Checkmate! Chess, anyone? And I do mean, anyone?

This Thanksgiving, while visiting Meemaw in Alabama, Jack asked if he could play games on my laptop. Crusty old mom that I am, I had only the preinstalled games to offer. Jack asked what they were and I stated that I knew Chess was on there because I'd seen Daddy play it once. Jack said "I'd LOVE to play chess!" Sounds great, except you are 6, and you have no idea how to play chess...but I cracked open the laptop and said "Go for it, buddy!" and he did.

The actual "how he learned to play" is a bit muddy, but suffice it to say that neither Scott nor I spent more than 5 minutes explaining chess with him during that weekend and yet he walked away from the weekend a 'chess player'. And a decent one, at that!

After about two weeks of playing on the computer, and winning every now and again (on the easy setting), Jack started asking for a real chess set. With some Christmas money he purchased his very own chess set and was so proud to begin playing real head to head chess with the family!



He also purchased a book, "Checkmate! My Very First Chess Book" and proceeded to read the whole book with enthusiasm unlike anything we've seen in a long time (except for Wipeout, of course.) He loves to 'castle' and even understands en passant! What a budding champion in the making!



So, now it is January, and Jack still LOVES to play chess. He'll challenge you to a game if you come over. And if you admit you don't know how to play? Don't worry, he's more than happy to teach you! Luckily, Daddy, Mommy and Grandpa all know how to play, so there are lots of folks around to assist him with an elusive move that just might help him get checkmate. He has even hinted a time or two that he might prefer to stay home and play chess rather than go to Kindergarten!

If you read about him one day as a Master Champion Chessplayer, you'll know it all started back when he was 6 at Meemaw's house for Thanksgiving!