FAQs
For any new FAQs, please check the blog: http://www.chessparents.net/
Q: When should my son or daughter start learning chess?
A: 5-8 (K-3) is the best age to start.
Q: How often should my child attend classes?
A: At least once a week to maintain his/her interest in chess and his/her familiarity with chess moves. Twice a week will be better for making progress. If the child is serious about chess, 3-5 times a week is ideal. This can be a combination of private lessons, group lessons, and club tournaments.
Q: How often should my child play chess at home?
A: As much as possible. If nobody is available at home, he/she should play online. He/she should work on chess everyday!
Q: Where should my child play online?
A: For a little child, ChessKid.com is recommended because of its built-in safety control and simple interface. If your child is my student and would like to have a free account, please email me.
For older children, they can play on chess.com, ICC, playchess.com, and FICS.
Q: Is using computer a must for my child to learn chess?
A: YES. This is one of the reasons why today's kids are making much faster progress than previous generations. At Princeton Chess Academy, we are encouraging students to play online, and incorporating chess software in our Beginner II and up classes.
Without computer, your children will not get enough practices, and will not progress at the full speed to their potential. Slow progress may also discourage a child and lead to his/her quit. At PCA, we want to push your children to the advanced level as fast as possible so they may sustain by themselves and enjoy chess for life.
Q: Why my child is categorized as advanced at other places, but only intermediate level at PCA?
A: Most American teachers will inflate a child's level to make the child and the parents happy. We are more strict, more aligned with European or Chinese standard.
Q: Should my child play in tournaments?
A: YES. Your child will dramatically increase his/her interest in chess after first scholastic tournament, and even more after he/she gets his/her rating. Training-wise, the seriousness of tournaments help children gain real battle experience and help them mature more quickly.
Q: Should my child play in adult tournaments?
A: YES. After your child has played in scholastic tournaments for a year, he/she should begin to play in adult tournaments, which are more challenging. He/she gets more practice in such environment and will improve much quicker. Almost all matured young players, from K to 12, play in adult tournaments frequently. Those top students are only playing in adult tournaments.
Q: Which one should I choose for my child, online lesson or face-to-face lesson?
A: Depends. If your child is mature and active learner, online lesson will be good because of saving of travel time, money, and easiness of recording the lessons. If your child is young, such as K-3, face-to-face is preferred because of the interactions. The coach can get feedback immediately and adjust his/her teaching pace and contents. The rapport between the coach and the student also help motivate the student to work hard.
Q: Should I get a GM coach for my child who just started with chess?
A: Do you hire a college professor to teach your child elementary math?
Q: How to choose a coach?
A: If possible, choose a local coach (driving distance less than one hour), for easy access and flexibility. If not, pick one online. Even teaching online, you should try to meet the coach once so the child can feel he/she is real. The most important consideration is that the coach and the student can work together in a pleasant learning mode. If the student is not happy, then he/she will never learn much from the coach. The coach should be rated at least 500 points above the student, preferably an active tournament player.
Be cautious with most popular coaches. They may have too many students and are too busy. Your child will be just a number or a dot on their list, Unless your child is an outstanding one, they will not remember him/her much, and will not spend effort to guide him/her in a customized approach.
Q: When should my son or daughter start learning chess?
A: 5-8 (K-3) is the best age to start.
Q: How often should my child attend classes?
A: At least once a week to maintain his/her interest in chess and his/her familiarity with chess moves. Twice a week will be better for making progress. If the child is serious about chess, 3-5 times a week is ideal. This can be a combination of private lessons, group lessons, and club tournaments.
Q: How often should my child play chess at home?
A: As much as possible. If nobody is available at home, he/she should play online. He/she should work on chess everyday!
Q: Where should my child play online?
A: For a little child, ChessKid.com is recommended because of its built-in safety control and simple interface. If your child is my student and would like to have a free account, please email me.
For older children, they can play on chess.com, ICC, playchess.com, and FICS.
Q: Is using computer a must for my child to learn chess?
A: YES. This is one of the reasons why today's kids are making much faster progress than previous generations. At Princeton Chess Academy, we are encouraging students to play online, and incorporating chess software in our Beginner II and up classes.
Without computer, your children will not get enough practices, and will not progress at the full speed to their potential. Slow progress may also discourage a child and lead to his/her quit. At PCA, we want to push your children to the advanced level as fast as possible so they may sustain by themselves and enjoy chess for life.
Q: Why my child is categorized as advanced at other places, but only intermediate level at PCA?
A: Most American teachers will inflate a child's level to make the child and the parents happy. We are more strict, more aligned with European or Chinese standard.
Q: Should my child play in tournaments?
A: YES. Your child will dramatically increase his/her interest in chess after first scholastic tournament, and even more after he/she gets his/her rating. Training-wise, the seriousness of tournaments help children gain real battle experience and help them mature more quickly.
Q: Should my child play in adult tournaments?
A: YES. After your child has played in scholastic tournaments for a year, he/she should begin to play in adult tournaments, which are more challenging. He/she gets more practice in such environment and will improve much quicker. Almost all matured young players, from K to 12, play in adult tournaments frequently. Those top students are only playing in adult tournaments.
Q: Which one should I choose for my child, online lesson or face-to-face lesson?
A: Depends. If your child is mature and active learner, online lesson will be good because of saving of travel time, money, and easiness of recording the lessons. If your child is young, such as K-3, face-to-face is preferred because of the interactions. The coach can get feedback immediately and adjust his/her teaching pace and contents. The rapport between the coach and the student also help motivate the student to work hard.
Q: Should I get a GM coach for my child who just started with chess?
A: Do you hire a college professor to teach your child elementary math?
Q: How to choose a coach?
A: If possible, choose a local coach (driving distance less than one hour), for easy access and flexibility. If not, pick one online. Even teaching online, you should try to meet the coach once so the child can feel he/she is real. The most important consideration is that the coach and the student can work together in a pleasant learning mode. If the student is not happy, then he/she will never learn much from the coach. The coach should be rated at least 500 points above the student, preferably an active tournament player.
Be cautious with most popular coaches. They may have too many students and are too busy. Your child will be just a number or a dot on their list, Unless your child is an outstanding one, they will not remember him/her much, and will not spend effort to guide him/her in a customized approach.