Chris Pyves from the Sharon Junior Chess Club came over and taught the Cub Scouts how to play or improve their chess. Chris Writes this [I’ve jumbled it up a bit to make it fit into a blog post]:
On Tuesday we had an interesting discussion about chess and sheep and I covered the first lesson from the Chess in Schools & Communities (CSC) lesson programme – The Prawn Pawn.
We then looked at Pawn moves and captures which prepared the ground to playing our first Mini-Game called capture the flag where the aim of the game is to get one of your pawns to the other end of the board. At first this game might seem quite trivial but in fact it can quickly become quite complicated.
Unfortunately due to technological advances computers have proven that humans are no match for them and children can (If they wish) subject themselves to the humiliation of being beaten by a robot by playing this game online.
There are five levels that you can adjust the computer so I suggest if anyone want to pit their skills against the computer that they start off at level 1. if you are careful & study what the computer does you will learn some cunning strategies to beat your human opponents. I have never managed to beat the computer myself but I am told that some students have been successful.
[Chris goes on to write about a school he runs over in Hulme. Details at the end of the post. Should a Cub Scout be interested and complete this course, they would be eligible to gain their Hobbies badge.]
At the end of [our] 10 week training course students will participate in a Mini-Game Tournament and be given a CSC Workbook to complete. This will confirm to me that they know and understand how each chess piece moves and captures. This will qualify them to receive a certificate of achievement and will earn them a [Cub Scout] hobby badge. Not only will they have acquired valuable knowledge of how to start & play a game of chess (which will serve them for a lifetime) but it will provide an easy way of meeting & making new friends whether it is within the scouts movement at home or abroad or in their wider community.
If anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to email me [Ask Akela for Chris’ details] but mentioning that you are associated with the 23rd Manchester (Birch & Fallowfield) Group.
The Sharon Junior Chess Club meets on Saturdays 1.00 – 2.30pm
We are based on the Chorlton Road next to the Church (which has now been renamed Kingdom Life) the address and postcode for the youth centre is 9 Eton Cl, Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester M16 7WR.
We are midway through a beginner training class but I expect to be open for a new group of beginners on Saturday 25th November.
There is no fee for attending as we are funded by the Greater Manchester Police Aris Fund. However parents should let me know if they would like to bring their children to the club (or if they are unable to attend a club session as this helps me with planning club events).
