What's the threat?

"What's the Threat?" 

I encourage my chess players to ask themselves this question after every move that their opponent makes. Many of the chess games that I see lost in the club are a result of one player not taking the time to figure out the point of their opponent's moves. Eventually the player gets "bit" by not paying attention.

I use the image of a snake to help the kids remember the question "What's the threat?". We watch a clip from the movie "Rikki Tikki Tavi" in which a mongoose (Rikki Tikki Tavi) fights a cobra (Nagaina). I relate this battle to a game of chess. Our opponent in chess is like a cobra, trying to strike a deadly blow when we least expect it. We are the mongoose, dodging the strikes and looking for the right opportunity to deal a death blow of our own. I use the idea of the mongoose for the kids of our club because a mongoose usually wins the battle against a cobra.

I am currently participating in a book study with a number of educators from around the world.
One of the assignments that we have is to create a meme. The picture above is my first!

...and now a word from our sponsors

Part of the success of the MadWash chess club comes from our sponsors. There are three organizations that have helped the chess club financially; The Warsaw Education Foundation, The American Table Restaurant, and The Warsaw Breakfast Optimists.

The Warsaw Education Foundation is an organization that helps raise money for various programs within the Warsaw Community School district. WEF has been supplying grants to the Warsaw Chess Club (governing body of the MadWash Chess Club) since 2001.  The grants cover the cost of awards for the annual Warsaw Community Schools Fall Chess Tournament (Checkmate Hunger). As a result, the club can keep all of the entry fees from the tournament and use it to buy awards for the Warsaw Community Schools Winter Tournament in January. The Warsaw Education Foundation has also given the club a grant to buy 3 Mon Roi Personal Chess Managers. The Mon Roi is the only electronic notation device that is allowed in USCF (United States Chess Federation) sanctioned events.

Another organization that helps the MadWash Chess Club is a restaurant called the American Table located in Warsaw, Indiana. The American Table suggested that we set up a collection box to collect spare change from patrons at the restaurant.  The parent of a chess club member club purchased a tall, dinosaur bank which is named "Chessy". Patrons at the restaurant put money in the mouth of the dinosaur and it rolls along a path and into the dinosaur's stomach, which kind of looks like a hamster ball. The money raised from Chessy is used the pay entry fees for team tournaments. It is also used to buy equipment for the chess programs throughout Warsaw Community Schools; Washington needs more equipment, we're now over 75 members in the club! The money also buys software and other products to help the chess coaches in the district. Warsaw has eight elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. Not all of the schools have a chess program but most do.

The final organization that helps the chess club is the Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club. The MadWash Chess Teams did not have enough Mon Roi Personal Chess Managers to outfit an entire team. When the Breakfast Optimists found out, they invited team members to a meeting to talk about the MadWash Chess Club and the various activities that the club members are involved in. When asked if we needed anything we replied "another Mon Roi". A vote was taken on the spot and the group unanimously agreed to give us the money to purchase another Mon Roi.

I am thankful to have such great sponsors in the community; sonsors wno see value in the chess program and are willing to donate resources for our growth and success. Here's a link to the MadWash Chess website with information about our sponsors
https://sites.google.com/a/warsawschools.org/madwash-chess/our-sponsors

Sensing the potential

The weekly chess club tournament has been going on for only two weeks but I'm already beginning to sense that a couple of the new players are going to be very good. If these players continue to impress, they will be promoted to the next level. They will compete against tougher players in the club and possibly have an opportunity to be placed on a chess team. One of my favorite parts of being a chess coach is finding new talent and trying to develop it.

Much-Needed Catch-Up Time

Last year, I could not keep up with the demands of being a teacher and trying to run multiple extra-curricular clubs at two schools. This year, I have less time to work with and more demands that need attention.  I decided to take a day off from each extra-curricular activity I sponsor once per month, which gives me one free morning per week. The first Wednesday of the month is my day to take off from chess club at Madison.

It's too early to tell what the effect will be on the chess club. At least I feel that I'm not so far behind in the other areas of my profession. :)