During the summer of 2015, in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Public Library, we ran our second annual chess program at the Solon Public Library. The more advanced players had the opportunity to play against one another, and the beginning players were able to learn the fundamentals of the game and expand their introductory knowledge. The first two weeks were dedicated to teaching the children not only basic openings (Ruy Lopez, Four Knights, Italian Game, Sicilian Defense, French Defense, King’s Gambit, etc.) and middle game strategies, but also chess principles and tactics. The third and fourth week, we gave all the players a chance to apply what they had learned and play games against one another; near the end of each session, I analyzed these games so the children could discover the mistakes they made and how they could improve in the future. The fifth week, I analyzed a game I had won (from a tournament I had just played in called the Cleveland Open) in front of all the members. I made sure to note all the relevant variations, tactics, and thought processes from the game itself.

Check out an assortment of pictures from the program below (for more pictures, visit our Facebook page!):