Mate in one

Hi guys!

For the past two schoolyears, I have sponsored a Chess Club in the school where I teach. Basically, the chess club falls under the ASA Program or After-School-Activity program and our session happens on a once a week-45 minutes only. Because of this, some of the students want to continue the lessons and games on a private session.

At first, I did'nt know where to start. I 've played chess but never really on a Master level and this was were I thought would be the end of the chess club or my chess lessons. When I met one of the Philippines' best scholastic chess coach, Mr. Expedito "X" Bolico, eveything was cleared. He assured me that one need not become a master to teach chess for beginners and intermediate players. For him, to teach the game is very different from playing the game. Such an assurance who has produce three National Masters, his own children.

I continued reading on chess coaching and other scholastic chess articles available online and this further assured me of how and where to begin teaching chess to my students in my club.

Well, almost everyone says it helps to give these beginners the mate in 1, 2 and 3 diagrams, depending on their skills. Fortunately, I got a copy of Laszlo Polgar's Chess Problems. Some call it the Brick and others simply Polgars Chess book.

Because my students are beginners, I assumed it would be good to start wth mate in one. I was right, very right. For one, they get confused with the squares, with the pieces and other stuffs but after some sessions, they tend to remember th rules, the pieces and others.

I have found some positions and diagrams which my kids find difficulty. Usually, the pawn promotion into a major piece, a knight, a rook or any other piece that would give the mate gives my kids the confusion.

Here's some of them: