Wednesday 11 May 2011

Big Screen Chess

The Amaroo School Chess Club has some pretty cool equipment, apart from the usual sets and clocks. It has a 'Smart Board' which is a large computer touch screen system, about the size of a whiteboard. Combined with some useful chess software (in this case ChessMaster Grandmaster edition), it is both an excellent teaching platform, and fun to use.
One of the things I use it for is 'Big Screen Chess'. While the kids are playing their Ladder competition games, I will load up famous games and set it on auto-play. It gives the kids something to watch while waiting for the next game, and like most things on a screen, they find it fascinating.
I usually go for old games, as they contain a lot of exciting attacks. One example is the following game, played in 1844. As with most games from that era, checkmating is the main strategy. And also like most games from that era, there appears to be multiple versions of the moves. The version given below comes via Chessbase, although the version in Chessmaster has the king dying on h6, after Black sacrifices another rook!

Hoffman,Fr Alexander - Petrov,Alexander [C54]
Warsaw m Warsaw, 1844

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 Ne4 7.Bd5 Nxf2 8.Kxf2 dxc3+ 9.Kg3 cxb2 10.Bxb2 Ne7 11.Ng5 Nxd5 (D)
12.Nxf7 0-0 13.Nxd8 Bf2+ 14.Kh3 d6+ 15.e6 Nf4+ 16.Kg4 Nxe6 17.g3 Nd4+ 18.Ne6 Bxe6+ 19.Kh4 Nf5+ 20.Kh3 Ne3+ 21.Kh4 Ng2+ 22.Kh5 g6+ 23.Kg5 Be3# 0-1

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I use a smart board and Sigma Chess to teach chess to my Year 3s. Games and positions are pre-loaded so no time is wasted. It's full screen and immediate.

I also throw in the occasional Kosteniuk "Chess Killer Tips" (look it up) exercise. Going back to a vinyl demo board for a lecture at my club was a pain.

Anonymous said...

I am not sure where you're getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for great information I was looking for this information for my mission.
My web-site How To Buy Revatio In Canada For A Canadian