I have a relative, age about 11. His dad, an officer in th Army… West Point graduate, is stationed in Germany. Before they moved, a few months ago, the 11 year old liked to play on one of my chess program.
He was pretty incapable of even reading a chess board for mate-in-ones.
They didn’t live around the corner exactly, and it was too much of a family gathering when they did visit. Usually holidays.
So I didn’t really have time to pay much attention to my nephew. Although one time he was playing and hit the rated games button and cratered my rating on the program he was using.
So I got to thinking recently that maybe I could teach him on the internet and wanted some suggestions on how to do that. I thought it would give him a family connection back home.
For chess problems, I’m going to have him use Convecta modules, but that’s for homework. I thought I’d use the Alberta Chess Association guide to teaching for a reference. But that still leaves the question on how to do it over the internet. I can’t use a webcam, I’m on satallite with a data limit.
I can pick up books on teaching chess from USCF Sales as needed.
The question isn’t how to teach chess, but I need suggestions on how to do it on the internet.
Use a site, chess.com, ICC, etc., where you both can log in and analyze on a board together. Audio can be over the phone or Skype.
Use a program, like ChessBase, and Skype or other communication/screensharing software (there are many - Oovo, Skype, etc.) Share your screen to review a game, etc.
In the first case, pgn files need to be uploaded to the site for the material to review. In the second case, only one player is “showing” things.
I’m always interested to see what people prefer and why and when.
You might also try some of the sites on the internet that have some instructional pages/information. Chessvideos.tv has basic [first few moves] openings, while chessworld.net has analysis of games by other players, and there are always the problems on many sites. Have your nephew work on some of this & then e-mail you with questions on specific openings, games, and problems. You are more of a guide than a teacher, but it just may work.
Perhaps a combinarion of email and using FICS. I know somehow you can teach using FICS. One day many years ago, over 10, a European master played me, and was kind enough to go over the game with me.
There is a way to take over an opponents board so you move pieces and stuff.
The master was nice enough, but was trying to find students to tutor. For more lessons I’d have to pay. But we ended up talking at length on juat how hard it is for higher rated players to make money in chess. And the master was only doing it for supplemental income.
I think I’ll browse the USCF Sales for books on teaching chess.
I have been taking lessons for close to two years online with an IM in Belgrade, Serbia. I came across him on ICC playing his regular Wednesday simuls. I send him my games in pgn format to go over in our lessons. We use the ICC interface for the board and Skype for audio. It works very well. When my membership at ICC runs out we will use the chess .com interface.
Parenthetically, ICC is too expensive now that there are other sites like chess . com and lichess. The only reason I’m still on ICC is because with the lessons, after about 1 1/2 years, my game has improved to the point where I’ve won my section in the game per week monthly G-60 ICC tournament which gives me additional months of membership as a prize. Chess.com is much better now than ICC in many ways. I do wish that chess . com would install the free dgt software that will allow me to use my dgt eBoard online for tournament play as I do on ICC, but that’s really a minor issue.
