Check out this chess trap...

[Alex Franke]

I have to brag about my son again... He's six now and I've been teaching him the rules of chess over the years as he's expressed interest. We just started playing again this weekend.

I've come to expect the mistakes that he usually makes -- things like not developing pieces well, not seeing some attacks (especially "discovered" ones), and not always seeing a capture as valid way to avoid an attack. Plus I'm used the level of strategy that you might expect from a kid. This weekend, though, after a quick refresher (it's been probably 6 months), he really showed some significant improvement...

He won this game on his own, and though I think that luck played a role, his goal was clear and his moves deliberate and confident (mostly). He marched my king into this clever trap. Moving his bishop to e1, he said "Check..." but continued to hold the piece for a moment and look at the board. Then, as he let go, he continued, "Mate!" and smiled proudly! (I might have been even prouder!)

This was my view of the board:

[cabinetman]

Yup...he got ya alright. My grandkids are gamers and picked up on chess. Six years old is pretty unique. What's next...a cutlist?
.

[Shep]

I smell a Bobby Fischer

[bmyers]

How cool is that eh? The symbolism is mind boggling.


-Bill

[radhak]

I used to be considered a decent player at college (I think more of a one-eyed-king-in-the-valley-of-the-blind), and I feel that's a great game he played, not even considering his age : he has taken out two of your developed pieces (queen, knight), and has only 2 undeveloped ones to 4 of yours. He's deep into your territory while you are barely out of home. And if he recognizes a check-mate before completing a move, he's already a chess player, no longer learning.

I think at 6, he's ready to be challenged - you might want to search out a genuine chess coach for him to spend some time with. Even one hour a week might open his mind out a lot. And I don't mean the 'chess clubs' at the library - they rarely are more than recreational; but you could start there.

I only think you are losing a warrior for a strategist - I still remember him with his sword and shield !

[os1kne]

I haven't played chess in many years, probably should do a refresher. My kids are just about ready to start playing checkers, so it would be good for me to get back into it before long.

[LCHIEN]

chess is pretty complicated for a 6-YO, so that's quite an accomplishment.

Some Age-independent advice on your games:
looks like you are deep into the middle game.
lots of undeveloped pieces for that stage - maybe blame the opening or perhaps the player strategies.
Kings are both badly exposed. Rooks have hardly moved. and moving them out via R3 behind the pawn is a slow, weak way to develop them. Queens are out and gone before the supporting cast is in place.
Is no-one liking castling at your house or have you not taught him because you don't use it much yourself? Castling is extremely powerful because you get to move two pieces in one move; it also protects the king and develops the rook to the center of the board where he fires down the prime columns. (assuming you got the bishop out), all the more reason to develop your pieces off the home rank.

Aggressive chess openings try and move out the two bishops and 2 horsies quickly and using the center pawns and those pieces to control the center four squares of the board - control can be assessed by how many pieces are directly or indirectly attacking those four squares. Then the King is free to castle either side (King side is usually stronger) If you castle q-side then the queen has to move, General wisdom says the queen should start jumping out to play only after you develop the supporting pieces, We don't send out the carriers without the destroyers and cruisers being there, its too big a target. Moving a piece out and then back after being attacked wastes two moves and allows the other player to develop two pieces in the same time-two free moves.

TRy to waste as few moves as possible moving pawns - every pawn move is potentially a lost major piece development move. Pawn moves should be carefully planned to add to the attack on center and to open avenues to develop your majors. A chess game is a race to who can position the pieces most powerfully the fastest. When the trading begins a piece one move away from helping is useless piece.

specifically in this game, the lack of bishop development has kept the white rooks bottled up and unable to defend the assault on your home rank of blacks bishop that applies the checkmate. If either of white's bishops were out that play would be impossible.

But don't listen to me I know nothing about chess.

[jking]

But don't listen to me I know nothing about chess.

Obviously.

[chopnhack]

ROFL, know nothing of chess.... Alex, your son did amazingly well at a game many adults know nothing of. Kudos, and I agree, get some training for the ex-"warrior" If he doesn't pursue the strategy and discipline will prove worthwhile in other areas of life.

[Alex Franke]

Thanks, everyone -- and thanks for the tips, LCHIEN. I did teach him castling and en passant, but he doesn't do those very frequently at this point. Because he's still learning, I usually don't play my best -- I try to stay a bit ahead and create interesting scenarios that he can learn from (lately pins and forks and things like that).

Here's a picture he brought home recently from school. Note the game clock on the table. I love my geeky kids!

[phrog]

What is even more amazing is that your son is playing black. Black, moving second, is always at a disadvantage. To checkmate you with so many pieces left, and playing black, is remarkable for your son. My congrats. It looks like it's time for a chess coach.

[Pappy]

I smell a Bobby Fischer

Let's hope not, at least from a personality level. I was stationed in Iceland and working gate duty when he played Boris Spassky. Fischer would come on base at night and go to the bowling alley to 'unwind' . Obnoxious, narcissistic little s*#^.

I was also lucky enough to be at the Loftleider Hotel lounge in Reykjavik with an Icelandic friend and got to meet Spassky. He loved talking to Americans and bought us a couple of drinks. A true gentleman.

[LCHIEN]

Let's hope not, at least from a personality level. I was stationed in Iceland and working gate duty when he played Boris Spassky. Fischer would come on base at night and go to the bowling alley to 'unwind' . Obnoxious, narcissistic little s*#^.

I was also lucky enough to be at the Loftleider Hotel lounge in Reykjavik with an Icelandic friend and got to meet Spassky. He loved talking to Americans and bought us a couple of drinks. A true gentleman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Fischer

Fischer in his younger years was not known for being a gentleman. In his later years he was a demanding recluse and a prima donna when public matches were trying to be arranged.

Iceland loved him because the match there put Iceland on the map. Fischer made tough demands and never officially defended his chess title. He did later play a highly promoted match in 1992 in embargoed Yugoslavia which was outside the recognized chess heierarchy. Because of this he was wanted by the US Gov't which later expanded to income tax evasion and he never set foot in the US again... became anti-jewish and anti-american living in the Phillipines and Iceland (which granted him asylum and eventually citizenship), after he was arrested in Japan around 2004 for tavelling with an invalid US passport. Till his death in 2008 he claimed to be the world chess champion although that title was long before stripped when he refused to defend the title.

Still his match record in his prime showed a dominance in his sport that could be compared to Tiger Woods in his prime or Roger Federer in his prime, that he is considered the all-time greatest in terms of separation from the nearest competition, although he later refused to defend the title without some changes in the traditional championship rules.

It's fair to say he was a very complex individual. At one time (in the 1960's) he was an american hero because it was the height of the cold was and he was routinely beating the Russians at what they considered their own game.

So there are reasons to be like and Not be like Bobby Fischer.

[moc]

On the plus side, you still have one of your little horsies

*moc