Help from chess players

[WDC]

I have a 10 year old son who has become very interested in chess. He has gone to some camps and played in some tournaments. He is really enjpying himself. I called his school to find out if there were any school sponsored teams he could join. There are not any that work into his schedule so I am thinking about starting a chess club at his school. The problem is that I know very little about chess. I know how the pieces move and can think about two moves ahead (that's why I play hold'em) but my son consistently kicks my butt.

He goes to typical inner city public school. They have no money to hire a coach so it looks as if it is up to me.

Can anyone recommend some good beginner to intermediate books on how to play and if possible teach chess? Thanks.

[MMMMMM]

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess is probably the ideal book for him (and you;-)) at this point. It has good emphasis on common combinations, and is laid out in a format which includes practice/test questions with full diagrams.

[vulturesrow]

Here is the website for National Master Dan Heisman. He is well known chess instructor, and is very big on the scholastic scene. You cant go wrong with his website.
Dan Heisman (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/danheisman/Main_Chess/chess.htm)

Here is a website that I am part of the staff of called Chessville. I manage the links there and we have some great scholastic links there. Please visit our forums there for more info.

Chessville (http://www.chessville.com)

[CollegePlayer]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a 10 year old son who has become very interested in chess. He has gone to some camps and played in some tournaments. He is really enjpying himself. I called his school to find out if there were any school sponsored teams he could join. There are not any that work into his schedule so I am thinking about starting a chess club at his school. The problem is that I know very little about chess. I know how the pieces move and can think about two moves ahead (that's why I play hold'em) but my son consistently kicks my butt.

He goes to typical inner city public school. They have no money to hire a coach so it looks as if it is up to me.

Can anyone recommend some good beginner to intermediate books on how to play and if possible teach chess? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]
If your son is interested and good at chess he is gonna make a great hold'em player.

As for books, just do a search on Amazon. Really, having a school chess club is probally going to be pointless because your son will be X times better than the other kids and probally will get bored with them.

what city do you live in? chances are there is a chess club around somewhere at a library or a barnes and noble or maybe he could attend a chess club at another school.

[CollegePlayer]

i wouldnt want to put any money in bobby's pockets...

[MMMMMM]

Well I considered that, but the book is really really good for someone at that level and a bit higher. Also I don't think the amount of royalty he gets on that book is going to make any financial difference to him whatsoever.

[bugstud]

as far as books for him, the aforementioned fischer book is good, Seirwan's Winning Chess Tactics is a more complete book on the subject that helped me out. As far as teaching goes, some of the best coaches aren't very good players. All you have to do is give them instruction on basic openings and tactics and they should be on the right path.

[Al Mirpuri]

Remember this: only the top 30 chess players in the world make a living at it.

[smartalecc5]

just have him play online- and he can hopefully teach himself. Yahoo chess is good, there is always someone better than you out there.

[bugstud]

actually, I'd have him play at www.freechess.org (http://www.freechess.org), the best free site there is out there.

[ZeeJustin]

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just have him play online- and he can hopefully teach himself. Yahoo chess is good, there is always someone better than you out there.

[/ QUOTE ]
Somehow I don't think this advice is ideal for a 10 year old.

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
Remember this: only the top 30 chess players in the world make a living at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Forget the above. It's completely untrue.

I was the President of the Boyslton Chess Club in Boston and came into contact with many people who made a living from playing chess in the New England area alone (with the exception of traveling for really big tournaments). Many of these people supplement their incomes by giving lessons. But, there are certainly non-world class players who make a living by only playing.

[TimM]

This is true. I make enough in prize money so that I could live comfortably homeless if I wanted to. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif But there are many players in this area around my rating, and even a few hundred points lower, who make their living solely by teaching private students, school and after school programs, and clubs. But this shouldn't even be a consideration for the parent of a child who simply enjoys playing chess.

BTW, I missed crossing paths with you by about two years. I played in the New England Amateur Team Championship at the Boylston Chess Club in 1995.