Both Vic and Will has taken a liking to chess! It all started so random a few months back, and I have to credit hubby for being the one to introduce this game to them. He is a master at chess and teaches them little tricks as they play along.
I have even learnt new terms from the kids, such as stalemate and castling. The boy and his father even have their own secret terms like "do the Lockdown."
William loves chess, so much so that he'd invite us to play with him at every opportunity, sometimes at the most awkward times like during meals. Victoria has more on her plate with tuition and homework and activities so to be fair, she have less time to practice on the board but equally excited about the game.
William would give a virtual level to each of us. I am the worse at playing chess so he says I am at the beginner level. Both my kids have beaten me at chess many times, and I have only a couple of victories to boast about. I salute them because I did not let them win on purpose.
Daddy and Yeh Yeh are the "ultimate levels", and if they beat any of them, it will be a HUGE victory to them, one worth celebrating with ice cream! In the beginning, losing to Daddy can end the game with some tears, so Daddy has resorted to allow the kids to "handicap" him by removing a few key players (like the Queen and Castle) in the beginning of the game yet Daddy still wins.
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| Popo playing chinese chess with Vic. Unfortunately, none of us in this household knows how to play chinese chess so there's no challenger for Vic. On the right, William challenges Gong Gong to a game, of which he won! |
We even have the Chess app installed in our phones so they either practice with the computer or start a game with someone. I think this is a great game to kill off the boredom as it encourages them to strategize and think.
If you like chess or can play chess, invite them for a game and you will immediately be their new best friend! The magic word in the house now is "CHECK" or better still, "CHECK MATE!"
