Visitation Academy Winter Chess Club (Grades 5 through 8)

Intermediate (advanced beginner) class description

•  Brief review of chess rules: capture; castle, 'en passant', pawn promotion; check; checkmate; stalemate (all from beginner class)
•  Basic tactics I (tactical devices to gain material for purpose of later strategic victory)

1. Pin
2. Double attack (i.e. fork)
3. Discover threat/check/attack (also double check!)
4. Skewer

•  Basic tactics II  (simple combinations)

1. Piece values (relative to each other, position)
2. Unique piece combinations (i.e. Bishop, rook, etc.)
3. Deflections, Decoys, “In-Between moves,” Overloads

• End-Of-Game (continue)

  1. Rule of the square of the pawn
  2. Zugzwang (possible in middlegame, probable in most endgames)
  3. Tempi (Triangulation as a means of losing tempi at end to force Zugzwang)
  4. Chess Tournaments