Pawn Chains, Pass Pawns, Discovery Attack, The Pin, The Fork, Mobil Duo, these are a variety of chess strategies that children are learning and using each day playing chess.  Saint Mary School Buffalo Grove recently finished the “chess season” with a tournament, awards and prizes for each participant. This is the 4^th year Saint Mary
has offered Chess club after school. 

Children in kindergarten through 8^th grade may participate in the program. Each year more and more students join or return. Chess club is offered immediately after school in a classroom at Saint Mary School, making it a very convenient after school activity for children and their parents. Saint Mary School has partnered with CheckMates Academy the last 4 years to run the 8 week program.

According to the CheckMates website, CheckMates has a unique approach to teaching chess that involves a highly energetic curriculum. Chess instructors focus on spurring the child’s interest in chess by using chess puzzles, chess related games, and by creating a warm, inviting environment. Once a child is interested in chess,  instructors use numerous analogies to make
learning chess theory easy and enjoyable.

The CheckMates curriculum teaches everything from the basic rules of the game to chess theory used by the masters. Students learn to build upon their current chess knowledge and are encouraged to develop an individual
style of play that emphasizes their strong characteristics. Students are taught to apply the chess theory they learn in class to their everyday lives; including sports, time management, and decision making.

A recent article in the Washington Post stated “More than 30 countries have made chess a required part of the curriculum. In those countries, children more frequently possess stronger abilities to recognize patterns. Chess players learn not just logic and patience but creativity and
deliberation. Research has shown that children’s test scores improved significantly when they took chess classes, and other studies indicate that students’ self-esteem rises and their self-image improves.”

Last Friday the 8-week chess club came to end. The chess club’s finale at Saint Mary School included a 2 hour chess tournament. During the tournament children rotated playing with other students, based on winning or losing their current game. All the children played during the 2 hours. There was a single boy winner and girl winner
at the end of the tournament. Each winner will have their name inscribed on the school trophy. Additionally each participant chose a parting gift from CheckMates Academy. 

For additional information please contact publicrelations@stmarybg.org.

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Saint Mary School services; Arlington Heights – Buffalo Grove – Hawthorn Woods – Lincolnshire – Long Grove – Mundelein – Vernon Hills – Wheeling