me to compete in an exciting but friendly manner. Oct 30, 2017 - Explore Denise Adelman's board "Merit badge presentation materials" on Pinterest. Congrats on getting this far. Chess tournaments are very common in this day and age. Thanks so much for reading, and for making our world a better place. Chess Merit Badge. Essentially, anything that delays the deployment of your pieces and slows your strategy results in lost time. One summer camp the camps medic, who also happened to be the daughter of the CD, was reviewing my healthform. To learn the rules of castling, jump to (3:14) in the video. While I wasn’t a great player when first starting out, I developed confidence, and nowadays don’t lose nearly as often! And if you’re looking to start teaching this merit badge for your Scouts, Working with Alexey Root, Ph.D., a Chess merit badge counselor and author of numerous books about chess. About 25,000 of these badges were sewn on Boy Scouts last year. Luckily, I've got you covered! Play at least three games of chess with other Scouts and/or your merit badge counselor. Some common weaknesses that can be exploited include: Exploiting your opponent’s weaknesses is an effective tactic to make them lose more points than you do. If you have a “bad” pawn that is blocking your bishop, you might allow your pawn to be captured in order to move your bishop into a more effective position. While you don’t need to be Magnus Carlsen (argued to be the greatest chess player in history) to complete the chess merit badge, you’ll need to develop a deeper understanding of chess than the average recreational player. Discuss with your merit badge counselor the history of the game of chess. The first identifiable version of chess evolved from popular Arabic and Indian board games. This can be done only if both pieces have not been moved prior to the castle. So what happens if you don’t have a local chess Grandmaster? There are many great benefits to using a Chess Merit Badge worksheet and the entire process of learning Chess. Today, we look to Steinitz as one of the pillars of modern-day chess. b. With these principles in mind, you should be left in a great position by the time you reach middle game! Discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently. This is especially true for beginner/intermediate chess games. . Because this video shows the actual pieces moving, it should give you a better idea of the setup and use of each chess piece! Chess Scout's Name: _____ Chess - Merit Badge Workbook Page. Then, follow along closely. I know I... 7 Great Virtual Scout Zoom Meeting Ideas For Troops And Patrols. Standardized Chess Pieces Are Designed (1849). When setting up your chessboard, remember the saying “white on the right.” This means that a light-colored square should be in the bottom right corner for each player. By using pawns to block your king, you’ll avoid having to waste moves to escape being in check — which is especially in the opening and middle game. To fully utilize the capabilities of the BSA Brand Center, you must be logged in every time you use the tool. Once they have read the sections on the benefits and history of chess, how to set up a chessboard, how each chessman moves and chess etiquette, they are ready to learn about the finer points of the game. Discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently. By treating your opponent as you’d like to be treated, you’ll help to uphold chess ediquete and keep the game fun for everyone! While you can get another queen by moving your pawn to the end of the opponent’s side, this is not something that happens in most cases. For all you visual learners out there, below I’ve included a quick and awesome video (4:12) that’ll teach you everything you need to know to play your first game of chess. Read through the table below for a quick summary of the most important events in chess history, as considered by chess.com, and why they are important to the evolution of the game: Also, this TED video (5:39) on chess history is too good not to include! Head over to the next requirements to learn some of the strategies and tactics you could be using to improve your skills! The FASTEST Way To Reach Eagle Scout: A 2-Year Timeline. The notation allows players and coaches to review the game, analyze alternatives, and plan improvements for the next game. Be sure to check out the entire article in the November/December print edition of Scouting magazine, or read the online version. Therefore, you should try to make your opponent lose time, and avoid losing time, yourself. The white side (the side that moves first to open a game) will consider their bottom left corner to be a1. This is particularly effective when one of those attacks is on an opposing king. All opinions expressed belong to ScoutSmarts and their readers. The four center squares, which are the most important to control on a chessboard, are d4, d5, d4, and e5. As we covered earlier, castling is a special move that brings the king to safety. Did you know that since the introduction of the Chess merit badge in 2011, so many Scouts have earned this merit badge that it has been ranked consistently in the top 25 most popular badges. Chess is a game that generally rewards the attacking player. The earliest predecessors of the game originated in India, before the 6th century AD. Privacy Policy Realize, you don’t need to capture very many of your opponent’s pieces to win! Don’t worry, Scouting shares some great tips on how to connect with merit badge counselors who are knowledgeable and qualified to help. Each square on a chessboard is assigned a specific name that never changes, regardless of which piece is occupying it. Don’t worry, Be sure to check out the entire article in the November/December print edition of, © 2019 Boy Scouts of America - All Rights Reserved. indicates that scouts should “demonstrate scorekeeping using the algebraic system of chess notation.” Chess notation is like the game film taken in other sports. Bishops are great for unexpected cross-board attacks and pins, as most players tend to expect attacks to come along straight lines, rather than from the sides! Until 1849, chess pieces varied widely in design. In this guide, I’ll walk you through each of the requirements, and help you to earn your very own Chess merit badge. Remember how we mentioned earlier that there are 64 squares on a chessboard, and that each square has a name? link to The FASTEST Way To Reach Eagle Scout: A 2-Year Timeline, link to 7 Great Virtual Scout Zoom Meeting Ideas For Troops And Patrols, Difficulty Ranking Guide to Every Eagle-required Badge, All Eagle-Required Merit Badges: Difficulty Rankings And Guides. The most recent issue of "Scouting" magazine illustrates how best to teach the chess merit badge. They look a bit like taller pawns but are distinguished by their pointed tip. For instance, if you expect your opponent to take one of your pieces, but they unexpectedly put you in check, this is an example of a Zwischenzug! This allows the attacking pawn to capture the pawn as if it had moved only one space. Title: Chess Merit Badge Pamphlet Created Date: 9/10/2011 5:43:24 PM If you’re more of a visual learner, I’d highly watching this animated short on the history and legacy of chess: Chess is considered a game of planning and strategy because, to have any hope of winning, you’ll need to think ahead. By focusing on improving your openings, mid game, and end game, you’ll rapidly become a better chess player and win much more often! One of the players, Ruy Lopez, remains famous in chess lore for his notable “Ruy Lopez” opening. They learn the history of chess, and chess notation. In chess, Scouting, and life, it’s important to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. Although the rules and piece strengths differed, the game was played on an 8×8 board with 16 pieces per side. Play in a scholastic (youth) chess tournament and use your score sheets from that tournament to replay your games with A retired Special Forces soldier shares his ideas and tips for teaching the Wilderness Survival merit badge. Queens are also powerful forking pieces, with their ability to create a diagonal attack on one piece and a horizontal attack on another piece. Discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently. You’ll need to move out of check, and only then will the opponent complete their expected move by taking your piece. Your queen has the ability to move an unlimited number of squares in any direction, either forward or backward. Hopefully, you'll learn a few things along the way and make the best of your time in Scouting. Requirement 3a: The name of each chess piece. Therefore, you should get your king to the edge of the board early in the game through castling, so it is out of the way of central attacks. If you have not previously registered for an account, please do so by clicking on the registration link below. It starts with finding a merit badge counselor who is qualified. When keeping score, a rook is worth about five points. Since then, however, there has been a non-stop stream of innovations in chess technology. Comment Policy and Disclaimer Thus, every chessboard should have a total of 64 squares. Attaining the rank of grandmaster at a mere 13 years of age, Magnus Carlsen has become the highest-rated chess player in history. In school, we’re taught not to plagiarize, and the same is true for Scouting worksheets. c. Organize and run a chess tournament with at least four players, plus you. While I didn’t have time to earn the Chess merit badge when I was a Scout, today I’m a huge fan of chess and would love to help you master this awesome game. The chessboard is a large square that consists of an 8×8 grid of smaller squares. Set up next to the rooks, the next squares in on the home rank (b1 and g1 for white, b8 and g8 for black) are occupied by the knights. As past games could last all day, those clocks significantly shortened playing time. However, there will be plenty of times when a game ends in a draw, where neither player wins nor loses. A classic mistake that novice players make is overprotecting pawns with useful pieces. Meet other scouts interested in chess. Each of these situations will happen at some point, and it’ll important to be kind, regardless. Needing to move your king out of check will waste valuable time. Welcome to the Chess Merit Badge 1. Chess teaches this skill well, as in each game you play, you’ll either be the victor, loser, or you’ll tie with your opponent. Remember, your opponent can get out of check by capturing your piece! In this case, white moves first: When a capture is involved, an “x” is used to denote the capture. Explain any five of these chess tactics: clearance sacrifice, decoy, discovered attack, double attack, fork, interposing, overloading, overprotecting, pin, remove the defender, skewer, zwischenzug. Rooks are easily identifiable by their castle-like appearance, with many novice players mistakenly referring to them as “castles.”. Merit Badge Workbook. A Computer Defeats The Best Human Chess Player (1997). Knights are some of the most powerful pieces for creating forks, with a white knight positioned on c7 forking both an undeveloped rook and a king that has not yet castled. With popularity like that, you may have Scouts that are already asking you about the Chess merit badge. The letters will increase with each square, horizontally, with h1 being the square on the farthest right of this home rank for white. :). Although you don’t need to become an expert on chess origins, you should take some time to familiarize yourself with the game’s rich history. However, their wide-range abilities make them very valuable in the end game and on open boards. Use what you’ve already learned to practice your checkmating skills with your merit badge counselor. ), every game will be different. Here are a few tips to help the patrol leader get started.. Scouts may never add or subtract from the actual merit badge … Awesome job getting this far! I’d recommend watching the video (8:07) below for a great overview of the thought process behind your opening principles: Piece development is the most important thing to keep in mind during the opening, so always keep an eye out for ways to safely advance. Bishops, in particular, can be sneaky, as their diagonal attack is often overlooked by players who post essential pieces on the same color squares late in the game. Also, remember that ScoutSmarts should just serve as your starting point for merit badge research. Play at least three games of chess with other Scouts and/or your merit badge counselor. . In this game, the players use chess openings and tactics and make strategies to command an army of 16 chessmen which consists of … For a great guide to better understanding chess endgame patterns, watch the video (8:45) below: That’s all there is to it. To become a great chess player, look for the checkmate above all else. Novice players often make the mistake of overprotecting. Now that you’ve learned the function of every piece, here’s how you should be setting up your chessboards. An unmoved king and an unmoved rook can also perform a special move (castling) in which the king moves two spaces toward the rook, and the rook moves to the space immediately to the other side of the king. They capture in the same direction they move. During this phase, most players fight to develop knights and bishops, use pawns to control the central squares, and castle their kings to safety. No one can add or subtract from the Boy Scout Requirements #33216. Below are some examples of move algebraic notation. When students are learning a new skill, they often don’t think about teaching. Remember though, chess should be fun! You’ll be amazed when you learn how chess has evolved from humble beginnings into the sport it is today. It starts with finding a merit badge counselor who is qualified. Or, even better, play a few games and take pictures of each draw to show your merit badge counselor later. Bishops can move an unlimited number of spaces diagonally, either forward or backward, and capture in the same direction. Your opponent will have no choice but to move the king to safety and forfeit the other piece! Identifying possible checkmate opportunities is sort of like an art form, so put time into developing this skillset. . I’m certain this resource will be helpful to scouts on their road to Eagle! 3. The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, whose founder Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield helped develop the badge along with Jerry Nash and the U.S. I'm Cole, the guy behind ScoutSmarts. Square h1 will be a light square on the right for white, while square a8 will be a light square on the right for black. The strategic, tactical, and critical thinking skills one develops through chess games have been proven to support a player’s growth in other areas as well! If you have Eagle-required merit badges to earn, you also should check out my Difficulty Ranking Guide to Every Eagle-required Badge. It was a Class 3, used by those over 40 or if you were going to do a HA activity. Overall, chess is pretty straightforward to set up! Working with Alexey Root, Ph.D., a Chess merit badge counselor and author of numerous books about chess, the magazine article details some important considerations for teaching the Chess merit badge for Scouts. Unlike most daring players of his time, Steinitz’s calculated, careful style of play set him far ahead of the competition. Play in a scholastic (youth) chess tournament and use your score sheets from that tournament to replay your games with your merit badge counselor. Chess takes time, practice, and committed learning to master. The king can only move one space in any direction, forward or backward, and captures in the manner it moves. You should try to move your pawns down the board. If you continue to take their pieces in advantageous trade offs, you’ll be in a much better position to win the match later on. While you’ll likely not be able to use your knights well at first, the mark of an advanced chess player is being able to involve these pieces in unexpected tactics to create strategic openings. Here are some other special notations that you should also remember: Algebraic notation is based on a system developed by a Syrian man named Philipp Stamma in the early 1700’s. This site is made to support Scouts, Scoutmasters, and Scouting families. The following are three general that will result in a draw: There are countless ways that each of these draws can occur. In spite of its low mobility and need for protection, don’t overlook using your king! Despite the popular belief that computers would never be able to beat strong chess players on their best day, IBM’s Deep Blue became the first computer to defeat the reigning world champion at the time, Garry Kasparov. Chess Merit Badge Requirements 5. In fact, it has even ranked above Lifesaving, an Eagle-required badge. Teaching is a fundamental concept in the Scouts BSA merit-badge program and an essential part of the chess merit badge. In the original version of chess, pawns were only able to move one space per turn. Well-executed sacrifices are the most common decoys in chess, as your opponent thinks that you have made a mistake when, in reality, you’re setting up a greater attack later on in the game. ... You may learn about Scouting's Teaching EDGE from your unit leader, another Scout, or by attending training. Zwischenzug is a German term meaning “in-between move.” Most advanced chess players have already calculated the moves of his or her opponent, so when that opponent makes a move that is surprising, such as a move that interrupts an exchange sequence, a “zwischenzug” is said to have occurred. Organize and run a chess tournament with at least four players, plus you. Demonstrate to your counselor that you know each of the following. However, the 4 rules of castling must be followed before a legal castle can be performed: Remember that castling is a key method of increasing king safety and getting your rooks into play. a. Pawn structure is the backbone of most strategies, so keep it in mind at all times. Explain four of the following elements of chess strategy: exploiting weaknesses, force, king safety, pawn structure, space, tempo, time. However, be careful while doing this. As we talked about earlier, castling is when the king and rook change places. Chess also teaches its players sportsmanship, etiquette, and decorum. This move enhances king safety. Once my pawn is captured, I’m often able to place the opponent’s king in check and develop my pieces further, or even go for the checkmate! Therefore you’ll need to 2 types of planning to win: By putting thought into your moves beforehand and developing an overall plan, you’ll progressively gain experience and eventually become an excellent chess player. In the picture on the right, a1 is the red square at the very bottom of the board. Next to the knights, bishops are your third pieces on the home rank (c1 and f1 for white, c8 and f8 for black). You should have fun and strive to improve, above all else! Organize and run a chess tournament with at least four players, plus you. Although only in existence for a few years, the chess merit badge is the 11th-most-popular badge outside of those required for Eagle Scouts. The numbers will increase by one each time you move along each vertical line or ‘file.’ So, when looking from white’s perspective, the vertical file on the far left will move from a1-a8, while the file on the far right will move from h1-h8. Replay the games from your score sheets and discuss with your counselor how you … However, they have a somewhat limited range.