Thank you to the organisers of the competition at Endeavour Hills Secondary College held today (5th August).
Our students from Fountain Gate Secondary College enjoyed the challenge of playing students from other schools; I’m sure they learnt a good deal about chess and more importantly sportsmanship.
Again, thank you,
Yours sincerely,
Anne Damon
Teacher Librarian
A common method used by chess coaches is to show their students a position and ask them to find the best continuation. In this process it is more important that the students come to understand the method used to solve these problems rather than to actually come up with the correct solution.
Whenever I show a position to my students I ask them to evaluate the position before the jump in and start examining possible moves.
Take a look at the diagram below for example.
White to move.
Looking at the position from Black’s point of view, I would say that I’m down on material (N + P) but the only way he can beat me is to queen the pawn. If he does this straight away I can just take the Q and if he doesn’t move the pawn I am threatening it twice and it is protected only once hence I can capture it next move. If I win the pawn then my B should draw against B + N.
Conclusion: I think that I’m drawing.
I now invite you to examine the position in a similar way from White’s point of view and see if you agree with my conclusion.
