How to Stay Chess Active in the School Year: Chesscampeona on the Move

Summer vacations are finally over as another school year is upon us. It is time to open those new crayon boxes, sharpen those pencils, and crack open the books to learn!

School is an amazing time to learn and have fun.

However, if you love chess, sometimes school and after-school activities get in the way and leave you with little time to do what you love.

So, how do you solve this?

When I was in elementary, my dad (who happens to be my chess coach) had a unique system in order to decide how much chess we would have in the evening.

He would ask me, "How much homework do you have?"

• If I answered red, that meant I would be very busy with school activities. My dad knew not to work with me at this time and whatever class we were going to miss, it would be postponed for Saturday.
   
• If I answered yellow, we would work at least an hour.
   
• If I answered green, we would focus our evening on chess after chores.

My dad always told me that as a young child we would have to work more on chess because when I got to junior high and high school, we would have less time to work because of homework.

Everything he predicted came true. Now as a high school student, I study six hours of chess per week. We spread this time into 1.5-hour sessions, four days a week.

My peak USCF rating as a 16-year-old is 2106, but the hardest work in my chess career was when I was in elementary and junior high school. As a high cchool student, I focus mostly on deep analysis and honestly, it is FUN!

Communication between your parents and chess coach is very important so you do not get swamped with school work and chores.  Here are some tips that will help you navigate through this important time in your life.

 

1. Sit with your coach and explain your schedule. It is important to plan for when you have a lot of homework and other duties.

2. If you do not have a coach, make a schedule that will help you stay organized. Include your school schedule as well as your homework time, chores, and other after-school activities.

3.  Take some chess puzzles and positions with you on your Kindle, iPad, or smartphone, because there will be times you will not be able to study as much as you would like. 

ChessKid.com also provides a mobile app where you can play fast or slow chess and complete your daily puzzles on the go. You can take 5-minute breaks to complete them throughout your day. You can study chess anywhere and everywhere.

 

4. Visit ChessKid.com as often as you can!

I hope you learn from my experiences and use them in your own life.

In the Official ChessKid Club, tell us what your favorite subject is and your goals for this new school year.

Meanwhile, enjoy two of my games from right here on ChessKid: