Chess House

Hi Neighbors!

Here is another unique review from the TOS Crew.  We were given the opportunity to review the Starter Chess Learning Kit from Chess House.  Regular price is $49.95, but Chess House has a special going on right now for $39.95.  This would make a great gift for children ages 4 and up.  Most of our family plays chess, so I was really interested in this for M, who is 12, so she could learn more about playing chess.  My oldest two daughters learned chess before they could play checkers.  We used to laugh because when H was visiting a friends house, they asked her if she wanted to play checkers, and she responded that she didn't know how, but she could play chess.

M, already knew some things about chess.  She has played with her siblings and father previously, but we figured this would give her a better understanding, and would help increase her ability.  Since watching the DVD we have seen improvement in her game. 

The Chess Learning Starter Kit comes in a really nice carrying case.  It holds all your chess pieces, along with the roll-up board and of course the instructional DVD. I want to say here, I was impressed with the pieces and the quality.  She watched the DVD in 2-3 sittings, although for younger children it would be best to just do one lesson a day. I wanted to be sure she understood what she was viewing before moving on.  This is the Pawn Level DVD and it is an easy to understand introduction to chess.  Some of it M was already aware of, but other information was new to her.  I like that even younger children could watch this DVD and learn chess.

From Chess House:

In 49 minutes anyone in the family can have the best shot at enjoying chess and learning how to play the game well.  Paired with a quality, all-purpose regulation chess set ideal for both home and competitive play you'll have the perfect setup to learn and play the game that's been cool for over 2,200 years. Learn and Enjoy Chess at Home. Tap into a child's potential. Elliott's Chess School DVD 1 - "Pawn Level" introduces basics of chess in easily digestable chunks, keeping it fun and interesting for youngsters as well All purpose chess set that will last for years. Solid plastic chess pieces with 3 3/4" regulation size king. Easy to obtain replacements. Odor free chessboard made in USA. 20" x 20", 2 1/4" squares. Chess bag keeps all 32 pieces, roll-up chess board, and DVD together and portable. 24x8x3" All ages

The Elliot's Chess School Pawn Level DVD is done by National Master Elliot Ness.  It covers an intro to chess, the individual pieces and their moves, castling, pawn shields and development.  The pieces are the pawns, rooks, bishops, queen, king, and knights.  There is a workbook available to use with this set.  Questions are asked throughout the DVD and you can pause here to give your child a chance to answer the questions before hearing the answers given.  I viewed the DVD on my own and I like the way he teaches.  It is in a conversational tone and he is very clear when describing the board, pieces and moves.

This would probably be a good DVD for my entire family to view.  My husband and 26 year old daughter both plan their moves and try to look several moves ahead.  My 28 year old and I don't try to plan, we just play whatever looks best to us at the time.  Yes, we are the impulsive players and often lose.  

The Pawn Level lessons encourage practice and to have fun while learning.  Remember this is supposed to be fun for your child.  We did learn that each piece has a point value, which was new for me also.  

We took the set with us on our trip south.  It I s in such a convenient carry case, and this gave M the ability to play when we stopped in a hotel overnight, or at the home we stayed at when visiting friends.  She was able to play with her father and her siblings.  She felt like she learned quite a bit from it.  Even my 18 year old son stated that if you don't know anything about chess this is a good place to start.  He watched parts of the video with her one day during school.

I definitely recommend this set to my neighbors.  Our set will be taking many more trips with us.  Given some more time, M might even be able to beat her dad!

Be sure to click the link below to read what other Crew members are saying.