I spent too much money today at Wholesale Chess today. I just couldn't help myself!
We needed a new chess set. Duncan became interested in chess earlier in the school year - apparently they had a "teaching set" in his classroom with the moves printed on each piece and he and some other friends were learning to play during free time. I didn't think much of it. I played him a few times, and while he did have a clear idea of how the pieces move, he had little to no strategy and I beat him fairly easily. His interest grew, and around Thanksgiving I discovered through an ad in the local paper that there was a free Youth Chess Club meeting in the library every weekend. The meetings are now a high point of his week, and he gets positively distraught if it looks like we won't make it.
He ran out of opponents close to the end of his meeting today and asked if I would play with him. Now, I'm just not a great chess player. My distractibility combined with my very poor visualization skills make it difficult for me to plan more than a move or two ahead. And I quickly discovered that my little boy had been paying attention in three months of meetings. Before long, I found that he had me in a Noah's Ark Trap, something he learned from the club.
"Got your bishop," he said casually.
He dodged every trap I tried to set up. He played with strategy. Several moves later, in a moment of inattentiveness, I left my queen open and it didn't go unnoticed. He successfully pinned my last rook. Finally I was down to my king and a couple of pawns against several strong pieces, including his queen. Rarely has accepting defeat made me feel so proud.
So, he's been needing a good chess set for home...I figured it was finally time to realize this was not a passing fancy for him and get him some quality equipment. I got a good deal for what I got...a quality vinyl roll-up board, triple-weighted tournament pieces, and a chess clock and deluxe roll-up bag both in his favorite color, red. With shipping - fifty dollars. I let him know it's coming later this week, and I got extra hugs and kisses for my awesome Good Mommy-ness.
Heh, heh. Little does he realize I will now use his very tools to brush up my game. Then he'll be sorry, spending all that quality time with Mom using his brain and having fun! Oh, wait.
We needed a new chess set. Duncan became interested in chess earlier in the school year - apparently they had a "teaching set" in his classroom with the moves printed on each piece and he and some other friends were learning to play during free time. I didn't think much of it. I played him a few times, and while he did have a clear idea of how the pieces move, he had little to no strategy and I beat him fairly easily. His interest grew, and around Thanksgiving I discovered through an ad in the local paper that there was a free Youth Chess Club meeting in the library every weekend. The meetings are now a high point of his week, and he gets positively distraught if it looks like we won't make it.
He ran out of opponents close to the end of his meeting today and asked if I would play with him. Now, I'm just not a great chess player. My distractibility combined with my very poor visualization skills make it difficult for me to plan more than a move or two ahead. And I quickly discovered that my little boy had been paying attention in three months of meetings. Before long, I found that he had me in a Noah's Ark Trap, something he learned from the club.
"Got your bishop," he said casually.
He dodged every trap I tried to set up. He played with strategy. Several moves later, in a moment of inattentiveness, I left my queen open and it didn't go unnoticed. He successfully pinned my last rook. Finally I was down to my king and a couple of pawns against several strong pieces, including his queen. Rarely has accepting defeat made me feel so proud.
So, he's been needing a good chess set for home...I figured it was finally time to realize this was not a passing fancy for him and get him some quality equipment. I got a good deal for what I got...a quality vinyl roll-up board, triple-weighted tournament pieces, and a chess clock and deluxe roll-up bag both in his favorite color, red. With shipping - fifty dollars. I let him know it's coming later this week, and I got extra hugs and kisses for my awesome Good Mommy-ness.
Heh, heh. Little does he realize I will now use his very tools to brush up my game. Then he'll be sorry, spending all that quality time with Mom using his brain and having fun! Oh, wait.
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