Best Book to Use to Teach Children?

[Inspector]

Any suggestions on what books would offer the best insight into how to teach children to play?

[Brenan]

Call Fred Wilson. see his site fredwilsonchess.com
I would trust his judgement over anybody else’s.

[jacklemoine]

I answered a similar question on Susan Polgar’s Chess Discussion Forums.

@jlemoine

There’s two good books for children. “How to Beat Your Dad at Chess”

Walt Disney put out a good chess book, too. Written by former World Champ Karpov. When I was a child, I think I would have liked the Disney book better.

In the elementary school chess clubs I coached, the most popular by far was the computer program “Majestic Chess”. The kids of all ages just couldn’t get enough of this. I see it on the shelves for $10 in local stores.

[Brenan]

Some of us have better things to do than read Susan’s forum, Jack. But those are good books.

[ueschessmom]

I think you are better off with the most recent version of Chessmaster. I think it’s Chessmaster: The Art of Learning. Not only does it include tutorials but it allows kids to play against the computer at different approximate rating levels.

[Brenan]

@ueschessmom

I think you are better off with the most recent version of Chessmaster. I think it’s Chessmaster: The Art of Learning. Not only does it include tutorials but it allows kids to play against the computer at different approximate rating levels.

I forgot this one…it’s very good.

[Jedi]

And CM: The are of learning is also available as a Nintendo DS game for kids w/o regular computer access.

[csr001]

If I had the privilege of teaching a child chess, I would probably start with pawn wars and little endgame skirmishes, so they could learn the pieces somewhat individually.

[ueschessmom]

On the way to Nationals last year, one of my kids was playing chess against another player on the plane who was sitting 10 rows in front of us using the DS version of Chessmaster: Art of Learning (they both had a DS with that program).

[tmagchesspgh]

Best books for young/begininning players would be:

1. Your First Games of Chess by A.J. Gilliam
2. Attacking the King by J.N. Walker - a marvelous book designed for young players with numerous diagrams and cautionary tales.
3. Find the Checkmate by Gary Lane - with several sections that rate your play in solving puzzles.
4. The Genesis of Power Chess by Leslie Ault - over 700 instructive positions with explanations. Guides the player through combinations, the middlegame, and the endgame. A stellar book.
5. Winning in the Opening by J. N. Walker. An excellent introduction into opening play and opening tactics.

All of these books are pitched to 100 - 1200 rated players and the problems they face in understanding chess. I have used all of them in teaching kids to enjoy the game while they are learning. There are a few books that everyone raves about because they were written by well-known authors, but I have found that those books tended to deaden the kids’ creativity and joy in playing. The above list whetted their appetite to play and improve.