It is not easy, if you are at all familiar with the game. All of the pieces have their own methods of movement - knights and castles, bishops and kings, queens and pawns. My son was able to grasp the rules of chess, and we would play.
Sure, I might have let him win a few times. I didn't want this to be like the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals, where the outcome would almost be decided before the game would even start. It kept things interesting.
Then, very recently, it happened. He beat me. Squarely. And then he did it again. And again.
Suddenly, this soon-to-be 10 year old posed a major threat to my status as the Grand Chess Master of the household. What had happened?
Did he become that good? Did my own chess skills deteriorate? Was it a combination of both?
Not sure.
But what I do know is that the game of chess has allowed us to spend more time together, share an interest, and feed our competitive fires. All great things when it comes to raising a curious young boy.
In fact, that's a parenting checkmate.
And yes, the student has become the teacher…
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