Riverton Raccoons Chess Club

Schedule:
Mondays and Wednesdays
During Lunch Recess
4th Grade: 11:30 - 12:00
3rd Grade: 11:45 - 12:15
5th Grade: 12:00 - 12:30
2nd Grade: 12:15 - 12:45
6th Grade: 12:30 - 1:00
1st Grade: 12:45 - 1:15


2013 - 2014 Tournament Schedule (optional)
  • December 13th Riverton Elementary Chess Club Tournament
    This event is FREE! More Info
  • February 15th Riverton Elementary ***
  • March 15th STATE Championship (@ U of U cost $10/player)
See a list of even MORE great chess tournament opportunities or
Register on-line at www.utahchessk12.com or contact Catherine Hammond at 446-1930 (or 801.809.2304).



***YES! Riverton Elementary is hosting its 6th Annual Chess Tournament!
Scholarships will be available for Riverton Elementary students.
Contact Catherine (801.809.2304) for details on how to qualify.*





*Requirements for qualifying for a scholarship for Riverton Elementary's tournament:
  1. Be playing on a level 3 or level 4 (Rook or King/Queen)
  2. Correctly answer all the "Do You Know?" questions on the board
  3. Display excellent sportsmanship (most important of all the requirements!)


CHESS LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
    LEVEL 1 The Pawn
  • demonstrate how each piece moves
  • know how many points each piece is worth
  • know what "check" and "checkmate" are

    LEVEL 2 The Knight
  • demonstrate good opening moves
  • know "the fool's mate"
  • know how to block "the fool's mate"
  • know the rules of castling

    LEVEL 3 The Rook
  • demonstrate end games with
    2 queens (and king)
    1 queen 1 rook (and king)
    2 rooks (and king)
    1 queen and king
    1 rook and king
    (to practice end games: opponent only has a king)
  • explain conditions for stalemate

    LEVEL 4 The King / Queen
  • demonstrate skewers
  • demonstrate forks
  • understand en passant
  • show additional openings
  • practice using a chess clock and writing down games with chess notation

Do You Know?
  1. Who can move backwards?
  2. What special thing can pawns do when they reach the end of the board?
  3. What if someone moves into check?
  4. What is "touch-move; touch-take"?
  5. How do pawns capture another piece?
  6. What do you do if you and your partner do not agree on a rule?
  7. What do you do and say at the end of the game?
  8. Is this the coolest thing to do during lunch recess, or what?

"Do You Know?" Answers:
  1. All pieces can move backwards except pawns.
  2. When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, they may be promoted to ANY other piece except a King. I always choose a queen (its okay to have more than one queen!)
  3. If someone moves into check, politely say, "you can not move into check" and show them how it is check if needed.
  4. Touch-move; touch-take refers to the common tournament rule that if you touch a piece and can legally move it, you must. If you touch an opponent's piece and can legally take it, you must. If making that move puts you in check, you DO NOT need to make that move. This is a good rule to play by, but the rule should be agreed on by both players at the beginning of the game.
  5. Pawns capture differently than they move. They capture at a diagonal (either right or left).
  6. If you and your partner/opponent do not agree on how the game should be played fairly, both of you raise your hand and the rules will be clarified. But I dock points big time for each "told-ya-so" I hear.
  7. At the end of each game, good chess players shake hands (or do "knuckles") and say "Good game".
  8. YES! Chess players ROCK!