Chess turns youth into kings, queens

On a recent Tuesday morning, in the corner of a classroom at St. Casimir's Regional School in Albany, agonizing decisions were being made about the fate of a king.

"If you move, I'm still taking it, so make the sacrifice," cajoled eighth-grader Kiara Gardner from one side of a green-laminated chessboard, her fingers hovering over the closest pawn of her opponent, Jamel Ancrom.

When Jamel moved, Kiara lifted his rook and placed it among the black pieces she'd already taken.

Your move

Tuesdays find 18 middle-schoolers learning how to play chess, the strategy-based, highly complex pastime that has been a competitive staple for hundreds of years.

Teacher Ernst LeJeune oversees the elective. As a high schooler, he used to sit in the cafeteria with a group of friends who challenged one another to learn new games. There, he learned chess. When he was hired as a middle-school math and science instructor, principal James Leveskas asked him if he played the game. When he said yes, he joined a parent volunteer to help pass on the love of the game to students.

"I believe [math and science] go hand-in-hand with chess," he explained, calling it "a good game to open up the mind."

Opening gambit

The teacher began the school year with the basics: the rules surrounding each piece's move and the fundamentals of strategy. As the weeks progressed, students learned about different strategies and began to play against one another.

Chess requires a great deal of critical thought, Mr. LeJeune noted. He characterized it as a peaceful game during which quick decisions and careful planning come together, and children are challenged to use critical thinking skills.

To increase understanding of the game, Mr. LeJeune often likens the traditional pieces to more modern counterparts in a large company: with rooks, pawns and bishops representing departments like sales, finance and research, and the king to a CEO. The pawns take the role of front-line employees.

Checking talents

Mr. LeJeune believes that chess's nature "teaches accountability" to students and "owning up to their mistakes. Whatever move they make has an effect on the strategy."

Small wins, he tells the students, are the key -- and patience is a virtue; rash moves often lead to defeats.

"They must read what the opponent's pieces will do and be constantly thinking of the alternatives before moving," he said. "You have to both be thinking in the moment and thinking ahead."

Point, counterpoint

One of the best ways for students to learn strategy is to compete among themselves, said Mr. LeJeune. They are allowed to talk while playing, so they can coach each other.

"Chess is fun, because you can play with your friends and get to have a challenging game," said sixth-grader Frank Wilson. "But, you have to stay concentrated. You have to know what you're doing."

Some of Mr. LeJeune's favorite moments of the school year occur when he sits across from one of his students to play chess -- and loses.

"Some of them know even better than me," he said.

(The chess class is one of a number of electives at St. Casimir's and "can be compared to extracurricular activities," explained Mr. Leveskas. The elective occur during the school day because "many students aren't able to stay after school because so many of them have responsibilities at home. Electives give all kids the opportunity to participate." The chess club is supported by the Albany Police Athletic League, which sponsors activities for children in public, parochial and charter schools.)

(6/9/05) [[In-content Ad]]