Chess

Published on Friday 29 February 2008 13:28

"Why has chess become a little kids game?", asks GM Joel Benjamin in American Grandmaster (Everyman, £14.99). The US Chess Federation has 30,000 adult and a further 50,000 schoolchild members.

American chess organisers have been very successful at getting programmes taught in schools, based on the theory that pupils exposed to chess show improved academic performance.

"The standards for this complex game of strategy have been turned on their head. I wouldn't argue that five- to seven-year-olds shouldn't learn chess, but they aren't equipped to benefit most from instruction," claims Benjamin.

The youngest kids struggle to develop concentration, patience and planning. Chess is a tough game with winners and losers, which "can be difficult for young children", says Benjamin, a child prodigy in the post-Fischer boom years. "We have loads of kids who are not at all chess fans – they just compete against other kids. When they start losing, or their friends drop out, there is nothing to hold them."

All the focus is on introducing players to the game with very little attempt at maintaining their interest.

In Scotland there are now more juniors who have played a rated game this season than adults. However, just as in the US, these are mostly games between primary school pupils. Of the 1,400 juniors to play an official rated game, just 200 are over the age of 12.

The first Law Society of Scotland Secondary Allegro Chess Championships were held at Perth Racecourse on February 17, designed to boost participation among older juniors. The event was won by St Margaret's High, Airdrie, led by their British U-15 champion, Connor Woods, ahead of St Aloysius College and Robert Gordon's. The event was held in the splendid surrounds of The Nelson Stand and generously sponsored by the Law Society of Scotland.

Law Society Allegro, White: Jonathan Wright (Robert Gordon's) Black: Daniel Rocks (St Aloysius), 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 Qc7 7 Bd3 Bb4 8 Qd2 Nf6 9 f3? White is trying for an English Attack set-up but Black spots the flaw. White should have tried 9 a3. 9...Nxd4 10 Bxd4 e5 11 Be3 d5! 12 a3 Ba5 13 b4 d4 14 bxa5?? The fatal error – White can avoid piece loss if he spots a minor tactical trick. Play 14 Bf2! dxc3 15 Qe3. 14...dxe3 15 Qxe3 Qxc3+ 16 Ke2 0-0 17 h4 Be6 18 g4 Rfd8 19 h5 Bc4 20 g5 Qxc2+ 21 Qd2 Bxd3+ 22 Ke3 Qc5 mate. See www.chessscotland.com for a photo report of the event.