Curriculum Chess

At PS 41, kindergarten, first, second, and third grade students receive weekly chess instruction in their regular classrooms from Jeremy Scheinbach or James Lewis. The school’s Parent Teacher Association has generously funded this enrichment program since 2003.

Students receive instruction and play supervised games; they build self-confidence, learn about good sportsmanship, and develop respect for others. Kindergarten students begin their chess journey by learning about the chess board and the names of the pieces. They learn piece movement and the rules of the king (check, checkmate, and stalemate), and soon after begin playing full games of chess. In first grade, students review the rules they learned in kindergarten, and then quickly move onto basic strategy and tactics (pins, forks, and discoveries). In second and third grade, chess students continue learning with more advanced strategies and tactics, while continually practicing games in class.