Mastering the Middlegame: Moves to Improve Your Chess Game

To succeed in this class, students should have a basic understanding of the chess pieces' movements. However, students don't need to be experts in any way. In fact, they can have only played a little bit of chess or have just learned about the game recently. All skill levels are welcome!

In the first class meeting, students will learn the five most important principles to succeed in what's called the "Middlegame" of chess. Each principle will be discussed and modeled on the board for students to see.

Mr. K will display a live chess board on the screen and model the most popular positions in the openings of chess. Then, students will interact with Mr. K and each other to talk through chess strategies such as: thinking several steps ahead, protecting pieces, and avoiding blunders. The class is run like an open discussion so that students can learn from Mr. K, as well as each other. This method of learning has proven to be the most effective in the game of chess.

In the second class meeting, students will be taught how to respond to the most popular openings for both white and black pieces: Ruy Lopez Opening, Italian Game, Sicilian Defense, and French Defense.

Again, Mr. K will display a live chess board on the screen and model how these openings work. Then, students will interact with Mr. K and each other to talk through chess strategies such as: thinking several steps ahead, protecting pieces, and avoiding blunders.