Interim 332
Playing & Understanding Chess
Classroom: RMSC 339
Meeting Time: MTWThF 9-12
First Meeting: 11 AM, December 2, RMSC 339
| Instructors: | Dr. Amy Sweitzer | Dr. Clayton Whisnant |
| Office: | M 221 | M 105 |
| Telephone: | x 4361 | x4550 |
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Interim 332 Playing & Understanding Chess Classroom: RMSC 339 Meeting Time: MTWThF 9-12 First Meeting: 11 AM, December 2, RMSC 339 |
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Course Description Chess is a game enjoyed world-wide, originating in
India before reaching Europe around the 11th century. Today, it is
considered the archetypal game of thought and strategy and has become
almost synonymous with intelligence and survival. Chess has also taken
on notable cultural significance; in a famous scene from Ingmar Berman's
film 'The Seventh Seal', for example, a knight challenges Death to a
chess match in order to win some last minutes of life. In many stories,
chess is a metaphor for political confrontation or psychological drama,
or simply an indicator of intellectual brilliance. This course will
combine instruction in chess playing (and ample time to hone our chess
skills) with the opportunity to learn about the history, subculture, and
symbolism of chess. No experience with chess is necessary. We will
provide all the basic instruction, so players of all levels (and
abilities) are welcome. |
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| Attendance & Participation | Grading Attendance & Participation: ten points lost for every day missed, fourth auto fail Journal Letters: Students will write responses to the readings every TTh in the form of a letter written to one of their classmates. We will asign the classmate. |
| Costs & Equipment Book: Raymond Keene, The Simon & Schuster Pocket Book of Chess (ISBN: 067167924) Additional Cost: 5$ (for chess boards). Please make checks out to Wofford College. This is due by Friday, December 12. |
Useful Websites To play through some historic games, try Chessgames.com For options connected with Shenk's book, try TheImmortalGame.com To play online, try chess.com or instantchess.com For info and theory, go to Wikibook on Chess Wikibooks also useful discussion of pawn structures. For more chess, consider the Spartanburg Chess Club!
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Course Schedule |
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Week 1 |
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| January 5 | Introduction Read Keane: Chs 1-3 |
| January 6 | Read Shenk, The Immortal Game, Ch. 3 |
| January 7 | Read Shenk, The Immortal Game, Ch. 5 |
| January 8 | Read Hallman, The Chess Artist, Ch. 3 |
| January 9 | Read Hallman, The Chess Artist, Ch. 13 Links: Chess City in Dubai; Interview with Ilyumzhinov; Wikipedia on Kirsin Ilymumzhinov |
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Week 2 |
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| January 12 | Read Shenk, Ch. 9 and Appendix 2; Keene, Ch. 4 |
| January 13 | Review
Appendix 2 and play out at least one famous game Review Keene, especially Ch. 4 Look at wikibook site on opening theory. Links: Youtube discussions of the Reti opening, Evans Gambit, The Ruy Lopez (Classical Defense) , The Ruy Lopez (Berlin Defense), The Ruy Lopez (Cozio Defense), the Caro-Kann Defense |
| January 14 | Read Shenk, Ch. 7 and Keene, Ch. 5. |
| January 15 | Read Keene, Ch. 6; play over famous game and analyze endgame. |
| January 16 | Analyze a game played today and write a letter to partner about it. |
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Week 3 |
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| January 19 | Work though ten chess problems from handout. |
| January 20 | Do more chess problems. Link: On-Line Board that can help with chess problems |
| January 21 | More chess problems |
| January 22 | Selection of Problems from Polgar's Chess |
| January 23 | Retrograde Analysis Selection of Problems from Smullyan's Chess Mysteries |
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Week 4 |
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| January 26 | Playing Chess |
| January 27 | Watch Searching for Bobby Fisher |
| January 28 | Chess Variant: Alice Chess |
| January 29 | Chess Variant: Andernak Chess |
| January 30 | Fresh |