2017 Chess Program

CHESS

AT MIAMI COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

CREATIVITY DISCIPLINE AWARENESS LOGIC

Table of Contents 3

Chess Culture

4

The Benefits of Chess

6

Program Director

8 Creating Champions 10 Curricular Integration 12 Spartan Chess Clubs & Private Lessons 13 Chess Camp & Chess Tournaments 14 Trivia Answers

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What is the only legal move in chess where you are allowed to move two of your own pieces on the same move? (See page 14.)

At Miami Country Day School, chess is an integral part of the culture. The chess program developed organically through the years because students and faculty alike fostered its growth.

Now, the game’s popularity within our community is undeniable. From the beautiful chess-themed artwork on display in the Katherine E. Franco Center to the novice player honing his or her chess skills during a school break, chess is simply something we do here.

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The Benefits of Chess Incorporating chess as an educational discipline helps students achieve superior academic results and multi-dimensional personal growth.

Science Achievement

Communication Skills

Concentration

Logical Reasoning

Memory

Problem Solving

Math Development

Creativity

Critical Thinking

Intellectual Maturity

Self-esteem

Analyzing Actions & Consequences

Planning Ahead

Pattern Recognition

Sportsmanship

Learning from Mistakes

Commitment

Empathetic Awareness

Measurable Accomplishments

Team Spirit

Sense of Belonging

Decision Making

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Grandmaster Ron W. Henley Director of Chess Grandmaster Henley started his tenure at Miami Country Day School in 2013 as a Chess Instructor in the After Schools Clubs Program. In 2014, Grandmaster Henley developed the Chess Camp program and in 2015 he became the first Director of Chess at Miami Country Day School, assuming responsibilities for all chess activities at the school.

Henley is one of very few American-born chess players to be awarded the FIDE International Grandmaster title by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE). He earned the Grandmaster title by jointly winning a 26-player roundrobin tournament in Surakarta, Denpasar, Indonesia, in 1982.

Henley has been a second, analyst and trainer for the Twelfth World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov in several world championship matches in the 1990s.

Henley also served as an early chess trainer and sponsor of leading young American chess players Seven Time US Women’s Champion Irina Krush and Four Time US Champion and World Number 5, Hikaru Nakamura.

Henley has written several chess books and produced numerous instructional chess videos for the Internet Chess Club (ICC) Scholastic Coaches Learning Center.

Henley’s connection to scholastics chess goes back to his youth when he attended the University of South Florida on one of the first ever chess scholarships. He led the team to an unprecedented 8-0 team victory in the Pan American Intercollegiate Championships in 1976.

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Ron Henley is the author of ten chess books.

The following year he won the Association of College Unions International Individual Championship in Whitewater Wisconsin.

Grandmaster Henley was also 1977 World Open Co-Champion and 1990 US Active Chess Co-Champion.

Henley is an annual Las Vegas National Open Chess Festival presenter and trainer.

He has also been the Grandmaster in Residence, contributing member and presenter at the Broward Chess Club since relocating to south Florida in 2009. In 2014 the Internet Chess Club, the world’s first online chess club contracted Henley to develop a series of interactive bots and instructional chess videos for scholastics chess players.

Henley is also an international recognized Registered Financial Consultant and had a long and successful career in finance as a Member of the American Stock Exchange, Founding partner in a 400 million dollar option volatility hedge fund, private equity and trading in municipal bonds. He also maintains a Florida Life and Health Insurance License and is Chief Investor Relations Officer at Everglade Capital, LLC. Grandmaster Henley’s passion is for promoting chess into the schools as an accredited elective course, teaching chess to young people, working out, basketball and writing chess books.

EXPERTISE

WINNING HISTORY

Each year, Miami Country Day School sends a team of its best players to compete in the Florida State Championship and one National Scholastics Championship.

The school has a long tradition of success in these events, highlighted by consecutive Florida State Team Championships for K-12 in 2013 and 2014, and a fifth place finish in the 2013 Nationals.

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What is the estimated total number of possible first ten moves for white and black combined, in a game of chess? (See page 14.) a) 400,000 b) 2,000,000 c) 20,000,000 d) 10120

Chess is integrated into the Middle School curriculum as part of an accredited elective. The course focuses on chess origins, history, and culture, as well as developing students’ chess openings, tactics, and endgame technique. The course prerequisite is a basic understanding and knowledge of the rules of chess.

Lower and Upper School students benefit from chess through special week-long workshops and the extracurricular options listed on pages 12 and 13.

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In how many countries worldwide, do people play chess?

(See page 14.) a) 25 b) 50 c) 100 d) 182

CURRICULAR INTEGRATION

Spartan Chess Club

Private Lessons

The Spartan Chess Club gives Lower and Middle School students an opportunity to learn about chess with other students in a fun, social, but competitive environment.

This interaction with fellow students is a key component in sparking students’ interest in chess, which in turn can lead to academic excellence and improved selfesteem.

Private lessons are designed to give individual attention to students who wish to maximize their chess talent. With private lessons, the focus is on pattern recognition, which is more intense and consequently requires a higher level of concentration from the player.

The club meets after school one to two times a week, and students register for it on a quarterly basis.

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Each individual lesson is customized for the student, which facilitates understanding and optimizes the chess learning process.

For more information or to register for any of these activities, please visit: www.miamicountryday.org/chess or email chess@miamicountryday.org.

Chess Camp

Chess Tournaments

Miami Country Day’s Chess Camps offers a wide variety of chess-related activities with something for everyone.

Miami Country Day’s tradition of hosting and promoting Scholastics Tournaments for the United States Chess Federation each year has greatly enhanced the school’s reputation as a chess epicenter in the state of Florida.

At the beginning of the camp week, each student’s chess level and goals for the camp are discussed. Campers are taught modern-day chess history, chess notation, tactics, basic opening strategy, and how to evaluate a chess position and where to play or train for chess online.

Campers also have the opportunity to play chess socially in competitive tournaments or express themselves with chess-themed art. Campers are also introduced to chess in the mainstream media, such as chessthemed music videos and movies. Prior experience with chess is not necessary.

The tournaments are one-day events organized by MCDS chess tournament founder and Upper School teacher Mike Hutsko. Tournaments are open to the public. For younger students, these events are an introduction to the competitive world of chess. For more mature and developed players, it is a chance to hone their skills with seasoned chess players in preparation for the state and national scholastics competitions.

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Trivia Answers

by Ron W. Henley, Director of Chess Page 3: What is the only legal move in chess where you are allowed to move two of your own pieces on the same move?

Castling. You may castle only once during a game and either to the kingside or to the queenside. Castling requires moving a previously unmoved rook and the king simultaneously, with the goal of moving the king out of the middle of the board to presumably a safer haven on one side or the other. Note one is not allowed to castle out of check and is not allowed to castle if they have previously moved their own king.

Page 9: What is the estimated total number of possible first ten moves for white and black combined, in a game of chess? a) 400,000 b) 2,000,000 c) 20,000,000 d) 10120 d) 10120. The Shannon number, named after Claude Shannon, is an estimated lower bound on the gametree complexity of chess of 10120. As a comparison, the number of atoms in the observable universe, to which it is often compared, is estimated to be between 4×1079 and 4×1081.

Page 10: In how many countries worldwide do people play chess? a) 25 b) 50 c) 100 d) 182 d) 182. The Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation known as FIDE, has 182 member nations.

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KNOWLEDGE

Auxiliary Programs | Chess Program 601 Northeast 107th Street | Miami, Florida 33161 chess@miamicountryday.org | 786.899.2819 miamicountryday.org/chess