2024 Fall Chess Class syllabus.
Class 1
Teacher Contact Information:
Radhika Gupta:
(608) 440-5388
radhikagpt0816@gmail.com
Course Description:
This class is the first semester of chess. For many students, this may be the first time playing chess, while others may have some basic understanding. Over the semester, we will learn the basics and strengthen each student’s overall chess knowledge. We will also learn chess etiquette and rules of tournaments, and more strategies. This class will teach chess players to have fun and enjoy the game while learning.
Junior Tournaments:
https://new.uschess.org/upcoming-tournaments (Search for ‘Wisconsin’)
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Wisconsin Junior Open
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Manitowoc, Wisconsin
November 9- 10, 2024
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Course Learning Goals:
● To develop good learning and thinking skills.
● To be prepared for a large-scale chess tournament
● To learn chess notation.
● To learn and have fun with chess!
Course Supplies: 
● Pen or Pencil
Notation booklets will be supplied,
Notation booklet is required for a USCF
Tournament.
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9/15/2024
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Welcome back to chess class!
Introduction to course. Get to know new students.
Introduction to the syllabus and the new material.
Chess piece names, values and moves.
Break.
One to two rounds of chess.
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9/22/2024
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Warm up: Chess Trivia
Attacking, Capturing Defending
Check/checkmate
Introduction to one-move checkmate puzzles.
Break.
One to two rounds of chess.
Homework: Various easy chess puzzles.
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9/29/2024 |
Warm up: One-move checkmates
Forks, pins, skewers
Chess tournament etiquette, equipment and rules.
Break.
Two rounds of chess.
Homework: Various easy chess puzzles.
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10/6/2024 |
Warm up: puzzles from previous weeks’ topics
Bishop and Queen pins, skewers, and positioning
Checkmate in 1, 2 and 3 puzzles
Break
Chess games with notation
Homework: tactics puzzles covering forks, pins, and skewers
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10/13/2024 |
Warm up: Finding forks
Ladder checkmate (Rook and Queen, Rook and Rook)
Break
Chess games
Homework: Easy chess puzzles with forks and checkmates
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10/20/2024
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Warm up: puzzles covering forks and ladder mate
Learn castling
Opening principles – development, king safety, and center control
Example opening: Italian and/or Sicilian
Break
Chess games
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10/27/2024
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Warm up: Review opening
Chess notation
Puzzles with practicing writing the answers in notation
Break
Play a game while notating, submit games to teacher for review and analysis next lesson
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11/3/2024
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Warm up: puzzles from previous weeks’ topics
Checkmate with king and queen
Checkmate with king and rook
Break
Chess games with notation
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Homework: Practice checkmates covered today (set up on a chess board and play against yourself or a friend)
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11/10/2024
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Warm up: puzzles from previous weeks’ topics
Endgame principles, opposition, promotion
Review checkmates if needed
Break
Chess games with notation
Homework: puzzles
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11/17/2024
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Warm up: puzzles from previous weeks’ topics
Soft introduction to sacrifices and calculating complex tactics
Learn en passant
Puzzles involving sacrifices (center fork trick, distraction, maybe smothered mate) and en passant
Break
Chess games
Homework: Play and notate game (I can also provide puzzles as an alternative or extra credit)
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11/24/2024
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Warm up: puzzles from previous weeks’ topics
Concepts of gambit openings
Example – Queen’s or Vienna gambit
Break
Chess games
Homework: puzzles
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12/1/2024
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No Class
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12/8/2024
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Warm up: puzzles from homework
Famous game analysis/review
Break
Chess games
Homework: Puzzles
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12/15/2024
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Practice Bughouse round.
Mini-tournament to decide teams for next week’s bughouse tournament.
Homework: Prepare for the bughouse tournament.
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Bughouse Tournament!
Warm up: Get into teams and explain the rules of bughouse quickly.
Full day: Bughouse tournament with prizes!
Homework: No Homework!
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● Note: Please Notify me of any allergies. I may be giving out chocolate as prizes. If you don’t want that, email me or contact me directly.
