Chess for Educators

Chess has the rare quality that children love it despite the fact that it is good for them. Playing chess is just like life: you have to make plans, take decisions, be creative, deal with challenges, handle disappointments, interact with others and evaluate your actions.

In this guide, psychologist and chess teacher Karel van Delft provides access to the underlying scientific research and presents the best didactical methods. Van Delft has created a dependable toolkit for teachers and scholastic chess organizers.

What can teachers do to improve their instruction? How (un)important is talent? How do you  support a special needs group? How do you deal with parents? What are the best selling points of a chess program? Boys and girls, does it make a difference? How do ‘chess in schools’ programs fare in different countries?

This is not a book on chess rules and moves, but it points the way to where good technical chess improvement content can be found. Van Delft offers a wealth of practical advice on the most effective didactics in order for kids to build critical life skills through learning chess.

Karel van Delft is a Dutch chess teacher and chess organizer. He holds a Master’s degree in Psychology of the University of Amsterdam and has lectured and published widely on the subject of the benefits of chess in education.

“More than 260 pages of pure motivation and inspiration. While other school chess books focus on concrete lessons, Karel van Delft provides insight into everything else that should be in the chess teacher's school bag (chess and autism, chess and girls, chess as social and therapeutic tool, the role of the parents...). The author strikes a wonderful balance between practical tips and scientific foundation. You can use some pages as a checklist, on the other hand the references to scientific works can make any school headmaster realise that chess really belongs in the classroom. And isn't that exactly what we need to spread chess in schools?”
Philippe Vukojevic, First Rank Newsletter, European Chess Union Education

“This book does not need to be read systematically. It is a work of ideas and advice, which will retain a long shelf life. Chess tutors and teachers will be able to dip into the book in search of inspiration and they will certainly find it waiting for them. It’s doesn’t matter how experienced a teacher or tutor may be: there will always still be plenty of new ideas to be found in ‘Chess for Educators’.”
Sean Marsh, CHESS Magazine

“Going through the book I encountered things that I had hardly heard of and that sometimes opened up an entire world to me, although I have been teaching chess for many years. Chapter 20 is an important one because it concentrates on research into the benefits of teaching chess. I think that many chess players will be able to identify with the section ‘Losing touch with school’. All in all a monumental work that deals with lots of aspects of teaching, coaching and organizing, but also with communication and promotion.”
IM Herman Grooten, Schaaksite

“2,000 hours of painstaking research, analysis and counselling ideas by Karel van Delft. Surely the most comprehensive guide yet for teachers and parents in the chess world.”
Chess Magazine Black and White (India)

“Essential reading for everyone interested in chess education, whether in practice or only in theory. Both established chess teachers and those just setting out will find great ideas to inspire them on every page. Karel van Delft is one of the world’s leading experts on the subject, so the book is an ocean of wisdom. The most important aspect of the book for me, on a very personal level, is the understanding that chess has potential social as well as cognitive benefits for a very wide range of young- and not so young – people. I hope Karel’s book meets with the success it deserves: you could start by buying a copy yourself.”
Richard James, British Chess News

“Van Delft does a great job of creating material for both chess club administrators and coaches. By combining both his own practical experience and extensive research, Van Delft has created a guide that is exceptionally useful for those within the chess education field.”
FM Peter Giannatos, Founder and Director, Charlotte Chess Center

“A book that no chess teacher can afford to miss. The amount of material that is presented is incredible. A brilliant, pioneering work.”
Bab Wilders, Nederland Dagblad

“The book is easy to read and the content is outstanding. I wish I had access to a book such as ‘Chess For Educators’ earlier in my chess coaching career to save me time building up several chess programs from scratch. I highly recommend this book to new and seasoned chess teachers and administrators. ‘Chess For Educators’ is a bridge between the school teacher with an interest in chess and the chess coach with an interest in education.”
Miguel Ararat, Florida Chess

“Why should chess be taught in schools? If you have ever has to answer that question then this book is full of interesting fact and figures to support the game as a way to help someone improve their well being. For instance by decision making, social skills and help to enhance other subjects such as maths, science, history and languages. The issues and problems raised here will resound all over the world. A deep and interesting look at the influence of the game. An essential tool for chess in schools.”
IM Gary Lane, ECF Newsletter