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Step 3: Check & Checkmate · about 25 min

Getting Out of Check

🖨 Worksheet🔑 Answer key🖨 Easy-reading worksheet

Goal: Kids know the three ways out of check: move the king, capture the checker, or block.

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. 1.“If your king is in check, you must get out of check right away. There are three ways. Way one: move the king to a safe square.”

  2. 2.“Way two: capture the piece that's giving check. Here the queen came too close and nobody protects her.”

  3. 3.“Way three: block. Put one of your pieces in the way, between the king and the attacker.”

  4. 4.“Move, capture, block. Say it with me! If none of them work, that's checkmate, and the game is over. That's next lesson.”

With younger kids: Act it out: 'Run away! Knock it out! Hide behind a friend!'
Watch for:
  • Making some other move while in check.
  • Moving the king to a square that's also attacked.

2 · Play it: Check Escape Drill (10 min)

Set up: One partner sets up a king and a few pieces; the other gives check.

  1. Partner A puts their king and two other pieces anywhere.
  2. Partner B places one attacking piece so it gives check.
  3. Partner A must say which way out they'll use (move, capture or block) and do it.
  4. Swap roles every time.

3 · Practice and pass check

On iPads, kids open Student → Step 3 → Escape!. 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-L2-VJ.

Practice (3) with answers

1.You're in check! Move your king to safety. Draw an arrow or write the move.

abcdefgh

Move: Kd1 or Kd2 or Kf1 or Kf2

2.Get out of check. Only one move works! Draw an arrow or write the move.

abcdefgh

Move: Kxg2

3.Your king can't move. Block the check. Draw an arrow or write the move.

abcdefgh

Move: Rd1

Pass check (3) with answers

1.Which of these is NOT a way out of check?

  • 🏃Move the king
  • 🛡️Block
  • ✓🎯Capture a different piece
  • ⚔️Capture the checker

2.Get out of check. Draw an arrow or write the move.

abcdefgh

Move: Nxe1

3.Get out of check. Draw an arrow or write the move.

abcdefgh

Move: Bf3 or Kg1

Topic order based on: Chess for Children, Part 2 (check and checkmate). All wording is original.