Chess Merit Badge Guide

Scoutles.com – If you’re a scout that’s proficient at strategy games, or if you have actually had some experience playing chess, the Chess merit badge will supply an enjoyable means to develop important assuming skills as well as gain an optional badge!

While I didn’t have time to make the Chess merit badge when I was a Scout, today I’m a big fan of chess as well as would love to aid you to understand this awesome video game.

To complete the Chess merit badge, precursors must develop a firm understanding of the background, rules, and also methods associated with the video game of chess.

Additionally, you’ll likewise need to educate these skills to others, as well as also arrange some chess matches by yourself.

While you do not require to be Magnus Carlsen (suggested to be the greatest chess gamer in background) to finish the chess merit badge, you’ll require to develop a deeper understanding of chess than the average leisure gamer.

Remember, however, chess must be enjoyable! Take your time finding out, and you could simply make a lifetime pastime of this strategic video game.

Sufficient stated! Very closely read with each of the requirements below so you understand what you’ll need to do. Then, comply with along carefully. In this overview, I’ll walk you with each of the requirements, and aid you to make your extremely own Chess merit badge.

Chess Merit Badge Requirements

1. Discuss with your merit badge counselor the history of the game of chess. Explain why it is considered a game of planning and strategy.
2. Discuss with your merit badge counselor the following:
   • The benefits of playing chess, including developing critical thinking skills, concentration skills, and decision-making skills, and how these skills can help you in other areas of your life.
   • Sportsmanship and chess etiquette.
3. Demonstrate to your counselor that you know each of the following. Then, using Scouting’s Teaching EDGE*, teach someone (preferably another Scout) who does not know how to play chess:
   • The name of each chess piece
   • How to set up a chessboard
   • How each chess piece moves, including castling and en passant captures
4. Do the following:
   • Demonstrate scorekeeping using the algebraic system of chess notation.
   • Discuss the differences between the opening, the middle game, and the endgame.
   • Explain four opening principles.
   • Explain the four rules for castling.
   • On a chessboard, demonstrate a “scholar’s mate” and a “fool’s mate.”
   • Demonstrate on a chessboard four ways a chess game can end in a draw.
5. Do the following:
   • Explain four of the following elements of chess strategy: exploiting weaknesses, force, king safety, pawn structure, space, tempo, time.
   • Explain any five of these chess tactics: clearance sacrifice, decoy, discovered attack, double attack, fork, interposing, overloading, overprotecting, pin, remove the defender, skewer, zwischenzug.
   • Set up a chessboard with the white king on e1, the white rooks on a1 and h1, and the black king on e5. With White to move first, demonstrate how to force checkmate on the black king.
   • Set up and solve five direct-mate problems provided by your merit badge counselor.
6. Do ONE of the following:
   • Play at least three games of chess with other Scouts and/or your merit badge counselor. Replay the games from your score sheets and discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently.
   • Play in a scholastic (youth) chess tournament and use your score sheets from that tournament to replay your games with your merit badge counselor. Discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently.
   • Organize and run a chess tournament with at least four players, plus you. Have each competitor play at least two games.

The History of the Game of Chess

Chess is probably the most prominent method game of perpetuity. You don’t need to come to be a specialist on chess origins, you need to take some time to familiarize on your own with the game’s rich history.

When you discover exactly how chess has actually evolved from simple starts into the sporting activity it is today, you’ll be astonished.

Check out the table below for a fast recap of one of the most vital occasions in chess history, as thought about by chess.com, and also why they are very important to the evolution of the game:

Why Is Chess Considered a Game of Planning and Strategy?

Chess is considered a game of preparation and method because, to have any type of hope of winning, you’ll need to believe ahead. You’ll require to 2 kinds of planning to win:

• Tactics: Chess tactics are short term plans that are made use of to steer your pieces and win short conflicts. By having strong methods, you’ll be able to perform on your larger plans without losing items needlessly.
• Strategies: Your chess Strategy is your longer-term prepare for victory. This differs from your methods, as your strategy takes into account piece worth, pawn structure, as well as position control. A well-executed technique resembles your roadmap to success.

By placing assumed into your moves beforehand and establishing a general plan, you’ll progressively gain experience as well as eventually become an outstanding chess player.

Head over to the next needs to find out some of the strategies and techniques you could be using to boost your abilities!

The Benefits of Playing Chess

There’s no lack of advantages to playing chess. The strategic, tactical, and also important reasoning abilities one establishes via chess games have been shown to support a player’s development in various other locations also!

Several of the advantages trainees have reported from playing chess simply a few hrs per week consist of:

• Greater focus and also a heightened rate of understanding.
• A capacity to form friendships with others who play chess.
• An improved capacity to continue to be tranquil and act logically in high-pressure situations.
• Better performance in academics as well as sports.
• The growth of preparation as well as goal-setting abilities.
• An exercised capacity to win with humbleness as well as to lose with poise.

Along with these very sensible advantages, from personal experience, I have actually observed that chess also permitted me to compete in a friendly but exciting manner.

While I wasn’t a fantastic player when first starting, I established confidence, and nowadays do not lose almost as commonly!

Chess is genuinely a universal language that places everyone on the very same playing field. No matter their sex, race, or social skills, anybody can come to be an excellent chess gamer if they agree to place at the moment and also effort.

Sportsmanship and Chess Etiquette

Chess additionally shows its player’s gamesmanship, etiquette, as well as decorum. In life, chess, and also scouting, it is essential to be humble in triumph as well as gracious in the loss.

Chess teaches this skill well, as in each game you play, you’ll either be the victor, loser, or you’ll tie with your challenger. Each of these situations will occur at some point, and also it’ll crucial to be kind, regardless.

With the game of chess, gamers likewise discover to be individual and non-distracting while their opponents are planning action.

By treating your opponent as you wish to be dealt with, you’ll aid to promote chess etiquette and maintain the game fun for every person!

The Name of Each Chess Piece

The chessboard is a big square that is composed of an 8 × 8 grid of smaller squares. Therefore, every chessboard ought to have a total amount of 64 squares.

When establishing your chessboard, keep in mind the saying “white on the right.” This indicates that a light square should be in the bottom appropriate edge for each and every player. Square h1 will be a light square on the right for white, while square a8 will be a light square on the right for black.

Each square on a chessboard is appointed a certain name that never transforms, no matter which item is occupying it. There are 64 square names that go from a-h and 1-8.

The white side (the side that moves initially to open a video game) will consider their lower-left corner to be a1. In the picture on the right, a1 is the red square at the really bottom of the board. The letters will enhance with each square, flat, with h1 being the square on the farthest right of this residence rank for white.

The numbers will boost by one each time you move along each vertical line or ‘documents.’ When looking from white’s point of view, the vertical data on the far left will certainly move from a1-a8, while the data on the much right will move from h1-h8.

The 4 center squares, which are one of the most vital to control on a chessboard, are d4, e5, d5, as well as d4. Now, it’s time to consider the items used in chess, and learn just how they move across these squares.

The chessboard is a huge square that is composed of an 8 × 8 grid of smaller squares. Square h1 will be a light square on the right for white, while square a8 will certainly be a light square on the right for black.

The letters will raise with each square, flat, with h1 being the square on the farthest right of this home rank for white.

1. Pawns

Pawns are your foot soldiers on the chessboard. There are 8 of them on each side. Pawns inhabit the whole 2nd rank at the beginning of the game (a2-h2 for white, a7-h7 for black).

After their first move, pawns can only move on one room at once and also can stagnate backward. Pawns capture other pieces diagonally. Some notes concerning pawns:

• When pawns are still on their first square, they have the option of moving on 1 or 2 squares. This is the only time throughout the game that a pawn might move forward more than one square.
• However, if a pawn tries to move forward two squares to prevent the strike of an opposing pawn, the challenger may utilize a special move called en passant (in passing) to capture the pawn as if it had relocated just one room. Keep in mind: This action might just be done in the turn immediately after the pawn moved forward two rooms.
• You ought to try to move your pawns down the board. If a pawn effectively reaches an opponent’s back rank, the pawn might be exchanged for any other item (usually a queen).

When keeping score, pawns are worth about one point. Don’t believe that pawns are pointless. Pawns are a vital part of the chess method, as a reliable pawn framework can aid you to strike and also protect, all at once.

2. Rooks

When moving from the outside know the residence rank, the outer squares (a1 and h1 for white, a8 and h8 for black), are held by the rooks. Rooks are easily recognizable by their castle-like look, with many amateur gamers incorrectly referring to them as “castles.”.

Rooks are among the most important pieces on a chessboard, particularly when the board removes items as well as opens up. Rooks can relocate an unlimited amount of rooms horizontally or up and down, forward, or backwards. They catch in the same direction they move.

When maintaining a score, a rook is worth about five points. Rooks can likewise be made use of together with a king in a unique move called ‘castling.’ A lot more on this later!

3. Knights

Set up alongside the rooks, the following squares know the residence rank (b1 and also g1 for white, b8 as well as g8 for black) are inhabited by the knights.

The knights are easily recognizable by their horse-like look and also are often wrongly called “steeds” by amateur gamers.

Knights are the only pieces on the board with the ability of jumping other items, making them particularly important for cluttered midgame attacks.

They have a rather restricted range. Knights are capable of relocating an L-shaped pattern, either one square up and also over 2, or two squares up and over one, ahead or backwards.

Knights catch similarly they relocate and also are worth three factors when keeping rating. While you’ll likely not be able to utilize your knights well initially, the mark of an innovative chess player is being able to involve these pieces in unanticipated tactics to develop critical openings.

4. Bishops

Next to the knights, bishops are your 3rd pieces on the residence rank (c1 and also f1 for white, c8 and also f8 for black). They look a bit like taller pawns however are differentiated by their sharp tip.

Bishops can relocate an unrestricted variety of areas diagonally, either ahead or in reverse, and also capture in the same direction. As they can only remain on one shade the whole game, they are restricted to just fifty percent of the board and can easily get obstructed in.

Their wide-range capabilities make them very important in the end video game as well as on open boards.

When keeping score, bishops are likewise worth 3 factors. Bishops are wonderful for unexpected cross-board attacks and also pins, as most gamers have a tendency to expect assaults to find along straight lines, instead of from the sides!

5. Queen

Your queen has the capability to move an unrestricted number of squares in any kind of instructions, either ahead or backward. Queens can not relocate in the L-pattern of the knight.

The queen and also king are the tallest pieces on the board, with the queen usually having a crown. When setting up a chess video game, remember: Place the queen on her shade. Therefore, a queen needs to start on d1 for white and d8 for black.

When keeping score, the queen deserves 9 factors. Many chess games are shed as well as gained exactly how well each side can safeguard their queen, so utilize this item wisely!

While you can get one more queen by relocating your pawn to the end of the opponent’s side, this is not something that takes place.

6. King

As the goal of chess is to get to a checkmate and avoid being checkmated, your own king is the most important item in your corner of the board.

Like the queen, the king is a high item however is differentiated by the cross on its head. The white king will begin on e1, and the black king will certainly begin on e8.

The king can only relocate one room in any kind of direction, onward or in reverse, as well as captures in the way it moves.

An unmoved king as well as an unmoved rook can likewise execute a special move (castling) in which the king moves two rooms towards the rook, and also the rook relocates to the area quickly to the other side of the king. This action enhances king security.

There is no factor worth for the king because of its significance to the video game. Nevertheless, the king is usually made use of for strategic attacks throughout the endgames of chess matches.

Even with its reduced flexibility and also need for protection, don’t neglect to utilize your king!

How to Set Up a Chessboard

Now that you have actually found out the function of every piece, below’s how you must be setting up your chessboards. Keep in mind, queen on her shade. Generally, chess is quite uncomplicated to set up!

Also Read: How to Get an Art Merit Badge

How Each Chess Piece Moves

When teaching somebody exactly how to play chess using the SIDE method, I ‘d suggest utilizing the above section as a recommendation for things to cover. Nonetheless, if you’re trying to learn the video game on your own now, my writeup could not have actually been enough.

For all you visual learners out there, below I have actually consisted of a awesome as well as quick video (4:12) that’ll educate you everything you need to know to play your very first video game of chess.

It should give you a better suggestion of the arrangement and also usage of each chess item due to the fact that this video clip shows the real items moving!

As we discussed earlier, castling is when the king as well as rook change places. If both items have not been moved prior to the castle, this can be done just. To learn the policies of castling, leap to (3:14) in the video.

An en passant can be made use of if a pawn attempts to move on two squares to stay clear of the assault of an opposing pawn.

This allows the attacking pawn to catch the pawn as if it had actually relocated only one area. See (3:40) of the video for more information on exactly how an en passant is utilized.

Demonstrate scorekeeping

In official competition, chess players are required to keep track of their moves to help resolve any disputes that may arise later in the game. Remember how we mentioned earlier that there are 64 squares on a chessboard, and that each square has a name? That’s algebraic notation!

When using algebraic notation, the names of each square are used to record a chess piece’s position. To do this, write the first letter of the piece, followed by the square it moves to. Below are some examples of move algebraic notation. In this case, white moves first:

• Moving the d2 pawn to d4 would be recorded as “d4” (note that the pawns do not need to be named).
• Then, moving the black bishop from c1 to f4 would be recorded “Bf4.”
• Moving the g1 knight to protect the d4 pawn would be recorded “Nf3” (notice that knight is abbreviated with an N and not a K).
• If a white pawn in the ‘c’ column makes it to the opponent’s backfile, the notation is (c8Q). Sometimes, players use an equal sign (e1=Q) but this notation is generally used for portable games.

When a capture is involved, an “x” is used to denote the capture. For example, if black moved to “e5” in response to white’s initial “d4” move and white decided to capture on the next move, it would be recorded as “d4xe5.”

Here are some other special notations that you should also remember:

• King-side castling (o-o)
• Queen-side castling (o-o-o)
• Adding a “+” for a move that puts the king in check (for example, Re6+)
• Adding a “++” for a move that leads to a checkmate (for example, “Qxb5++).

Algebraic notation is based on a system developed by a Syrian man named Philipp Stamma in the early 1700’s.

Even today, the system of algebraic notation is used to record professional matches, as it reduces instances of cheating and makes it easy to reference a game after it’s taken place!

Three Phases of a Chess Game

The game of chess is broadly divided into three phases:

• The opening
• The middle game
• The end game

Opening: The opening includes the first 10 to 15 steps. Throughout this phase, most gamers battle to develop bishops and also knights, utilize pawns to regulate the central squares and castle their kings to security.

Center Game: Throughout the center game, gamers begin executing their details methods, begin to develop their queens and also rooks (by moving them to main placements), and also start compromising their own pieces to capture their challenger’s.

End game: The transition between the middle as well as the end video game is commonly hard to determine, yet it usually involves these characteristics:

• An open board with fewer pieces on both sides.
• Pawns taking pleasure in open documents and also competing to the opposite side of the board.
• A king that is very mobile as well as utilized to aid in assault or in resort.
• A ‘passed pawn’ being advertised to a queen, offering one side a clear benefit.

The Four Opening Principles of Chess

Normally speaking, there are 4 audio principles that all high-quality players will use in their openings, despite what approach they’re making use of:

• Activate your pieces to manage the
• Establish the bishops, rooks, as well as knights to assist in this central assault
• Castle the king to security
• Avoid moving the same piece more than one time

There’s a whole lot of history expertise that you must recognize as to why these principles are so important. I’d advise watching the video clip (8:07) listed below for a wonderful introduction of the thought procedure behind your opening principles:

Piece development is one of the most essential points to keep in mind throughout the opening, so constantly keep an eye out for methods to securely advance.

With these principles in mind, you ought to be left in an excellent setting by the time you get to center video games!

The Four Rules for Castling

As we covered previously, castling is a unique relocation that brings the king to safety and security. Castles commonly take place during the defense-setup phases of a chess opening. The 4 regulations of castling must be followed prior to a lawful castle can be carried out:

• The king has yet to relocate from its house square.
• The rook that the king intends to castle with has yet to relocate from its home square.
• The king may not castle out of check.
• The king may not castle into or via check.

Keep in mind that castling is a vital method of increasing king security and also getting your rooks into play.

Jump back to requirement 3c as well as avoid to (3:14) in the video to view a castle being executed in real-time if you require a lot more info on castling.

Demonstrate a “scholar’s mate” and a “fool’s mate.”

The “scholar’s mate” and also a “fool’s friend” is 2 early-game checkmates that you need to never succumb to.

While you probably should not aim to execute these actions yourself (it needs your challenger to make extremely specific blunders), recognize these traps to make sure that you do not come under them.

You’ll need to show these types of checkmates to your merit badge therapist, so research them closely, beforehand. When or two times, possibly even practice them on an actual board! To watch a “scholar’s mate” and “fool’s companion” in action, check out the video clip (4:56) below:

One more great reason to research the “scholar’s companion” and also “fool’s mate” is to find out the technicians of a checkmate. To end up being an excellent chess gamer, look for the checkmate above all else.

Four Ways a Chess Game Can End in a Draw

The objective of chess is to place the opposing king into checkmate. Nevertheless, there will certainly be lots of times when a game ends in a draw, where neither player victories neither loses. The adhering to are 3 basic that will certainly cause a draw:

• Stalemate. This occurs when the opposing king is risk-free, compelled to relocate, however has no place secure to go. This often occurs when amateur players get reckless as well as has a massive product benefit over their opponent.
• Repetition of position three times.  When the very same move has actually been made back-and-forth three times, a draw takes place. This generally occurs when a king just has one square to vacate check safely and the opponent, who has fewer items, is betting a draw.
• Mutual agreement. When neither sees an end in view to a very closely disputed video game, gamers can concur to a draw.

There are many manner ins which each of these attracts can take place. To finish this requirement, you’ll only require to demonstrate 4 of them! Get your chessboard and also exercise some standstill circumstances.

Or, also better, play a few games and also take pictures of each draw to reveal your merit badge therapist later on. This will offer you an opportunity to enjoy exercising what you’ve picked up from the previous requirements. Plus, a draw is bound to occur at some point!

There will be plenty of times when a video game finishes in a draw, where neither player success neither sheds. When the same move has been made back-and-forth 3 times, a draw happens.

Or, also much better, play a couple of video games as well as take pictures of each draw to show your merit badge therapist later.

Four Elements of Chess Strategy

Chess is a video game packed with lingo (expensive terms only used for chess). Below are the 4 of the most useful concepts, in my point of view, that every new chess gamer need to understand as well as know:

1. Exploiting Weakness

You can manipulate your opponent’s weak point by modifying your temporary methods whenever you observe a susceptability in your challenger’s position. Some common weaknesses that can be made use of consist of:

• A queen that gets involved in activity too early in the game
• A king that is not obstructed by a pawn and has yet to castle
• Dual pawns. a situation in which 2 or even more pawns are on the very same documents
• Bishops as well as rooks that are primitive and also obstructed in by pawns
• Knights on the edge of the board (a knight on the edge is dim).

Manipulating your opponent’s weak points is a reliable technique to make them lose a lot more factors than you do. You’ll be in a much far better position to win the match later on if you continue to take their pieces in helpful profession offs.

2. King Safety

Needing to relocate your king out of check will squander an important time. You ought to obtain your king to the side of the board early in the game through castling, so it is out of the means of central assaults.

By using pawns to block your king, you’ll prevent having to throw away relocate to run away remaining in check which is especially in the opening as well as a center game.

On the various other hands, you should attempt to place your opponent’s king in check as much as possible. Remember, your challenger can obtain out of check by recording your piece!

3. Pawn Structure

A reliable pawn framework is done by securely progressing your pawns towards adversary area. Ideally, you want your main pawns more advanced, with the pawns on the sides staying further back as a line of protection.

By doing this, if anyone of your pawns is recorded, another among your pawns can catch the assaulting piece.

Excellent pawn framework makes it tough for a challenger to get in onto your side of the board.

In addition, if your pawns can support each other, you can utilize them to invade your challenger’s space and also catch their higher-valued items. The pawn framework is the foundation of most approaches, so keep it in mind whatsoever times.

4. Time

Besides the time determined on a chess clock, time additionally describes the quantity of development that has actually taken place. For example, when moving the same item several times in the opening, you are losing time. Moving out of check likewise creates you to lose time.

Basically, anything that postpones the implementation of your pieces and also reduces your strategy results in wasted time.

You must attempt to make your challenger shed time, and avoid shedding time, yourself. Maintaining piece advancement (i.e: time) in front of the mind will certainly put you in useful placements and also aid you to win!

Five of These Chess Tactics

Here are the Five of These Chess Tactics that you can apply:

1. Clearance Sacrifice

A clearance sacrifice indicates surrendering a piece in order to obtain a much more useful position. As an example, if you’re attempting to navigate your challenger’s king into checkmate, you may intend to make use of one of your items as a “lure” to move the king’s security away.

A typical technique of clearance sacrifice is made use of to open up an angled. If you have a “bad” pawn that is blocking your diocesan, you may enable your pawn to be caught in order to relocate your diocesan right into an extra efficient setting.

If it’ll aid to enhance your total method, it’s alright to obtain behind in points.

2. Decoy

A decoy is any type of relocation that misdirects your challenger as well as permits you to obtain the edge. Well-executed sacrifices are one of the most common decoys in chess, as your opponent thinks that you have actually made a mistake when, in truth, you’re establishing a greater attack later in the game.

I commonly make use of pawns as decoys, advancing them well into the enemy areas to draw out assailants. When my pawn is recorded, I’m typically able to place the opponent’s king in check and also create my pieces additionally, and even choose the checkmate!

3. Fork

A fork takes place when one of your items strikes 2 or even more of your challenger’s items, simultaneously.

Knights are several of the most effective items for developing forks, with a white knight placed on c7 forking both an untaught rook as well as a king that has actually not yet castled.

While the knight is superb at developing forks on shut boards when creeping right into the challenger’s region, the rook as well as diocesan are exceptional at creating wide-range forks on more open boards.

Bishops, specifically, can be stealthy, as their angled attack is usually neglected by gamers who post necessary items on the exact same shade squares late in the video game.

Queens are likewise effective forking pieces, with their ability to develop an angled assault on one item and also a straight attack on one more piece. This is specifically efficient when among those assaults is on the opposite king.

Your challenger will have no choice yet to move the king to security as well as waive the various other items!

4. Overprotecting

Amateur gamers frequently make the blunder of overprotecting. Chess is a video game that usually compensates the striking player. So, if you are devoting a huge portion of your pressure to defending your king, the best you can often hope for is a draw.

A classic error that beginner gamers make is overprotecting pawns with useful pieces. If you’re using your queen or rook to safeguard a pawn or small piece (knight or bishop), you won’t be able to utilize that item for assaulting. This is a substantial blunder!

5. Zwischenzug

Zwischenzug is a German term definition “in-between action.” A lot of sophisticated chess gamers have actually already computed the steps of his or her opponent, so when that challenger makes a move that is unusual, such as a step that disrupts an exchange series, a “zwischenzug” is claimed to have actually happened.

If you anticipate your challenger to take one of your pieces, but they suddenly place you in check, this is an instance of a Zwischenzug! You’ll require to move out of check, as well as only then will the opponent complete their anticipated relocation by taking your item.

This allows them to develop their side and also take your item a reliable tactical move.

Since you’re a chess extraordinaire, you should share this wonderful game with your close friends! There’s a great deal of learning needed to gain this merit badge, but your initiative will certainly be well worth it. Congrats on getting this much.

Regardless of which the last requirement you end up doing, keep in mind that there’s much more to chess than simply winning. You need to enjoy and also strive to boost, most of all else!