Chess on the move in Hong Kong

Not only a game, an educational tool

The Scholastic Championship in Hong Kong was organized by ActiveKids, a company that focuses on working with schools to improve children's learning experience. They do that through several scientific, artistic and social programs, like RoboCode or ArtCrafters. It is no surprise that chess found its way to fit in this environment. ActiveKids' Chess Academy has been active during fourteen years and focuses on helping kids improve both their skills and their character.

SmarTone, a large telecommunications company sponsored the event. They provided awards and helped the organizers present the most important games in two electronical DGT boards. 

First steps in pawn structures

Understanding how to use pawns and how to handle different pawn structures are important topics for young or improving players to consider. Andrew Martin investigates the notion that ‘pawns are the soul of chess’ and tries to explain exactly what this mea

Not often kids get to play on DGT boards | Photo: Official website

The kids were divided in four sections and played six rounds of 25-minute games. Winners were declared in every age group from 5-year-olds up to 16-year-olds. All four divisions also had individual and team winners. 

Active chess followers are well aware of the benefits of chess in education. In countries like Armenia or Spain chess is already an established fixture in educatonal curricula. For many parents throughout the world this is not an obvious fact, however. Motivated and talented kids might be missing out on this great tool, as International Master Juan Armando Röhl, the head of ActiveKids' chess program, put it:

 "Chess is an activity that develops a lot of intellectual processes. It has been proven that playing chess is very beneficial to children. It can stimulate their logical thinking skills and the capacity for concentration. Their ability to solve problems and their analytical capacity can also be enhanced by playing chess. These are really important elements that can help children become successful individuals, especially in today’s complex and competitive world."

Chess Endgames 1 - Basic knowledge for beginners

Endgame theory constitutes the foundation of chess. You realize this in striking clarity once you obtain a won endgame but in the end have to be content with a draw in the end because of a lack of necessary know-how. Such accidents can only be prevented by building up a solid endgame technique. This is Karsten Müller‘s fi rst DVD and the grandmaster from Hamburg and endgame expert, here lays the foundation for acquiring such a technique. The fi rst part of his training series can be started without any endgame knowledge, only a knowledge of the rules of chess is assumed.

They learn and have fun at the same time | Photo: Official website

Concentration | Photo: Official website

Grace So, a civil engineer, is the founder of ActiveKids. With the company, she is trying to fill a gap in the educational system:

"Looking back fourteen years ago, there were not many extracurricular activities for children to choose from, and often times, the quality of these programs was not very consistent. Thus, I realized then that there was a big gap between what children needed and available high quality extracurricular activities". 

The basics of winning chess

International Master Andrew Martin takes you on a tour of the basics of winning chess

ActiveKids' founder Grace So with a group of winners | Photo: Official website

Is it mandatory to write down the moves? Probably not! | Photo: Official website

Fritz and Chesster - Learn to Play Chess

Learn to think strategically, try out tricky mental exercises and master fun and exciting challenges – all with a generous helping of chess knowledge.

The Chess Academy of Hong Kong will organize a Summer Open with slower time controls in July and August.

Links

• ActiveKids website
• The Chess Academy blog