1. Catch the King Chess Materials
2. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
3. Teacher & Classroom Questions
4. Introductory Email Chess (Practice Session)
5. Consultation & Tandem Chess
6. Puzzles (Math Chess & Trivia)
Paul Simon's
"Catch the King"
(Chess For Elementary Schools)
Consultation & Tandem Chess
Participation is restricted to registered members only!
Registered members must include their password, teacher name, school and grade in the the subject line of the email.
Once teachers and students are familiar and comfortable with email chess then they can play games against each other (one class vs. another). Sending a copy of these moves (simply click the "cc" line and insert the name) to the Catch the King Site allows the game to be monitored and makes it possible to offer support to the participants should the need arise.
The suggested rate of play is one move a day in order to encourage the students to participate in the process of selecting a move and to discourage impulsive reactions.
The next level would involve consultation games in which two or more classes work together as partners (discussing their various options) against a similar opponent (made up of two or more classes).
Tandem games involve the same process, except that the partners are not permitted to discuss their ideas. This type of chess requires a great deal of discipline as the teams alternate moves which means that they must not only consider the opponent's plans but they must also try to anticipate their partner's plans.
The classes are also encouraged to send comments/questions to their opponents dealing with the activities they are or will be involved in as part of their school year, e.g. location of school, how many are in the class, class projects, trips, etc. This type of interaction between the participants should be encouraged as it develops social skills and doesn't merely focus on the competitive aspect of the exercise.
All participants are required to adhere to the rules of chess and not use any artificial devices (e.g. computers) or the assistance of anyone outside the class to determine their moves.
