Page 3: Lessons, Equipment, Books, Software
Parent - What about chess lessons? Maybe he should have chess lessons before he plays in tournaments.
NM Dan Heisman - Giving chess lessons is how I make my living, so I would love to give your child chess lessons. I can also just give a few lessons to make sure a beginner understands the rules and general principles, I have to admit that the single biggest misconception by chess parents is that their child requires lessons before they are ready for tournaments! Same time, possibly, but usually lessons are for players who want to have fun and work with me to get better. Many students, especially those under age 10, have no interest at working to get better at chess, and that is OK - just have them play in clubs and tournaments, with possibly an occasional fun lesson. I also give multi-session discounts to the better scholastic players who are on the National Top-100 lists and want to take long-term lessons.
Parent - Why would a child be ready for tournaments and not lessons?
NM Dan Heisman - To be helpful, chess lessons should be treated like music lessons. I use that analogy because most parents are more familiar with music lessons. You get better at music because you take lessons and practice. And no one would expect to be a good violin player with three violin lessons! Even though chess is a game, many students are not ready for, or don’t find fun, the kind of homework it takes to improve, just like they may not want to practice the violin or piano. On the other hand, tournaments are perfect for kids who aren't really ready for lessons, but just want to have fun playing. My son started playing in tournaments when he was in 2nd grade and he loved them, but he never wanted to take any (formal) lessons. He just found it a big social event where you could go and play chess with other kids, and go out for pizza and Chinese between rounds! Eventually he got to know all the kids near his age who regularly played in the tournaments, and most of them became his friends.
Parent - Do chess lessons have to be formal?
NM Dan Heisman - No, of course not. If the parent and student agree, then I can make the lessons "just for fun." That way there is less expectation of improvement on the part of all parties, including myself! The parent and child can set the "degree of fun" they want to guide the lessons toward their expectation. However, most parents want me to teach as if their student is going to do the homework, etc. (Link to Chess and Fun article)
Parent - Do you mind giving lessons more for mostly fun?
NM Dan Heisman - No. In fact, a fun lesson is also fun for me, so long as I know the parents have expectations matching mine and their child's .
Parent - Are fun lessons just as good for my child?
NM Dan Heisman - That is a complex question! Of course, chess is good for the brain, and all the scientific studies have shown that students that play and study chess do better in both grades and SAT scores, but I don’t think anyone has done a study on the benefits of different levels of chess involvement. Obviously, if you go to a gym and lift up one barbell, or go there just to have fun and talk to the people, you will get less out of it than if you go for a real workout – and chess is the same for the brain muscle! Most of my students do not just want fun lessons - they want to improve as much as they can.
Parent - In order to help us decide whether to hire you for lessons, could you tell us about your credentials?
NM Dan Heisman - I am a rated master by the US Chess Federation (USCF). The USCF has also given me "Senior Tournament Director" status, so that I can run large tournaments. I am also the Scholastic Chess Coordinator for SE Pennsylvania, a position run through the PA State Chess Federation (our state affiliate of the USCF). I have also taught in the Chess-in-Schools program in Philadelphia, have had many classes at the Kaiserman JCC (my latest one for grades 2-8 starts Fall 2002 - call 610-896-7770 for registration info), had a class at Main Line Adult Evening School, was the chess coach for Germantown Academy, etc. In the summer I used to teach chess at the Julian Krinsky Camp at Haverford College and now I sometimes host a small camp in early August at my home. I have authored 8 chess books; including "A Parent's Guide to Chess".
Parent - How long have you been teaching chess?
NM Dan Heisman - I have been teaching chess for about 30 years, and I have been doing it full-time since 1996. I was a software manager and engineer; I have my BS in Math, my Master’s in Engineering, and was a Registered Investment Adviser in PA. I also used to teach Calculus at a local Community College.
Parent - Do you teach beginners?
NM Dan Heisman - Yes, I teach people of all levels and all ages. Some of my students are beginners and others are actually now higher rated than I am! The age range is about 5 to 80!
Parent - What if my child has some learning disability, like ADD?
NM Dan Heisman - Many of my students have ADD or have some similar problem. Most do more than just fine; the parents are constantly amazed at how helpful chess seems to be.
Parent - What are your teaching rates?
NM Dan Heisman - Take the above link for my current rates. I think of chess lessons just like music lessons – they are both good for the brain and helpful for players of all ages. As a nationally known author and instructor, I think my rates are very competitive with other top instructors, especially in other fields, like music! My students have won many state and national championships. My students have won many individual trophies at the annual PA Scholastic State Championships. And of course, chess is not just a game to me - it is my living and I believe it is good for everyone's brain - not just for youngsters.
Parent - Would it be less expensive if my student took group lessons?
NM Dan Heisman - Yes, but I don’t have a "list" of private group lessons; they have to be scheduled. Note: Because demand for private lessons is so high, I have discontinued "outside" group lessons away from my home.
Parent - What do you do at the first lessons?
NM Dan Heisman - At the first lesson or two I ask a parent to sit in. We discuss goals and expectations, as I have discussed earlier. Then we often go over chess rules; it is important to understand the basic ones.
Parent - My child knows how to move the pieces. What do you mean, go over the rules?
NM Dan Heisman - Like the conditions under which castling is legal, or pawn promotion (you can have up to 9 Queens!), or en passant. And especially the students do not understand all the draw rules (Three-fold repetition of position, 50 move rule, agreed draws, stalemate, etc.) or the clock rules.
Parent - Clock rules? We don’t have a chess clock and we don’t practice with one.
NM Dan Heisman - That is understandable. However, in order to play chess correctly, eventually you need to play with a clock. It is a rule of chess to use a clock if one is available. But you certainly don’t need one to start; however, clocks make chess a lot more fun!.
Parent - Where would we get a clock - and those nice plastic sets everyone uses?
NM Dan Heisman - If you want the less expensive mechanical clock, I recommend the Rolland Clock. It is about $47 by phone order from USCF (1-800-388-KING). There is now also an inexpensive digital clock which is quite good. It is the "Game Time II, EX-4002" for only $45 to USCF members, $40 at Discount Chess Shop.com! They also sell the standard board and set combination that almost everyone uses for about $13.95 to members – slightly more to non-members. You get a free catalogs when you join (take link for current rates). That set, board, and clock are better - and less expensive for the same items! - than anything you can buy at the local mall.
Parent - Do you ever play chess with a student?
NM Dan Heisman - Not usually; maybe with some very young (ages 5-8) students. I have a general policy that at lessons I try not to do something with a student that they could do as homework, without me. I will play if the customer insists, but that usually is not the best use of our time.
Parent - If you don’t play chess during a lesson, what do you do after the first few lessons?
NM Dan Heisman - For the students who are serious about improving, the main part of a lesson is going over games the student played recently. For that reason, one of the first things I do for students above age 6 is to teach them how to keep score with the standard Algebraic Notation (like learning how to read notes for music). This is necessary so that they can record games and we can review them. It is also a chess rule that everyone who knows how to keep score must do so, and most tournament directors expect everyone to keep score by age 8. Then we look at what they are doing right (for positive reinforcement) and what they are doing wrong (for constructive criticism). So as homework I ask every student to bring at least two recorded games to each lesson.
Parent - How do you balance criticism with positive reinforcement?
NM Dan Heisman - Good question! First, read my Credo. Second, for some sensitive children one has to be especially careful. For example, even with adults you can praise someone for 10 minutes, but if you then offer one constructive criticism, that is what they will remember most! Since almost every move by my beginning students is usually not the best move, this represents a problem in being tactful. I have to be careful not to praise mistakes; instead, I try to find what was the good part of their move and praise that aspect, while still letting them know why it was incorrect. Students who understand that my constructive criticism is not personal tend to do much better. I try to let everyone know that all beginners, even me, made many mistakes; it is only by acknowledging these mistakes, and trying not to repeat them (too much), that progress can be made. When I know that someone is especially sensitive, then I try to be extra careful, so please let me know ahead of time if you think this may be a problem.
Parent - Is that all you do at lessons, go over games?
NM Dan Heisman - No, I have many set lessons on openings, piece value, endgames, tactics, etc.
Parent - My child is very bright; do you think he will become a champion?
NM Dan Heisman - Being smart has very little to do with how good you
can be at chess. I have many chess students who are both smart and love
chess, but don’t really work at it. The students who get to be the
best have many, if not all, of the following attributes:
So a child of somewhat above average intelligence with many of these capabilities will often beat a "genius." Does this mean that chess should be your child's #1 hobby? Of course not; chess is NOT the #1 hobby of most of my students and I would not even hint that it should be. But I just want parents to understand that the students for whom chess is #1 do much better, as you might expect.
Parent - Does my child need to take lessons every week?
NM Dan Heisman - Of course not. But those who do, improve the most. My first top student, Danny Benjamin (who has his Bachelor's from Harvard and is getting his PhD there!), came over for a three hour lesson every Sunday. Some of my students come at a regular hour every week and some just call to come irregularly. The ones who schedule weekly get priority for time slots.
Parent - How would you describe your ideal student?
NM Dan Heisman - Well, going to Harvard helps :) Seriously, a great student is one who has chess as his #1 hobby, loves chess, plays every chance he gets, wants to avoid repeating his mistakes, and likes to learn more about chess. If I get a student who not only wants to, but actually comes for lessons more than one hour a week over months and years, then I can work with his parents to make sure that many hours of lessons is affordable.
Parent - Do many students take lessons for years?
NM Dan Heisman - The older ones do. About 80% of the 7 year olds stop playing for a while within a year or two as their interests change. With 10 year olds it is about 60%. But most of the 12 year olds who start taking lessons stick with it (see Progressing Through Chess). I just think the older kids have a better idea of what they want. But if your child is young and likes chess, exposing it to him when he is 7 is not too soon - but they have to be willing to do some chess work (which hopefully is fun!). I started at 7 and my son started playing in tournaments at 7 and we have both continued. I would think the statistics for other hobbies is similar.
Parent - What are your teaching hours?
NM Dan Heisman - I teach six days a week, most hours of the day (Tuesday is my day off)! On most weeks I try to reserve Friday night and Saturday night (when there is not a tournament) for my wife and family, who like to see me occasionally and go out to dinner or a movie! And of course the parents and I take my students to many tournaments, most of them on weekends.
Parent - Would you teach at my student’s school?
NM Dan Heisman - I used to offer group lessons as part of an after-school program, but I am so busy these days that would be difficult. If the school just wants to set up a club, then I can be hired to train a school person how to run it, or I can help locate a local player who can teach. You or your school can also order from US Chess Federation the excellent free booklet "A Guide to Scholastic Chess." There is a difference between a chess class (instruction) and a chess club (play). You don’t need to hire a chess master to watch students play or to run a club!
Parent - Are there any chess books you recommend?
NM Dan Heisman - Yes. Not all of the following are available from your local bookstore, but almost all are from either the US Chess Federation (on-line store or catalog) or when you come to a big tournament, such as those at the Adam's Mark Hotel. You might also consider instructional videos. The US Chess Federation and many other places have big catalogs of equipment and books (see my Chess Links page). A very interesting set of instructional information for kids that is sold is also available on the web at Chessville. For recommendations for books above the beginner level, see my Book Recommendation page:
Beginner Books:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess (2nd Edition) – Grandmaster Patrick Wolff - Don’t let the title fool you! This is an excellent book for beginners over the age of 10 or parents of beginners. It covers not only how to play, but also includes many of the same tips I give my students. It is usually available at local bookstores.
Square One – Bruce Pandolfini – Teaches young beginners how to play.
Comprehensive Chess Course, Vol II - Lev Alburt
Chess Tactics for Students (Student Edition) – John Bain – My initial recommendation for learning tactical motifs (pins, forks, double attacks, discovered checks, back-rank mates, etc.). Used as a first text for most of my beginning students.
Everyone's 2nd Chess Book - My book has been a big success!. It covers learning "board vision", guidelines for improving play, etiquette, rules misconceptions, major mistakes of beginners, etc. Order from Thinker's Press or now available via Barnes and Noble!
NM Dan Heisman - To play, any version of ChessMaster starting with ChessMaster 4000. I use the professional program Rybka, or Fritz 10. The new CD on learning more about chess is Fritz and Chesster Learn Chess from Chessbase; the older, out-of-print standard was Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess CD. For tactical problems there is Chess Mentor 2 or the products from Convekta. And don’t get me started on all the things you can do on the World Wide Web (Just look at all the web links I have inserted into this dialog page or go to my Links page!).
Parent - Anything else I should know?
NM Dan Heisman - Yes, the chess world is a big place and there will be lots of interesting and helpful lessons for your child! Check out some of my other links at my webpage. If you want me to give a talk at an adult group you attend, I would love to do it. They might like to hear about my adventures working at the Kasparov-Deep Blue matches or how scholastic chess in PA is coordinated! If any question comes to mind, do not hesitate to call me at (610) 649-0750 or e-mail me.