Why Group Chess Classes Work So Well

We often think of chess as a solitary activity. Chess geniuses like Carlsen or Fischer are seen as pioneers standing alone above the fray, discovering new tactics and strategies by themselves. 

But no one becomes a genius without help. We all stand on the shoulders of giants. 

At Silver Knights, we understand that chess is a group activity, not a solitary pursuit. Our group chess classes, where students learn a chess concept before playing games, can be far more effective than learning through videos or a private tutor. Here are just a few things to consider for why to participate or have your child participate in a group chess class.

• • Chess is better viewed as a group activity like a swim club, where children train together and build bonds yet compete individually. 

  • Chess clubs are a competitive environments that help children learn better than memorizing or reading.

  • Chess clubs offer a place for children to grow personally and make friends. 

Experienced Chess Teachers

Certainly, you can try to learn the basics of chess by yourself or with only the help of a parent. But a teacher in a group chess class can offer guidance and advice in ways that an amateur cannot do by himself.

A basic example of this is the Fried Liver Attack. In amateur play, this is a common chess opening where White launches an attack on a weak spot on the Black side. To successfully block the attack, Black must play moves that may seem a bit strange. The Fried Liver Attack normally ends up in the below position:

The Fried Liver Attack presents a difficult decision for beginners.  Our experienced teachers can help your child understand how to avoid traps and make good decisions at the chessboard. 

Most amateurs would try to take the pawn as shown by the red arrow, but that is a trap. Instead, you want to move the other knight as shown by the blue arrow. 

It would be quite difficult for an amateur to figure out how to counter this attack without help. Our experienced teachers can help your child learn this attack as well as how to defend against it. We can help explain the pitfalls, which lets our students move on to learn other chess concepts.

Furthermore, an amateur attempting to learn without a teacher will often develop bad habits that are hard to shake off. A common mistake that many amateurs make is that they will spend excessive time studying more complicated openings and memorizing positions like the Sicilian Defense or the Queen’s Gambit.

The problem is that contrary to what many people think, the opening game is less important than the middle game and probably the end game. Being effective with tactics will lead to far more wins than knowing the first several moves of the French Defense. Our chess teachers with years of experience can guide your children and teach them good chess habits.

Our online chess teachers work with all sorts of kids from ages five to 18

The Power Of Group Chess Classes For Kids

A teacher can be very useful to get better at chess. But why a group chess class? Would not videos from YouTube be an effective solution as well? What about a private tutor? These solutions are not without merit, but a group chess class offers several advantages.

Our online chess classes developed from years of experience teaching chess classes in the DC area. In our local and online clubs, teachers teach kids a lesson about some chess concept for the first 20 to 30 minutes. After that, the children play games against each other and sometimes the coach. Lessons and play are both needed to improve. 

Lessons are important. As mentioned above, your child can learn good chess habits and strategy with our expert chess teachers. But while lessons are important, there is no substitute for playing to get better. One can only understand chess concepts in practice by seeing not just one game, but many, many games. Games also give students a chance to experiment and turn theory into reality. Experience is the best teacher.

Of course, one does not need a group chess class to play with others. One can play with a mentor, in a scholastic chess tournament, or in a chess club.

However, a group chess class offers students a great way to go over concepts in ways that are not doable in the other formats. By discussing a concept such as a type of checkmate or tactic in our lessons, we give our chess students a chance to try these concepts right away in their games. This combination of listening and doing helps kids learn in ways that a video cannot match.

A very common example is the four-move checkmate or Scholars’ Mate. This is a common checkmate used in beginner play that is easily blocked if one knows how to.

White is threatening the Scholar's Mate.  How can Black defend? 

When our coaches discuss the Scholars’ Mate, students will often try to use the checkmate during game time. This creates an arms race. Those who learn the checkmate try to use it, while those who have not quickly try to learn how to do it or how to block it if they want to avoid losing games. The games reinforce the lesson in a friendly low-pressure environment. 

In an amateur chess club, one might see the Scholars’ Mate occasionally. Without the lesson beforehand spurring students to try it out, there is that lack of pressure to focus on one chess concept quickly. A group chess class thus can help students learn faster than other ways.

Chess and Friends – More Than Just a Game

Above all else, we should remember that chess is about having fun. A group chess class offers both competition and socialization, giving students a chance to make friends while learning.

More than learning, chess is about fun and enjoyment at all ages

Tournaments and chess clubs can be social as well. But since chess tournaments are played in silence, they offer less chances to talk and learn. But in a group chess class, one sees the same people repeatedly. They learn the same things, talk to each other week after week, and are consistently sharing ideas and opinions with each other. 

Furthermore, the friendly, supportive nature of a group chess class can also help build bonds while still encouraging competition. At Silver Knights, students in our online academy program can compete in multiple online tournaments per week.  Students vie to win "Grand Prix" points and can win experience-based prizes like getting to play against a grandmaster in an online simultaneous match. 

Chess is a great game, and your child may be content to play with a few friends or parents. But a group chess class turns chess into a social activity, where people raise each other up while competing at the same time. It is a great opportunity for your child to grow and make new friends. 

Consider a Group Chess Class

How much does your child want to play chess? Is one game per week sufficient, or does your child want to play game after game after game? Our academy subscription is based one one group lesson per week but we offer ways to get more chess instruction and more chess game time. 

In addition to the standard weekly lesson, our online academy program offers multiple bonus lessons per week. This way, your child can enjoy more great chess lessons per week.  As parents, this gives you the flexibility to choose how many chess lessons per week your child will attend.   We also host multiple online tournaments per week.  Playing is very important and some kids will want to play as much as possible. Parents can decide how much time your child devotes to chess lessons and tournaments, and our flexible schedule allows you to balance chess with your child's other activities. 

A group chess class can offer all sorts of opportunities for kids to improve their skills, connect with new people, and avoid picking up bad habits. No chess master did things alone. They had someone to teach them. And a group chess class is a great way for prospective players to learn. Consider signing up for a $5 Trial Chess Class today.