Teenager Gives TEDx Speech, Changes Lives Through Chess

 

 

 

 

I'm 18 years old and just graduated from high school in Pittsburgh. I will be attending the University of Pittsburgh next year for English and Business. One of the reasons I chose Pitt was because it reminds me of chess and how many opportunities there are in and outside of the classroom. I started playing chess at the age of four, began teaching at eight years old, and founded Queen's Gambit when I was 14.

 

I have fond memories of playing chess competitively, but one of my favorites was playing with my siblings. I have three siblings, and my father taught us how to play. I never had a formal chess lesson, but I learned through my siblings playing chess. I learned how to play chess through observation. I won 1st place in my first tournament, and it is a moment I will never forget because my chess teacher was so proud of me. He knew I could do it, and his commitment to my chess games is something I always try to do with my students. 

 

In one of my first tournaments in one of the higher-level sections, I played against someone who did not capture pieces very often. He liked fair trades, but he liked his pieces better. I lost that game because I thought I had a checkmate on a crowded chess board, but he could play en passant. I remember this game so vividly because it was one of the first games I lost in a tournament. I wasn't upset that I lost, I was happy that I learned what that dreaded en passant actually was!  

 

When students ask how to improve their game, I don't like to give specific openings or defenses. I don't give a list of tactics or grandmaster puzzles. I tell them to think about why they started to play chess from the start. What was it about this game that piqued their interest. I ask them about their life goals, and if there is something that they are curious about in life or need help figuring out.

 

Chess is a smaller version of life, and when students practice life skills and learn about life through this game, the outcomes are incredible. In short, think about what you are passionate about and use the game of chess to make that happen. Then, study your chess games, annotate them, and learn what moves you commonly play. You learn so much when you study your games, and then you can go over tactics and strategies. I always tell my students, "Purpose, Passion, Practical, Pursue!"

 

At Queen's Gambit, we create individualized lesson plans to fit the needs of each student. There are several online chess tools for kids, but ChessKid is the best. Students are so excited to practice on this tool at home, and it is not only kid-friendly, but it enforces what students learned in class. We use ChessKid as an additional resource for our students to continue practicing the game, and this resource allows everyone to play chess in their daily lives!