Writtenby
HarlanB.Hodge,MSW
Leadership,CharacterandChessCoach
SecondEdition
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CHARACTERCHESS™
10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Teacher’sManualandWorkbook
Copyright2010byHarlanB.Hodge
CharacterChess
St.Louis,Missouri63042
SecondEdition
CHARACTER CHESS™ 2
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Dedication
Toalltheteacherswhograciouslygavetheirpersonaltimetothedevelopmentof
mycharacterforthesakeofourcountry;Idedicatethisworktoyou.
TomyjuniorhighschoolSocialStudiesteacherandfirstchesscoach,Mr.Allen
Magarian,Idedicatethisbooktoyouinappreciationforthewonderfulserviceyou
providedtothepeopleofEastSt.Louis,Illinois.Myhopeistoprovethatyour
investmentwasgood.
TomyhighschoolEnglishteacher,friendandmentor,Mr.WilliamJenkins,
Idedicatethisbooktoyou,inparticular,forrelentlesslychallengingmetorisetoa
higherstandardofcharacter.ItisbecauseofyouthatIdowhatIdo.
Andtomyson,BrylanMasonHodge,
itismyhopethatyoubenefitfirstfromtheselessons.
CHARACTER CHESS™ 3
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Acknowledgements
Thisworkisacollectionofmanyoftheexperiences,lessonsandvictoriesofmylife.
These treasures are a result of the rich relationships God has blessed me to
experience.Myfamily,friends,teachersandstudentsarethefuelformyefforts.I
amgratefulforyourbeliefinme.Thankyou.
Inparticular,IamgratefultotheteachersoftheEastSt.LouisSchoolDistrict,the
Parkway School District and Walnut Park School in St. Louis, Missouri. These
teachers and administrators demonstrate the tremendous potential of a dedicated
groupofpeople.Thankyouforalwayssupportingmyeffortstoimprovethelivesof
ourchildren.
I thank Pamela Westbrooks‐Hodge for being my partner and advisor in this
endeavor.Withouther,thiseffortwouldstillbeinmyhead.
Aspecialthankstomygoodfriendsandeditors,KarenDrullatandChrisLahar.If
thereareanymistakesinthismanual,itisbecauseIchangeditafteryourreview.
Lastly, I would like to especially thank Scott Ginsberg, “The Nametag Guy,” for his
continual reminders to me and countless others to “get everything in your head
downonpaper”.Thisbookisaresultofyourcontinualencouragement.
CHARACTER CHESS™ 4
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
TableofContents
Background
Page6
TheDesign
Page7
IntroductiontoCharacterChess
Page8
SessionI:KNOWTHERULES
Page11
SessionII:THINKTHENMOVE
Page23
SessionIII:HAVEAPLAN
Page33
SessionIV:STAYINCONTROL
Page45
SessionV:KEEPLEARNING
Page57
SessionVI:FLOCKTOGETHER
Page68
SessionVII:PROTECTYOURCOMMUNITY
Page86
SessionVIII:BEGOOD
Page98
SessionIX:BEPREPARED
Page107
SessionX:EACHONETEACHONE
Page115
AdditionalResources
QuickStartChessRules
Page121
OnlineResourceList
Page130
SampleProposalforImplementation
Page131
SampleWorkPlan
Page136
EvaluationTools‐PreandPostTest
HarlanB.Hodge‐Biography
CHARACTER CHESS™ 5
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Background
CharacterChessisacharactereducationprogram,designedtoenhancetheway
childrenlearnthegameofchess.Itisavalues‐basedprogramthatshowschildren
thevalueofcharacterandtheimportanceofbeinggood.Theprogrambeginswith
definingcharacterasanadherencetoasetofbeliefsorvalues.Itgoesonto
describesomeofAmerica'smostcloselyheldvaluesthatwillleadtosuccessin
chessandinlife.
Thegameofchessitselfisaculturallanguagethatallowspeopletoconnectaround
ideas.Ifoneplaysthegamelongenough,itisverylikelythattheywilldevelop
philosophiesforplayingandwinning.However,inCharacterChess,wedefine
severalphilosophiesinthebeginningforthelearner.Thesephilosophiesareshared
byCoachHodge,buttheycomefromordinarypeopleliketeachers,parents,
businessownersandotherstudents.Theideaistointriguestudentsbyexposing
themtothedeepermysteriesofchesswhilesimultaneouslyreinforcingthevalues
ofchess.Thesevaluesincludediligentandhonestwork, obeyingtherules,respect
forothers,respectforauthority,humility, worthyaccomplishments,personal
responsibilityandcontributingtosociety. Asstudentslearntheselessons,they
consciouslyusethemwhenplayingchess. Thus,everytimetheyplay,thelessons
ofcharacterarebeingreinforcedthroughpracticeandrepetition.
Goodcharacterisvitallyimportanttosuccess. Asa socialworkerandleadership
developmentcoach,Ihaveseenstudentswithgoodcharacterexcelthroughhigh
schoolandcollege. Inmanycases,theygoontolivehealthyandproductivelives.
Ontheotherhand,Ihaveseenstudentswithpoorcharacterstruggletofindtheir
nicheinlife. Theystrugglewithdevelopingawinningstrategyforsuccessinlife
becausetheyhavenotdevelopedvaluesthatareconsistentwiththeworldinwhich
theylive.Theyareoftenisolatedanddisconnectedfromthelargersociety.Simply
stated,theyarelosinginthegameoflifebecausetheyarenotpreparedtowin.
CharacterChessisanexperientialprogramforpeoplewhoworkwithyouthand
wanttoteachchildrentoplaychess,aswellashelpthembecomegoodcitizensnow,
andinthefuture.Theprogramincludesmaterialstohelpschoolsandyouthservice
organizationsestablishandteachCharacterChess.Theprogramincludesthis
manual,“quick‐start”instructionsonhowtoplay,chessclubstartupmaterials,
chesssets,books,videos,onlineresourcesandposters.
CHARACTER CHESS™ 6
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
TheDesign
CharacterChessisdesignedtoteachpeoplehowtoplaychessin10shortlessons.
There are many reasons why people choose to learn how to play chess. Some of
them just want to gain insight into the mysteries, character and life lessons of the
game, while others want to understand the metaphors commonly associated with
chess.Andthenthereareteacherswhocommonlywanttousechessasaquietgame
fortheirstudents.CharacterChessiswrittenforalloftheseaudiences.
Inthese10lessons,readerswillgetfivethings:
1. CharacterStories:Shortstoriesaboutmypowerfulexperienceswithchess.
2. Character Lessons: Value‐based lessons from Coach Hodge that are
designedtoestablishprinciplesforbeingsuccessfulinlifeandchess.
3. Chess Lessons: Instructional lessons on how to play chess. These lessons
will teach the reader the basic rules and instructions on how to play the
game.
4. Chess Challenges: Practice exercises designed to demonstrate
understanding. Many of these fun lessons can be completed in the book,
independent of boards and pieces. All solutions can be found at
www.CharacterChess.org
5. Character Evaluation: Questions and activities designed to evaluate
character.Theycreateconversationandpersonalreflectionforthereader.
After completing this book, readers will understand the value of good character.
They will also understand how to play chess. Together, the reader will have the
foundationofhowtoplaywinningchessandliveawinninglife.
Playingchessinschooltransformedmylife.Therewasoneparticularteacherwitha
planforusingchessasatransformativetoolthatIcreditwithmuchofmypersonal
andprofessionalsuccess.Thisismyattempttogivebackaportionofwhathehas
giventome.
Ipraythatyoucanimpactthepeopleyouservewiththeseresources.
CHARACTER CHESS™ 7
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterChess™
10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
ByCoachHarlanB.Hodge
Introduction
Hello, my name is Harlan Hodge, and I am a chess and character coach. I teach
lessonsofcharacterthroughthegameofchess.Muchofmysuccessinlifecanbe
tracedbacktothelessonsthegameofchesshastaughtme.Fromplanningbefore
you move, to never underestimating your opposition, these lessons have
contributed to my successful navigation through poverty, graduate school and
business.
Ironically, the game of chess is not just a game. It is an opportunity for us to
examineourselves,formrelationshipswithothersandtodevelopsoundprincipals
for life. The principals you live by are your values. When your values and your
actionsareinalignment,wecallthis"goodcharacter".
Yourcharacteristhemeasureofhowwellyoualignyourvalueswithyouractions.
Inotherwords,yourcharacterismeasuredbyhowwellyourlifealignswithyour
values.Forexample,yousay,“Ivaluemyfamily”,yetyoudothingsthatembarrass
yourfamilyandmakethemashamed.Thiswouldbeconsidered“poorcharacter”.A
personofgoodcharacter,whovaluesfamily,willalwaysconsiderhowtheiractions
willimpacttheirfamily.
Weallhavevalues.Somevaluesaremoredeeplyheldthanothers.Ourchallengeis
toalignourvalueswithouractionssothatwehaveconsistencybetweenwhatwe
believe and what we do. Once more, character is defined by how well we
demonstrateexternallywhatwebelieveinternally.
The people who are most successful at developing good character win favor with
teachers,co‐workersandfriends.Theyarelikedandrespectedbytheircommunity
members. They garner admiration and support at every turn. On the other hand,
thosewhodonotpracticegoodcharacteroftenfindthemselvesisolated,frustrated
andconfinedtothelonesomecornersoflife.
Myassumptionisthatyouwanttowinbothatchessandinlife.Winningmeansyou
arepreparedforthechallengesthatcomeyourway.Itmeansyouunderstandhow
to use what you know to produce favorable results that you can be proud of.
Ultimately, winning is giving all you have to a cause and knowing you gave your
best.Soifyoutrulywanttobeawinner,thenyouhavetodevelopstrategiesthat
work.
Overthenext10sessions,Iamgoingtosharewithyouthemostvaluablecharacter
lessonschesshastaughtme.Alongtheway,youwilllearnhowtoplaychess.But
Introduction to Character Chess CHARACTER CHESS™ 8
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
more importantly, you will learn how to take control of your life by utilizing the
same principles a great chess player uses to control every move of the game. My
hopeisthatyouwillbethe"GrandMaster"ofyourfate.
Beforewebegin,Iwantyoutoconsiderthefollowingvaluesthatyouwillbeasked
toevaluatethroughoutthisbook.Thisisalistofsomeofournation’smostclosely
heldvalues.
CherishedAmericanValues
(Asdiscussedin“TheGoodBook‐CharacteristheThing”byWilliamJenkins)
CountryandCitizenship
RespectfortheRightsof
Others
RespectforOthers’
Property
Motherhood
Family
RespectfortheElderly
TakingPersonal
Responsibility
DiligentandHonestWork
Knowledge
ContributingtoSociety
(GivingBack)
ObeyingtheRules
RespectforAuthority
TakingCareofOur
Environment
Humility
Astrongsenseofbelonging,ownershipandresponsibilityfortheplace
whereonelives
Acommitmenttotreatingothershowyouwanttobetreated
Acommitmenttoupholdingeveryone’srighttoownproperty
Acommitmenttoupholdingthedignityandrespectforwomenandtheir
rolesasmothers
Acommitmenttosupportingthefamily
Adesiretohonorandrespecttheeldersofoursociety
Awillingnesstoaccepttheresultsofyouractionsorinaction
Adesiretoworkhardandhonestly
Adrivetodiligentlypursueunderstanding
Adesiretosupportthecommunitythathassupportedyou
Awillingnesstofunctionwithintheestablishedguidelinestoachievea
goal
Awillingnesstosubmittoandhonoraperson’spositionandauthority
Adesiretotakecareoftheplaceinwhichyoulive
Abeliefintheequalityofhumanvalue
Compassion(kindness)
Adesiretobekind
WorthyAccomplishments
HonestyandIntegrityin
SpeechandDeed
Courage
Acommitmenttousingtimeandresourcestoachieveameaningfulgoal
Virtue
Acommitmenttobeing“good”
Acommitmenttobeingtruthfulandtrustworthy
Acommitmenttoanoutcomethatisstrongerthanfear
Introduction to Character Chess CHARACTER CHESS™ 9
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
If
RudyardKipling
Ifyoucankeepyourheadwhenallaboutyou
Arelosingtheirsandblamingitonyou;
Ifyoucantrustyourselfwhenallmendoubtyou,
Butmakeallowancefortheirdoubtingtoo;
Ifyoucanwaitandnotbetiredbywaiting,
Or,beingliedabout,don'tdealinlies,
Or,beinghated,don'tgivewaytohating,
Andyetdon'tlooktoogood,nortalktoowise;
Ifyoucandream‐andnotmakedreamsyourmaster;
Ifyoucanthink‐andnotmakethoughtsyouraim;
Ifyoucanmeetwithtriumphanddisaster
Andtreatthosetwoimpostersjustthesame;
Ifyoucanbeartohearthetruthyou'vespoken
Twistedbyknavestomakeatrapforfools,
Orwatchthethingsyougaveyourlifetobroken,
Andstoopandbuild'emupwithworn‐outtools;
Ifyoucanmakeoneheapofallyourwinnings
Andriskitononeturnofpitch‐and‐toss,
Andlose,andstartagainatyourbeginnings
Andneverbreatheawordaboutyourloss;
Ifyoucanforceyourheartandnerveandsinew
Toserveyourturnlongaftertheyaregone,
Andsoholdonwhenthereisnothinginyou
Exceptthewill,whichsaystothem:"Holdon";
Ifyoucantalkwithcrowdsandkeepyourvirtue,
Orwalkwithkings‐norlosethecommontouch;
Ifneitherfoesnorlovingfriendscanhurtyou;
Ifallmencountwithyou,butnonetoomuch;
Ifyoucanfilltheunforgivingminute
Withsixtyseconds'worthofdistancerun‐
YoursistheEarthandeverythingthat'sinit,
And‐whichismore‐you'llbeaManmyson!
Introduction to Character Chess CHARACTER CHESS™ 10
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
SESSIONI:
KNOWTHERULES
“UnderstandingCharacter”
TimeLength:50‐60Minutes
CurriculumOutline
Goals

Tounderstandthe
definitionof
character
Tounderstandthe
importanceof
knowingand
followingtherules


Tounderstand
“Rank”and“File”
Tolearnhowto
identifythe64
squaresoftheboard
byname


Toidentifythebasic
rulesthatgovernour
lives
Toencourage
followingtherules

Materials
 CharacterChess
1.
manualforeachstudent
 Character
2.
evaluation/pre‐test(One
foreachstudent)
 Pensand/orpencils
 Characterposterforall
3.
tosee
4.
 Chessboardsandpieces
5.
6.
7.
8.
ProcessSteps
Openingactivity:Characterpre‐
test
a. Collectallevaluations
ReadtheIntroductionanddiscuss
theword“character”
a. Whatischaracter?
b. Whyischaracter
important?
c. Howdoweshowit?
ReadtheCharacterChessStory:
"KnowtheRulesandPlayby
Them"
CompletetheReadingResponse
Sheet
ReadtheCharacterLesson:
"KNOWTHERULES"
ReadtheChessLesson:“THE
PIECES”
CompletetheChessChallenge:
"NAMEANDFINDGAME"
Read,completeanddiscussthe
CharacterReflection:“TheBasic
RulesofYourLife”
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 11
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterChessStory
KnowtheRulesandPlaybyThem
There are several rules to learn before you can start playing chess. I have not
counted them, but it’s overwhelming to even think about. I would imagine this is
oneofthemajorreasonspeoplechoosenottolearnthegame.Gettingtoknowthe
rulesisacommitment.Ittakestimetomemorizeallthemovesofthepiecesandthe
rulesofthegame.Itisquiteaninvestment.Mostpeoplelikesimplegamesthatare
easytojumpintoandwin.Chessisnotoneofthosegames.
I first met the game when I was growing up in East St. Louis. I lived in a
neighborhoodfilledwithkids.Onanysummer’sday,youwouldseekidsonevery
corner riding bikes, playing basketball or just playing games. We didn’t have
sidewalks,soyoueitherplayedinthestreet,onthegrassoronsomeone’sporch.
Itwasononeofthosesummerdays,afterspottingacrowdgatheredonaneighbor's
porch, that I encountered this strange game. It seemed like a hundred kids were
gathered around this weird checker board, covered with pieces I had never seen.
“Whataretheydoing?”Ithoughttomyself.SoIranontotheporch.“Whatisthat?”I
asked.“It’schess!Shhhhh!”,theysaidinunison.
Atthispoint,Ifeltreallydumb.Everybodyknewthegamebutme.So,Istaredonin
amazementasthetwoplayersmovedthepiecesaroundontheboard.Inoticedall
thekidscommentingoneverymove.“Iseewhathe’sdoing.He’sgonna…”iswhat
they were whispering, but I couldn't understand them. “What are they talking
about?”Ithoughttomyself.Mycuriositywaspeaked,butthefrustrationwaskilling
me.
I watched those kids play chess for hours. One kid in particular seemed to beat
everyone. The two of us were left sitting on the porch when the other kids went
backtoracingtheirbikesandplayingjumpropeinthestreet.Iaskedhimtoteach
mehowtoplayandhedid.I’mnotsurehowlongittook,butIrememberlearning
andforgettingalot.WhenIwouldforgethowtomoveapiece,hewouldremindme.
WhenIwouldmakeanillegalmove,hewouldcorrectmeandgivemeoptions.
Itwasn’tlongbeforeIwasreadytoplaytheotherkids.However,Iwantedtoplay
withalargecrowdwatchingmesothatIcouldsurpriseeverybodywithmygenius.
Icouldheartheminmyhead.“Man!!Thatkidisgood.Hemustbeagenius.Whois
that?”“That’sDrummond’slittlebrother.”
Nooneintheneighborhoodknewmyname,beingthatIwastheyoungestoffour
children and had just completed sixth grade; they simply referred to me as
"Drummond’s little brother". Drummond was in Middle School and was fairly
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 12
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
popular.ButIcouldeasilyseemyselfrisingoutofhisshadowtheminuteIlearned
howtoplaychess.Iwouldbeateverybody,andtheywouldallknowmyname.
Unfortunately,itdidn’thappenthatway.Afterlearningtherules,Iplayedmyfirst
game against my brother. Drummond beat me terribly. Then he said, “You can’t
playchess.Yousuck!”Iwascrushed.Itwasn’tsupposedtohappenlikethat.
IwentbacktomychesstutorandtoldhimthatIlost.Likeawiseoldsage,hetold
me the most powerful words I would hear that summer. He said, “Listen
Drummond’slittlebrother,youaregood,butthemoreyouplay,thebetteryouwill
get.”
Itookthosewordsandplayedeveryday.Ifoundeveryonewhoknewhowtoplay
the game. I played everyone in the neighborhood and lost to everyone in the
neighborhood.Everydayforawholeweek,Iplayedandlostnon‐stop.Imeasured
my success by how long it took people to beat me. I went from lasting only four
moves,toextendingmygamestoanhourbeforeIlost.Iwasgettingbetter.
ItwasthesecondweekafterlearningthatIwonmyfirstgame.Itwasaquietwin
andnoonewaswatching.AtleastIdon’trecallanyonewatching,orwhomIwas
playing, for that matter. By this time it was just me and the board, so who I was
playing and who was watching were the least of my concerns. I was focused on
gettingbetter.Andthat’swhatIdid.Bytheendofthatweek,Icouldn’tfindanyone
whocouldbeatme.
So,Iwentbacktomybrother,Drummond.Andafterrefusingtoplaymeforweeks,
he finally agreed to beat me quickly, so he could get back to playing Atari on the
television.Webattledfor20or30minutes,andIwon!Asmilecrepttomylipsas
my head rose from the board. We made eye contact as I spoke the word,
“Checkmate”.Helookedatme.Thenhelookeddownattheboardandthenbackat
me.Allofasudden,heflippedtheboardoverandthepiecesflewacrosstheroom.
“Youstillsuck!”hesaid.
DrummondandIhaveonlyplayedchesstwotimesinourlives.Iguesswearestill
tied.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 13
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Nowpleasetakeaminutetoanswerthefollowingquestions.Makesuretoconsiderthevaluesyou
sawreflectedinthisstory.Challengeyourselftobethoughtfulinyouranswers.
ReadingResponseSheet
WhatHappened?
Whatfactsoreventsdoyourememberfromthereadingpassage?(Makealistinthespacebelow)
SoWhat?
Whatvalue(s)arebeingdisplayedinthispassage?
Placean“X”inthecolumnofyourchoicetotheright.
Howarethosevaluesshown?
CherishedAmericanValues
(discussedin“TheGoodBook‐Character
istheThing”byWilliamJenkins)
CountryandCitizenship
RespectfortheRightsof
Others
RespectforOthers’
Property
Motherhood
Family
RespectfortheElderly
TakingPersonal
Responsibility
DiligentandHonestWork
Whatlessoncanwelearnfromthisstory?
Knowledge
ContributingtoSociety
(GivingBack)
ObeyingtheRules
RespectforAuthority
TakingCareofOur
Environment
Humility
Compassion(kindness)
WorthyAccomplishments
HonestyandIntegrityin
SpeechandDeed
Courage
Virtue
NowWhat?
Doyousharethelistedvalueabove?Whatactionswillyouperformtodemonstratethisvalue?
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 14
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterLesson
VALUE:KNOWTHERULES
“Rules”defined:asetofconditionsorstandardsthathavebeenagreedupon.Rulesarecreatedto
governbehavior.
Inlifethereareruleswehavetoliveby.Ifwelivedalone,wecouldlivebyourown
rules, but because we live with other people, we must have agreements. These
agreements are designed to maintain civility. In other words, a civilized society
livesbyagreements.Thesearetherulesthateveryoneisexpectedtoliveby.Those
whodon’tabidebytherulesoftendonotgettoparticipatewithothers.
Yourlifeisavehicledesignedtotakeyouplaces.Youaredesignedtoexperienceall
that is or ever was. Every inch of the globe and everything there is to know are
yoursfortheexploring.Youcangojustaboutanywhereanddojustaboutanything,
but you have to play by the rules. For example, you are welcome to come to my
house, have dinner, meet my family, play chess and hang out. However, there are
threerulesthatyouhavetoabideby:
a. CallFirst.Ifyoupopupatmyhousewithoutcalling,wemaynotbethere
orIjustmightnotletyouin.
b. Greeteachpersonyouseewithasmileandhello.That’sasignofrespect.
Ifyoudon’trespectmyhouse,youcan’tstay.
c. Bring something to share. My house is like a Church. You will receive
something if you come with the right attitude and you are expected to
give for your own good. We accept gifts, conversation and talents, but
mostofall,apleasantattitude.Evenmysoncan’tcomehomewithouta
goodreportfromschool.
Doyousee?Everyplacehasitsrules.Onceyouunderstandtherules,thenyoucan
enjoythegame.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 15
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
ChessLesson
THEPIECES
Achessplayerisincontrolofhistroops.Heorsheisaleaderwhocommandshis
soldiers.Heuseshismind,heartandsoultomakeonlythebestdecisionsfromhis
firstmoveuntilthelast.Forgetwhatyouhavebeentold;thisisnotagame.Thisis
life.Andyouliveordieonthese64squares.
Butfirst,youmustlearntherulesofsurvivalinthisplaceIcallthe"WorldofChess".
Tostartout,wehavetolearnthevalueofthingsaroundhere.Thinkofeverything
in your life for which you are responsible ‐ your stuff, such as your toys, clothes,
bike,yourroom,etc.
Allthesethingshavevalue.Somebodypaidmoneysoyoucouldhavethosethings.
Right?Good.
There’sotherstuffyouareresponsiblefortoo.LikeYourself.Youmustwakeupin
the morning, get ready for school, feed your body and go to school to feed your
mind.
And then there is something bigger than you that every person is responsible for.
That’sright!TheCommunity.Weallhavetodoourparttotakecareofandprotect
our community. We take care of our community by protecting it from harm and
doing our best to keep things in order. The way you take care of your
responsibilitiesisoneofthewaystomeasureyourcharacter.
Justlikeinyourworld,inthe"WorldofChess",ourpieceshavevalue.Let’smeetthe
soldiersofmyworld.
The Pawn: These tough warriors have one mission; get the
job done! They keep moving forward and never turn back.
Theymovestraightahead,slowandsteady.Butwatchout‐if
youstepintheirstrikingrange,it'soverforyou.Saygoodnight
and goodbye. This band of brothers is your first line of
defense.Theyarethestandardbywhicheveryotherpieceis
measured.
TheBishop:AsthePalaceadvisors,thesetwofightersarelike
lighteningonthebattlefield.Theystrikeacrosstheboardwith
precisionandgrace.Getintheirwayandit’slightsout.Oneon
black and one on white, they can get to any square on the
boardinamomentstime.TheBishopisworththreetimesthe
valueofaPawn:ThreePawns.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 16
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
TheKnight:Twowarriorsinone,theKnightonhishorseisa
fearlessfoe.HisunorthodoxmovementinanL‐shapeishard
tomaster,buttheplayerwhodoesisnearlyimpossibletostop.
TheKnightisworththreePawnsinvalue.
The Rook: A strong fortress is the key to controlling ground
onthebattlefield.Thecastle‐shapedRookisyourresourcein
the field. Placed strategically, the Rook will help you gain
groundanddestroyyourenemy.That’swhytheRookisworth
5Pawns.
TheQueen:WiththepowersoftheRookandtheBishop,the
Queenisthemostpowerfulpieceontheboard.Sheisfeared
bytheenemyandadmiredbyhertroops.Underyourcontrol,
shecanmakeorbreakyourempire.Greatplayershandleher
with care and caution. As the second most valuable piece on
theboard,sheisworth9Pawns.
The King: If the Queen is the most powerful piece in our
world, the King is the most important. He’s a tough old guy
whomovesslowly,buthe’sgotsometricksofhisown.The
nameofthegameistotraptheenemy’sKing.Everysoldierin
yourarmyworkstogethertoprotecthisownKingandtotrap
theenemy’s.OncetheKingistrappedthegameisover.That’s
whytheKing’svaluecan’tbemeasured.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 17
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
SampleChessBoardSetup
These are your troops. Your job is to protect and guide them with wisdom and
caution.Beforethebattlebegins,youneedpractice.Solet’sstartwithtraining.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 18
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
GFILE
DFILE
AFILE
TheBoard
Let’s take a look at the battlefield. Everything happens on these 64 squares. You
canthinkoftheboardastheearthonaflatmap.Likeonamap,everyinchofthe
board can be identified with horizontal and vertical lines. You can identify every
square on the board using a secret code we call “Algebraic Notation”. Here’s the
secretcode.
Files
In chess, vertical lines are called “Files”. These are the letters that run along the
bottom of the board from “A” to “H”. Think of Files as lines that stretch from the
bottomtothetopoftheboard.
Take your finger and follow the “A‐File” line from the bottom of the board to the
top.Good.Nowdothesamethingforthe“B‐File”.VeryGood!Dothesamethingfor
FilesCthroughH.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 19
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Ranks
Inchess,horizontallinesarecalled“Ranks”.Theyareidentifiedbythenumberson
thesidesoftheboard,andrangefrom“1to8”.ThinkofRanksaslinesthatspread
allthewayacrosstheboardfromlefttoright.
8th Rank
5th Rank
1st Rank
TakeyourfingerandfollowthelinefromlefttorightacrosstheFirstRankorline
#1.Good.Nowdothesameforthe8thRankorline#8.VeryGood!Dothesame
thingforthe2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,and7thRanks.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 20
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Squares
Okay.Nowyouarereadytocrackthecode.Everysquareontheboardhasitsown
name.That’sright.Sixty‐foursquares,sixty‐fournames.Eachnamestartswitha
letterandendswithanumber.Theletter,thesquaresfirstname,isdeterminedby
theFilethatthesquarelieson.Andthenumber,thesquare’slastnamecomesfrom
theRankitlieson.
Here’showitworks.Putyourfingerinthemiddleofonesquare.What“File”runs
through that square? That is the square’s first name. Now, identify which “Rank”
runsthroughthatsquare.Thatisthesquare’slastname.
(Answer:e5)
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 21
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CHESSCHALLENGE:NAMEANDFINDGAME
Objective:Nameorfindthesquaresshownintheexamplesbelow.
Instructions:
Writethenameofthesquaresmarkedwithan“X”intheboxesbelow.
Instructions:
Placean"X"inthesquaresontheboardthatcorrespondtothenameslistedin
theboxesbelow.
a4,c7,d1,f1
d4,e4,d5,e5
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 22
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
MOREINFORMATION:NOTATION
 Everysquareonthechessboardisgivenacoordinate,which
consistsofthepairingofalowercaseletter(athroughh),anda
number(1to8),asshowninourlesson.Thelowerleftcorneris"a1"
andtheupperrightcorneris"h8".
 Thechesspiecesaredesignatedbyuppercaselettersasfollows:K
isKing,QisQueen,BisBishop,NisKnight,andRisRook.ThePawn
hasnosymbol.APawnmoveisindicatedbyalowercaseletter,
indicatingthepawn'sfile(d3wouldindicatethatapawnhasmoved
tothed3square).
 CastlingontheKing'ssideisdesignatedby0‐0,andontheQueen’s
sideby0‐0‐0.(ThiswillbeexplainedinfurtherdetailinSession6)
 Theletter"x"isusedtoindicateapiecehasbeentaken.
 Aplussign(+)indicatescheck.
 Apoundsign(#)indicatescheckmate.
 Threedots(...)followingamovenumberindicatesaBlackmove(1...
f4indicatesthatBlack'sfirstmoveistobringthepawntof4).
 Aslash(/)withacapitallettertotherightoftheslashindicatesa
pawnpromotion(b1/Qshowsthatthepawnonthe“bfile”movedto
theb1squareandwaspromotedtoQueen).
 Anexclamationpoint(!)indicatesagoodmoveand(!!)indicatesa
brilliantmove.
 Aquestionmark(?)indicatesapoormove,and(??)indicatesa
seriousblunder.
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 23
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterReflection
TheBasicRulesofYourLife
Congratulations!YouhavecompletedSessionI.Youareonyourwayto
becomingachessplayerandapersonofstrongcharacter.Nowthatwehave
learnedsomeofthebasicrulesofchess,let’sdiscussthebasicrulesofyour
life.
Answerthesequestions:
Whatarethebasicrulesofyourlife?
Whathappensifyoudon’tplaybythoserules?
Howwelldoyoufollowtherules?
Session I: Know the Rules CHARACTER CHESS™ 24
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
SESSIONII:
THINKTHENMOVE
"MentalPractice"
TimeLength:20‐30Minutes
CurriculumOutline
Goals





Materials
Tounderstandthe
definitionofpractice
Tounderstandthe
valueofpractice
Tomasterthe
movements
ofthePawns
 CharacterChess
Toidentifystudents'
majorareasof
interest
Toencourage
practiceasavalue
 Pensand/orpencils
ProcessSteps
1.
ReadtheCharacterChess Story:
“ThePowerofPractice”
manualforeachstudent
2.
 Chessboards&pawns
CompletetheReadingResponse
Sheet
forstudentsonly–two
3.
ReadtheCharacterLesson:
"THINKTHENMOVE"
studentsperboard
4.
ReadtheChessLesson:
"THEPAWN"
 Characterposterforall
5.
CompletetheChessChallenge:
"THEPAWNTOUCHDOWN
toreview
CHALLENGE"
6.
Read,completeanddiscussthe
CharacterReflection:"WhatAre
YouPracticing?”
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 25
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterChessStory
ThePowerofPractice
It was in East St. Louis that I was lured into the world of tournament chess. The
summerbeforemiddleschool,aneighborsatonthestairsofhisfrontporchplaying
thisstrangeboardgame.Hecalledit“chess”.Manyofthekidsonourstreetknew
howtoplay.Oneday,thisyoungmanofferedtoteachme.Ispenttherestofthat
summer, day and night, learning the basic rules of the game. At the end of one
session, I remember him saying, “the more you play, the better you’ll get.” This
lessonwouldprovetobetrueineveryaspectofmylife.Itwouldalsobecomeone
ofmylife’smottosandthefirstlessonofthisbook.Ididplaymore.Infact,Iplayed
often and by the end of the summer, I was the best chess player in the
neighborhood.
ThesummercametoanendandSeptemberrolledaround.Istartedanewschool
yearatLansdowneMiddleSchoolinthegiftedprogram.Thekidsinmyclasswere
mostlymyfriendsfromelementaryschool.Someofthemwerethesmartkids,one
being Mark Holt, but the others were just ordinary kids like me. I figured I was
eitherassmartasMark,orhewasasslowasme.Ichosetobelievetheformer.Our
7thgradeclasswasconsideredtobethesmartkidsoftheschool,andIwasoneof
them.Ilikedthat.
During thesecond week of middle school theconspiracybegan. Mysocial studies
teacher,Mr.AllenMagarian,heldachesstournamentinhisclassroom.Heinvited
allofthekidstohisclassroomafterschooltoplaychess.Thewinnerofanygame
would receive a Snickers™ chocolate candy bar. For a sugar addicted kid, the
promiseofaSnickers™barwasliketherisingofthesunadayaftertheendofthe
world. Candy was reason enough to come to school, let alone a motivator to stay
after.Nearlytheentiregiftedclass,boysandgirls,stayedafterschooltoplaychess
forachancetowinaSnickers™bar.
ItwasintheseafterschoolcompetitionsthatIrealizedthepowerofpractice.Ofthe
30 or more 7th graders competing for candy prizes, I left daily with at least three
candybars.IwasbetterthantheotherkidsbecauseIpracticedmore.Andwhenit
lookedliketheywerecatchingup,Iplayedandpracticedmore.
You will get better in chess and in school when you practice. Success in anything
requiresustopractice.Ifyouwanttobeagreatchessplayer,keeppracticingand
playing.Therearemedals,trophiesandawardslabeledwithyourname,waitingon
you.
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 26
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Nowpleasetakeaminutetoanswerthefollowingquestions.Makesuretoconsiderthevaluesyou
sawreflectedinthisstory.Challengeyourselftobethoughtfulinyouranswers.
ReadingResponseSheet
WhatHappened?
Whatfactsoreventsdoyourememberfromthereadingpassage?(Makealistinthespacebelow)
SoWhat?
Whatvalue(s)arebeingdisplayedinthispassage?
Placean“X”inthecolumnofyourchoicetotheright.
Howarethosevaluesshown?
CherishedAmericanValues
(discussedin“TheGoodBook‐Character
istheThing”byWilliamJenkins)
CountryandCitizenship
RespectfortheRightsof
Others
RespectforOthers’
Property
Motherhood
Family
RespectfortheElderly
TakingPersonal
Responsibility
DiligentandHonestWork
Whatlessoncanwelearnfromthisstory?
Knowledge
ContributingtoSociety
(GivingBack)
ObeyingtheRules
RespectforAuthority
TakingCareofOur
Environment
Humility
Compassion(kindness)
WorthyAccomplishments
HonestyandIntegrityin
SpeechandDeed
Courage
Virtue
NowWhat?
Doyousharethelistedvalueabove?Whatactionswillyouperformtodemonstratethisvalue?
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 27
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterLesson
VALUE:THINKTHENMOVE
“Practice”defined:todorepeatedlyinordertolearn.
To be the best at anything requires a commitment to practice. Malcolm Gladwell,
author of Outliers, has popularized the “10,000 Hour Rule”. Simply stated, the
“10,000HourRule”saysthatinordertobeatopperformerinanyarea,youmust
have 10,000 hours of practice doing that thing. Psychologist Anders Ericsson
studied violinists at the Berlin Academy of Music. He discovered that those who
practicedthemost,excelledbeyondthosewhodidnot.
Getting 10,000 hours of practice sounds rather difficult; however, it is not. There
aresomethingsyoumustkeepinmind.First,10,000hoursiscloseto4hoursevery
dayfortenyears.Todoanythingfor4hourseverydayfortenyearswillrequirea
commitment. Secondly, if you are going to do something that often, you should
reallyloveit.Chancesarethatyouhavediscoveredsomethingthatyoulovetodo
allthetime.Let’scallthisyourpassion.Whenwearepracticingsomethingthatwe
arepassionateabout,timefliesbywithoutourawareness.
Iamencouragingyoutoidentifysomethingworthyofyourpassion,ahobbyoran
interestthatisenrichingtoyourselfandothers.Thisshouldbesomethingthatyou
aredeeplyexcitedaboutmastering.Carveoutanhouradaytostartoutandbuild
up to four hours of practice per day. Soon, you will find that you have become a
master of that thing. For some, chess is their passion and as a result, they have
become"ChessMasters".Masteryrequiresyourcommitmenttopractice.
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 28
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
ChessLesson
THEPAWN
Asachessplayer,youareincommandofyourtroops.Theyfollowyourordersand
you are responsible for their every movement. They will obey your commands
withouthesitation.However,youmustunderstandtheirabilitiesandlimitations.
ThePawnalwaysmovesforward.Itistheonlypiecethatcannotmovebackwards.
It is also the only piece that captures differently than it moves. It takes pieces
diagonally.
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 29
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
The Pawn has two special abilities. First, if the Pawn has never moved, it has the
optionofmovingeitheronesquareortwosquaresforward.
Secondly, if the pawn makes it to your opponents back Rank, the Rank where the
opponentsKingandQueenbeginthegame,hecanbecomeaQueen(usuallythebest
choice),Rook,KnightorBishop.Thisiscalled"PawnPromotion".
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 30
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CHESSCHALLENGE:THEPAWNTOUCHDOWNCHALLENGE
Objective: To perfect the moves of the Pawn. Work with a partner and use your
Pawns torace acrosstheboardto reach youropponents backrank. This is called
"Pawn Promotion". Remember: In chess when we capture a piece, we take that
piece’spositionontheboard.
Instructions:
1. Setupallthepiecesontheboardaspicturedbelow.OnlyMOVEPAWNS!
2. Shakeyouropponent'shand.Whitemovesfirst.Taketurnsmoving.
3. MoveyourPawnsforwardacrosstheboard.Trytopromoteyourpawn
beforeyouropponent.
4. Takepieceswhereyoucan.
5. Stayalive!Watchout,theenemycanattackyoufromanangle,butina
frontalattacknoonecanwin.
6. ReachyouropponentsbackRankwithoneofyourPawnsbeforetheyreach
yours.Thefirstpersontolandonthe1stor8thRankisthewinner.Yell
“TouchDown”!
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 31
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterReflection
WhatAreYouPracticing?
Congratulations! You have completed Session II. You are on your way to
becomingachessplayerandapersonofstrongcharacter.Nowthatwehave
learned the importance of practice, let’s discuss the other things you are
practicing.
Answerthesequestions
Makealistoffivethingsyouwanttoexcelin?(Forexample:Playinganinstrument,public
speaking,writing,orasport)
Select one thing from your list that you would like to master. Identify
someonewhohasmasteredthatactivity.Howmanyhoursdoyouthinkthat
personpractices?
Howoftenwillyoupractice?When?Where?
Session II: Think Then Move CHARACTER CHESS™ 32
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
SESSIONIII:
HAVEAPLAN
"PlanningForSuccess"
TimeLength:50‐60Minutes
CurriculumOutline
Goals






Materials
 CharacterChess
Tounderstandthe
definitionofplanning
manualforeachstudent
Tounderstandwhyit
 Pensand/orpencils
isimportanttoplan
Tolearnandpractice  Characterposterforall
themovesofthe
toreview
Bishop
Toidentifyshortand
longtermgoals
Tocreateaplanfor
achievingthe
identifiedgoals
Toencouragehealthy
andproductive
relationships
1.
ProcessSteps
ReadtheCharacterChess Story:
“LarryJack”
2.
CompletetheReadingResponse
Sheet
3.
ReadtheCharacterLesson:
"HAVEAPLAN"
4.
ReadtheChessLesson:"THE
BISHOP"
5.
CompletetheChessChallenge:
“GOGet‘emBISHOP!”
6.
Read,completeanddiscussthe
CharacterReflection:"Goal
SettingandPlanningfor
Success"
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 33
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterChessStory
LARRYJACK
Larry Jack was better than me at everything. He was a half‐inch taller than me.
EverydayinMs.Nave'smathclass,hewouldgettheanswersahalfsecondbefore
me. He even passed his note to Helen Rose, asking her to be his girlfriend right
beforeIdid.Whenwewalkedhomefromschool,hewasalwaysonestepaheadof
me.Icouldn’tstandLarryJack,buthebecamemybestfriend.
We both competed in the gifted program at Lansdowne Middle School in East St.
Louis and were regulars in Mr. Magarian's Snickers™ bar candy tournament. One
day, after beating all the other kids in the tournament, Larry and I stopped at his
house to go over a game we played. Of course, we also played a game, or two of
Chess.Thisbriefstopturnedintoadailyritualafterschool.Wewouldrushtohis
house, finish our homework and get down to business. We would try out our
toughestopeningsandsharethemostchallengingsituationswehadseenfromour
opponents.Afterwards,wewouldcritiqueeachother’smoves.Eventually,wecame
up with this outrageous and disturbing tactic of playing heavy metal music very
loudly,totrytobreakeachother'sconcentration.
Moreimportantly,wedevelopedthe"ChessPartnerChallenge",whichiscommonly
known in the business world as an accountability partnership. Accountability
partnerships are functional relationship agreements that serve three primary
purposes:
1.Toinspire"BigThinking"
2.Toencouragefocusandplanning
3.Tocelebrateachievementsandaccomplishments
These three benefits are very difficult for individuals to produce for themselves.
Through accountability, we find improved performance and self‐confidence. As a
chess and character coach, I often create accountability partnerships between
students.Thishelpsyoungpeopleunderstandtheimportanceofrelationshipsand
accountability. In chess, it is the most effective tool I have found to improve
performance.
Chessrequiresyoutoplanyourmoves;tothinkthroughtheconsequencesofevery
choiceyoumake.“IfImovehere,myopponentislikelytomovehereorthere.Ifhe
choosestomovethere,I’llmovehereandthenhe’llbeforcedtomovethere!Once
hemovesthere…AhHA!”Andsoitgoesforhours.Thisprocessofself‐talkmightbe
considered paranoid or compulsive anywhere outside of chess. However, this is
exactlywhatittakestobeatthecompetition.IthasbeensaidthatthegreatBobby
Fischer could see the end of a game from the beginning. This is why he has been
consideredthebestofalltimes.
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 34
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
I’mnoBobbyFischer.Atmybest,Icouldseeupto10variationsforeverymoveina
game. But even then, Larry was usually one step ahead of me. Because of this, he
usuallybeatmeinchess.IheardthatLarrywouldgohomeandplaychessagainst
himself for hours. It was said that he would sit at a table with two chairs and a
boardsetfortwoplayers.HewouldstartthegamebymakingWhite’sbestopening
move.Thenhewouldstandup,walkaroundthetable,sitontheothersideofthe
board and make Black's best move. Supposedly, this intellectual battle against
himselfwouldlastforhours,butofcoursethiswasallarumor.
If it is true that Larry played against himself daily, playing against me gave him a
new perspective. And if nothing else, it saved him time in moving back and forth
fromchairtochair.
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 35
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
Nowpleasetakeaminutetoanswerthefollowingquestions.Makesuretoconsiderthevaluesyou
sawreflectedinthisstory.Challengeyourselftobethoughtfulinyouranswers.
ReadingResponseSheet
WhatHappened?
Whatfactsoreventsdoyourememberfromthereadingpassage?(Makealistinthespacebelow)
SoWhat?
Whatvalue(s)arebeingdisplayedinthispassage?
Placean“X”inthecolumnofyourchoicetotheright.
Howarethosevaluesshown?
CherishedAmericanValues
(discussedin“TheGoodBook‐Character
istheThing”byWilliamJenkins)
CountryandCitizenship
RespectfortheRightsof
Others
RespectforOthers’
Property
Motherhood
Family
RespectfortheElderly
TakingPersonal
Responsibility
DiligentandHonestWork
Whatlessoncanwelearnfromthisstory?
Knowledge
ContributingtoSociety
(GivingBack)
ObeyingtheRules
RespectforAuthority
TakingCareofOur
Environment
Humility
Compassion(kindness)
WorthyAccomplishments
HonestyandIntegrityin
SpeechandDeed
Courage
Virtue
NowWhat?
Doyousharethelistedvalueabove?Whatactionswillyouperformtodemonstratethisvalue?
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 36
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterLesson
VALUE:HAVEAPLAN
“Plan”defined:adesigncreatedtoaccomplishapurpose.Itiscommonlysaidthat,“ifyoudonotplanto
succeedthenyouplantofail”.
The first step in winning is having a winning plan. Every step of our life has an
impactontherestofourlife.Inchess,thegamecanbedividedintothreeparts:the
opening,middleandendgame.Inthesameway,yourlifecanbedividedintothree
parts: youth, middle age andretirement. In your youth, you are new. You havea
world of options. Every choice you make will impact your experience at the next
phaseinlife:middleage.Inthemiddleofyourlifeyouarerequiredtoliveoffthe
decisionsofyourpast.Ifyoumadegoodchoices,thenyoucanbuildonthoseand
securetheresourcesyouneedtodesignthelifeyouwant.Ifyoumadepoorchoices,
thenmiddleagewillbeatoughexperienceforyou.Youarelikelytostrugglejustto
survive.Andthenthereistheendgame,orretirement.Inthelatteryearsoflife,
youhavetolivewiththerealityofyourchoices.Ifyouhaveplayedwell,thenyou
areincontrolofyourlife.Youcangowhereyouwantanddowhatyouwanttodo.
Youaresetuptowin.Ifyouhavemadepoorchoicesanddisobeyedtheprinciples
ofsuccess,thenyouarelikelytoendupdisappointedandrejectedatdeath’sdoor.I
wouldhatetosayyou’realoser,butotherpeoplewouldsayyou’realoser.
So,thebestthingtodoistomakeyourbestmovesatthebeginningofyourlife.Your
youth determines your future fruit. Plant good seeds now and reap the benefits
later. Every step you take should be made with the end game in mind. Chess
prodigy, Josh Waitzken, played every game from the end first. What does that
mean?Healwaysbeganwiththeendinmind.Itisagoodideatovisualizewhere
you are going before you start walking. Otherwise, you are likely to end up
anywhere. There will be enough distractions along the way. If you don’t plan to
win,thenyouplantofail.
EverydayofmylifeIhaveawinningplan,followedbyawinningstrategy.Ihavea
vision for my life that I picture in my head every day. It involves traveling to
collegesaroundthecountryinanRVanddeliveringpackagestomystudents.Every
day, I map out the most important victory that will get me to that vision. I must
sendmorestudentstocollegeandmakemoneytobuytheRVandthenIlisttasks
that will get me there. I must get one more kid a scholarship or help one more
studentgraduatefromhighschool.
Today,youmustbeapersonwithaplan.However,simplyhavingaplanisnotgood
enough.Youmustalsohaveaback‐uptotheplan.Quiteoften,ourfirstplandoesn’t
workandthat‘swhenwegototheback‐upplan.That’swhenyouarethinkinglikea
chessplayer.“IfIdothis,andtheywilldothat,thenI’lldothis.”Wethinkthrough
all the possibilities. My sophomore Englishteacher, William Jenkins said, “Life isa
series of choices and consequences; one makes the choices and lives with the
consequences.”
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 37
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
ChessLesson
THEBISHOP
TheBishopsaretheKingandQueens’sadvisors,sotheystandclosetothematthe
beginningofthegame.However,theBishopisquicktojumpintothefight.
 Hemovesalongthediagonalsofthecoloritoriginallystartedon.
 Hecannotjumpoverhisownpieces.
 Hecantakeanyofyouropponent’spiecesinhispath.
Let’spracticemovingtheBishops.
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 38
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CHESSCHALLENGE:GOGet‘emBISHOP!
Objective:Inthischallenge,youareWhiteandyourjobistotakeallthepieceson
theboard.Remembertothinkbeforeyouact.Chessplayersplantheirmovesand
thenact.Inthisexercise,theblackpiecesdonotmove.Thisisapracticeexerciseto
sharpenyourBishop’smovements.
Instructions:
1. UseyourBishop(B)totaketheblackpieces.
2. Seeifyoucancaptureapiecewitheverymove.
3. Useyourfingertodrawthepathyouwouldtaketocaptureallthepieces.
4. FillinthemovesAFTERyousolvetheproblem,usingtheAlgebraicNotation
youlearnedinSessionI.
Sample
Go Get ‘em Challenge
Solution
#
WHITE
1
Bxd3
Bxb5
Bxd7
Bxf5
Bxh7
2
3
4
5
BLACK
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
MOVE
MOVE
MOVE
MOVE
MOVE
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 39
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
GOGet‘emBISHOPChallenge!
Solutionscanbefoundatwww.CharacterChess.org
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 40
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
GOGet‘emBISHOPChallenge!
Solutionscanbefoundatwww.CharacterChess.org
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 41
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
GOGet‘emBISHOPChallenge!
Solutionscanbefoundatwww.CharacterChess.org
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 42
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
GOGet‘emBISHOPChallenge!
Solutionscanbefoundatwww.CharacterChess.org
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
8
NO MOVE
#
WHITE
BLACK
1
NO MOVE
2
NO MOVE
3
NO MOVE
4
NO MOVE
5
NO MOVE
6
NO MOVE
7
NO MOVE
8
NO MOVE
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 43
CHARACTERCHESS:10CharacterLessonsThroughTheGameofChess
CharacterReflection
GoalSettingandPlanningforSuccess
Congratulations! You have completed Session III. You have practiced the
movements of the Bishop. Have you mastered their movements? If so, you
areonyourwaytobeinga"masterplanner".Nowconsiderthesequestions.
Answerthesequestions:
Whatisonegoalthatyouwouldliketoachieveinthenextfouryears?
Listthree(3)actionsyouneedtopracticeeverydaytogetyoutothatgoal.
Listfive(5)peoplewhowillchallengeyoutoachievethatgoal,likeLarry
Jack.
Aristotlesaid,“Wearegoodatwhatwerepeatedlydo.Excellencethenisnotanact
butahabit.”
Session III: Have a Plan CHARACTER CHESS™ 44