Should I Sign My Children Up For Chess Tournaments?

 

by Laura Sherman and Bill Kilpatrick
Authors of Chess Is Child's Play -- Teaching Techniques That Work 

You might be wondering if your children are ready to play in their first chess tournament. How good do they need to be in order to register them for one?

The answer is the same for all children. They need to know how to play according to the basic rules of the game. That’s all!

 

 

Once they have that down, they’re ready to play in a tournament. They definitely don’t need to be a highly skilled player to begin their tournament adventure. The fact is there’s no skill requirement to enter.

So why start tournaments early in life? What are the benefits?

While playing games at home or at school is fun, playing in a tournament is a truly memorable experience. It’s just so exciting! And a child’s chess-playing ability often skyrockets as soon as he or she start playing in tournaments.

As a parent, you should know that game one of the first tournament is important. Some children become temporarily devastated when they lose. But very soon, the thrill of winning even one tournament game changes all that.

 

 

A wise parent makes it clear from the beginning: “You’ll win some games and lose some.”

A wealth of lessons can be learned during each and every tournament game. The fact is there are many losses and wins within a single game!

For example, if a child wins his or her opponent's queen, but loses the game, he or she will often experience a legitimate feeling of victory. If your child becomes upset about the loss later, simply remind him or her of that victory over the queen and your child will probably burst into a huge smile.

Keep in mind, your child might not win many games in his or her first tournament. But rest assured that if your children keep playing, just a little more, you’ll feel the elation they do when they race up to you yelling, “I won! I won!”

 

 

Look for small, local tournaments to start. They won’t be expensive and will usually only last one day. It’s an added bonus that your children will most likely meet new chess friends!

The larger scholastic events can be expensive, but they are completely exhilarating for the child and parent. There’s nothing like watching 1,000 chess kids all playing in one room.

It’s so much fun to see children scattered through the halls playing games, talking about the games they played, each child carrying his or her own board and bag of pieces.

Take the plunge! Encourage your children to enter their first tournament. It’s an amazing new world for them to explore!