Tag Archive for 'checkers'

Developing Problem Solving Skills in Children by Learning Checkers and Chess

Published
by
john
on June 13, 2009
in Articles, For Parents & Teachers and Tips
.

When young children discover the games of checkers and chess they have a head-start in developing their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Problem solving games like checkers and chess have many advantages over other types of games since they are very socially interactive (unlike video computer games that are especially popular these days.)

Having children play problem solving games like checkers and chess is a fantastic way for them to have a closer look at how their decision making determines the outcome of the game.

To convince children that they should try playing the games of checkers and chess, you might want to encourage them by suggesting that these games are a form of combat, instead of just simple game pieces and a checkered board.

The “Stop and Think” strategy of seeing things should be implemented at an early age so that children at all developmental levels can build the foundation for a lifetime of positive problem solving and critical thinking developmental skills.

Critical thinking and problem solving skills are vital at any age, and many family therapists would agree, if more people used the stop and think principal, fewer marriages would end in divorce.

A useful strategy for teaching your children problem solving skills includes the following five steps:

1. Identify the problem and have them finish the sentence; “The problem that I’m having is …..”
2. Consider 3 possible ways to remedies the problems with solutions.
3. Spent one minute for each of these options and decided if they are good or bad decisions.
4. Out of the three possible solutions, decide which one is your best option.
5. Employ your chosen option to the situation and see if it is successful.

A simple way to teach the five step strategy to young children is to apply it to the game of checkers. That way the decisions that they make in regard to the checker moves will in no way have any consequence in the real world.

The following exercise of allowing the young student to actually make the entire checker board moves for instance, before any opponent can make a counter move. Instill in them to always refer back to the old adage; “Consider all of your options.” that type of play can prove to be beneficial by removing any anxiety they my face in a real game or real life situation.

• The first move for the young player to consider will be to choose one move after considering three potential ones.
• Make that chosen move. Once they have committed to that move have them ask allowed; “Was that a smart move or not the best choice?” If the decision is made that it was not the best choice, have them make another move.
• Once again, make that chosen move, only this time have them ask themselves; “Now that I have committed to this move, what are the options that my opponent has to counter my move?”

Its best to have the kids think in terms of considering all of their options and to slow down and really think about the consequences of these moves, feeling free to go ahead change that initial move to one that they feel is more beneficial.

A suggestion to parents might be try this critical thinking exercise with your children at home by playing the game of checkers with them and allowing them the freedom of changing their moves even after they’ve taken their hand off of the checker game piece. This training exercise is best employed if the child is age 6 or older so the full grasp the concept of critical decision making. After each game if you closely observe, you’ll see the child’s decision making skills develop and become more refined.

Now the next step is to bridge the gap between the game of checkers and real-world scenarios using the terminology from the game, Like asking; “Is this the best option or maybe we should re-think our options.”

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Alquerque (or Windmill)

Published
by
admin
on March 18, 2009
in For Parents & Teachers, Games & Activities and Indoor Games
.

Alquerque (or Windmill)An illustration of this game dating back to1400 B.C. was discovered in an Egyptian temple and many consider this game an ancestral version of modern checkers. Alfonso X wrote about it in the “Book of Games” in the late 13th Century and from that point forward gained in popularity throughout Europe. Alquerque was met with great appreciation, similar to that of Chess due to its level of sophistication and the level of intelligence and skill required for success in this game of anchient origin.

Two players are required in this game as well as a game board which is square in shape and has a total of 16 squares printed on it, two sets of twelve game pieces with both sets being of a different color. The game begins once both players have put their pieces on the intersecting points of the game board. The center of the board is left empty to accommodate the first move which is always made by the white piece.

Your goal in this game is basically the same as in the game of checkers in that you win by eliminating all of your opponent’s game pieces.  The game pieces can be moved diagonally, horizontally or vertically to another intersecting point on the game board. If there is an opponent’s game piece next to yours and there is a space open on the other side of it, it is required to jump that piece. If for what ever reason you do not make the jump and take the piece, your piece will be “huffed” in other words removed from play. Jumping multiple spaces is completely acceptable in this game.

In this game it is an advantage to be the player to go second and if players should be at the same level, it would only be fair that player’s alternate who starts first. It is possible for this game to end in a draw, where in which both players are unable to make any more moves. In an earlier version of this game, it was allowed for players to move their pieces in a backwards direction to make the game more interesting.

See downloadble board games for Kids

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Chinese Checkers (or Star Halma)

Published
by
admin
on March 18, 2009
in For Parents & Teachers, Games & Activities and Indoor Games
.

Chinese CheckersAlthough the name implies that this game is of Chinese origin, it was actually created in Germany in 1893 but wasn’t known as Chinese checkers until 1928 when it was marketed to an American audience. The game was later introduced to China by way of Japan.

This game can be played alone or with up to six players and uses a board in the shape of a star with six points and 121 dimples which are the game spaces. Each player receives ten marbles all of the same color and begins by filling in his corner of the game board.

Players take turns moving one marble at a time into one of six possibleadjacent game spaces. The intention is to get all of the marbles in the corner of the star opposite his starting point before any of the other players do the same thing.

One variation of this game allows a player to hop across either his or another player’s marbles to advance a piece farther towards his destination either once or several hops if the marbles are aligned to allow so.

There are different strategies depending on the number of players in the game; if someone is playing solo, his goal it to get all of his game pieces to the opposite corner in the fewest moves possible. If this game is played as a duel between two players marbles are placed at in corners opposite each other and if there should be three players in the game then every other corner will be filled with marbles. In the event that there are four players in the game, two corners opposite each are left empty and with six players in the game all corners are filled.

An effective strategy is to find or set-up the longest sequence of marbles to jump over so that you can get all of you game pieces to the home base before the opposing player(s) do the same.

See all downloadble board games

Play Chinese checkers game online

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Checkers

Published
by
admin
on March 18, 2009
in For Parents & Teachers, Games & Activities and Indoor Games
.

CheckersCheckers is one of most well known board games ever with many variations being played worldwide. Many consider checkers to be a simplified version of chess but the similarities end with appearance. The international tournament style of play was invented by a Trench officer in the Eighteenth Century. It seems that every European nation has its own version of checkers.

- Players: 2
- Game board: A square board with eight rows intersecting with eight columns equally a total of sixty-four squares alternating in color between back and white.
- Game pieces: 2 sets of 12 pieces. One set white and one set black.
How to begin play & keys to victory

The players sit opposite each other with a black square located in the lower left corner on each player’s side. The board is set up with all of each player’s pieces occupying only the black squares of the first three rows of his side of the board.

The Player drawing the black color starts with the first move and with every game thereafter players take turns making the first move. The game pieces may only be moved one square forward, diagonally and onto another black square only.

When you are successful in getting one of your game pieces all the way to last row of squares, you piece becomes a king another checker piece is placed on top of it to tell it apart from the other. Once a king is crowned it is allowed to move in both a forward and backward direction.

Your ultimate goal is to eliminate all of your opponent’s game pieces from the board by jumping over them and if the possibility arises to jump multiple pieces.

It is compulsory to jump a game piece if the opportunity arises since this can be a strategy to set up your opponent by having him jump into a trap and if the piece is not jumped it will be ‘Huffed’ by the opposing player.

Should many possibilities of capture arise, a player must decide which capture(s) will be most beneficial in the long run.

All board games here

Play free online games:

Play Traditional Checkers Game Online
Play UR Checkers Game Online
Play Master Checkers Game Online
Play Chinese Checkers Game Online
Play Koala Checkers Game Online
Play 3 in One Checkers Game Online

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Conquest

Published
by
admin
on March 18, 2009
in For Parents & Teachers, Games & Activities and Indoor Games
.

Conquest GameConquest is a variation of the game of checkers and is noted for its high level of sophisticated strategy requires for being successful in this game. An element that sets this game apart from the traditional game of checkers is that there is a ‘fortress’ that must be invaded and occupied in the center of the board.

- Players: two
- Game board, similar to a checkerboard only with nine columns by nine rows equaling eighty-one spaces. Nine squares in the center of the board are considered the ‘fortress’ area.
- Two different colored sets of game pieces each totaling eight pieces.
- Two Kings, each matching the colors of the game pieces for each side.

How to begin play & keys to victory

Once it is determined who will begin the game, each player will set up his game pieces on his side of the game board surround his King.

A player’s mission is to invade the fortress area and occupy it with his king and other pieces creating a ‘line of attack’ to defend it from the opposing player advance. The movement of the game pieces is identical to that of checkers, in that pieces are only allowed to move in a diagonal direction and only one space at a time so that they will only land in a square identical in color to that which he had started in.

Game pieces are allowed to move in both a forward and backward direction unlike in standard checkers where pieces are only allowed to move forward.

Another element that separates this game from standard checkers is that you never take nor jump opposing player’s pieces but you can trap an opposing player’s piece between two of yours  and sent it to any square on the board you which as a form of exile.

Strategy

It’s better to play this game in an offensive manner and make attempts to banish as many of your opponents pieces as you possibly can to disrupt his strategy. Avoid becoming obsessed with a defensive strategy.

There is no advantage to beginning first, however it’s a good idea to alternate between games.

See all board games

Play free online game Conquesta

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Zamma

Published
by
admin
on February 18, 2009
in For Parents & Teachers, Games & Activities and Indoor Games
.

Zamma Kids GameZamma is a game of Arab origin with similarities to checkers and is still played to this day in the Sahara region of Africa.

1. A game board is drawn on a piece of cardboard and game pieces are placed on the squares. A toss of a coin is often used to determine which player goes first and who gets what color. One move of one space is allowed per turn.

2. Game pieces are only allowed to be moved in a forward or diagonal direction, unless you are capturing you opponent’s game pieces. In this case, they are allowed to be move in any direction, provided there is an open square after the piece being captured. If a game piece is in a position to take another and fails to act, that game piece is removed from the board.

3. If you can land your game piece on the last row in your opponent’s end, this piece now becomes a king. Once a game piece becomes a king, it can be moved however many spaces the player wants as long as it is in the same line.

4. The player who manages to seize all of his opponent’s game pieces is the winner. In earlier time this game was played with pebbles on a sandy surface.

See all free downloadable kids board games

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Turkish Checkers

Published
by
admin
on February 18, 2009
in For Parents & Teachers, Games & Activities and Indoor Games
.

Turkish Checkers Kids GameA variation of one of the world’s most popular games: Checkers.

1. One player chooses a game piece color then both players place their checker pieces on opposite ends of the game board facing each other. Turns are taken between each player to move their game pieces one space at a time.

2. Game pieces can be moved forward and backwards and to the left and right. You capture the other player’s game piece by jumping over it and landing on an unoccupied space.

3. It is possible to make a series of jumps if your opponent’s game pieces are lined up properly. If you can land your game piece on the last in your opponent’s end, this piece becomes a king.

4. Once a piece becomes a king, it can be moved however many spaces the player wants. Once you take all of your opponent’s pieces you win the game.

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