Chess
"Give a child a toy and they will play for a day. Teach a child chess and they will play for a lifetime."
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We teach:
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Fun! Enjoying the game and the social side of chess.
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The basics: rules, the board, piece movements, check, checkmate and stalemate.
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Tactics and Combinations: how to win pieces and checkmate!
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Openings, Middle game and Endings: where your pieces go and when and why they go there.
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Official tournament play: Get involved in the wider chess world through unrated USCF rated play.
What our students learn:
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Respect: We go into every game with a winning attitude and come out with a winning attitude.
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Leadership: motivating yourself, assisting others, and providing a positive role model; chess will teach leadership skills to last throughout life.
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Evaluation: chess develops the skills needed to break down large. problems into manageable parts and to address each part in turn.
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Values: chess teaches confidence, creativity, and patience.
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Dates: Year round
Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Times: 6:00-7:30 PM
Instructor: Paul Mechem
Age: Kindergarten - Adult (beginner to expert)
Cost: $30 per month
Class size: Limit of 20
Location: 3rd floor cafeteria​
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Instructor: Paul Mechem. Paul is a United States Chess Federation rated Expert. He has more than 25 years of chess experience teaching students of all ages. Having previously worked as a therapeutic youth counselor and foster care/adoption social worker in Illinois as well as with adults with disabilities in St. Louis, Paul now teaches chess professionally in Missouri and Illinois.
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*All participants must have an active Leu membership to participate in classes. Family memberships cost $50 for the whole year! Individual memberships (age 15+) only cost $35 for the whole year!
**You may attend one free trial class without a Leu membership.
