Step 3: Check & Checkmate · about 25 min
Check!
Goal: Kids can spot when a king is attacked and give check with any piece.
You need: One board and set per pair
1 · Teach it (15 min)
Read these out loud, or put them in your own words. Show each board on screen or set it up on a demo board.
1.“Kings can never be captured. When a piece attacks the king, we call it check. It's polite to say 'check' out loud.”
2.“Any piece can give check, even a little pawn. Here the knight is checking the black king.”
3.“Your job today: find the checks. Look at every piece and ask, 'Can it attack the king?'”
- Missing checks by a knight.
- Not noticing their own king is in check.
2 · Play it: First Check Wins (10 min)
Set up: Normal starting position.
- Play a normal game.
- The first player to give check wins, but only if the checking piece can't be captured right away.
- Play best of three, switching colors.
3 · Practice and pass check
On iPads, kids open Student → Step 3 → Check!. On paper, print the worksheet. A kid passes by getting 2 of 3 on the pass check. The pass code for this lesson is S3-L1-B3.
Practice (4) with answers
1.Give check with the rook. Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Ra8+ or Re1+
2.Give check with the knight. Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Nd6+ or Nf6+
3.Give check with the bishop. Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Bb5+
4.Is the black king in check?
- 👍Yes
- ✓👎No
Pass check (3) with answers
1.Give check with the queen. Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Qd8#
2.Find the check. Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Rh8#
3.What is it called when a piece attacks the king?
- Capture
- ✓Check
- Castle
Topic order based on: Chess for Children, Part 2 (check and checkmate). All wording is original.