Bear Scholastic Chess Club

A growing (well, it can't shrink, can it?) collection of material to help you grow as a chess player and to make your tournament experience more enjoyable.

Not yet well organized (oh, I'm sorry - I mean this page is under construction!)

3 tests in the style of "Test Your Chess IQ" by August Livshitz (a recommended 'buy' on the shop page)

The reviews I've written for the DCA website's Delaware Chess Review feature. Make sure you check out all the reviews there! review added:2005-10-01

Here's some advice on how to setup Fritz to get the most benefit out of it.

And here's some advice on using Chessmaster:

Create a database for your games: Chessmaster 9000

Enter a game between two people: Chessmaster 9000

Have Chessmaster analyze a game of yours: Chessmaster 9000

Save an Analyzed Game: Chessmaster 9000

Many years ago I stumbled across a small book of tactics in a Russian language bookstore. Each of my students starts out with about 150 checkmate in 1 problems, all but two of them from this book. If you'd like to practice the easiest kind of tactic - here they are! Remember, when you are working on any chess problem that doesn't come easily - set up the position on a board and think about it there. It makes the position - and solution - easier to recall when you need it! (in other words, when you are sitting at the board)
Here are the mates in one with diagrams. These are for everyone!

Here they are again - for those students above about 900 USCF. And the rules have changed. This time through - no board and no pieces. Read the description of where the pieces are and try to visualize the position in your head. Do this in the car or on the bus when you can't cheat! Here's an example: Kd3 Ra1 h7 / Ke8. The white pieces are listed first, so there is a King on d3, and rooks on a1 and h7 (when there is no piece letter before a square, it is the same piece that you just did). Then comes a slash - and then the black pieces. Try it! (If this is too difficult, try it with an empty board in front of you)

If these problems helped you, there are more! They've been converted to a program by Convekta products called "Chess Tactics for Beginners". You can order it through our Amazon.com link.