What am I doing?

[Peter Turner]

CJ's interview was very good and it caused me to listen to Radio 2, possibly for the first time.
There is an interesting point. He encourages people to be taught the game at a very young age. This is good for generating world class players. However, for lesser mortals, unless given considerable back-up to help develop understanding of the game, they will pretty quickly abandon it. Richard James has (or had) the opinion that teaching chess, to children unable yet to access material by themselves, probably has a negative effect.
I would like to think the Certificate of Merit Scheme will help here. The Level Two and Three booklet is out today. But 6 and 7 year olds will still need help initially accessing the material online.

Stewart Reuben

I hope there is a comprehensive display of the CofM materials at the British Championships, having access to so many chess players (and chess parents) is an oportunity not to be missed!!

Regards

Peter Turner

PS Enjoying online coverage, well done to the 'team' responsible.

[Alex Holowczak]

I hope there is a comprehensive display of the CofM materials at the British Championships, having access to so many chess players (and chess parents) is an oportunity not to be missed!!

Next to the people doing jigsaws and the entry forms for congresses, there is a full table of CoM stuff. They will see it every time they enter/leave the analysis room.

[Richard James]

Richard James has (or had) the opinion that teaching chess, to children unable yet to access material by themselves, probably has a negative effect.

It all depends what you mean by 'teaching chess'. If you mean teaching children how the pieces move one week and expecting them to play competitively the next week, then yes. If you mean running a formal, structured step by step chess course on the school curriculum, which might take anywhere between a term and a year to teach children 'how to play' then perhaps not.

[John Upham]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/radio2/

CJ's interview coming up in about 10 mins.

Very good interview! Well done CJDM!

[Andrew Farthing]

I agree - very good interview.

It was striking that Jeremy Vine commented on the fact that 100% of the calls, texts and e-mails were positive about the value of chess for kids. I'd say that his audience was clearly a sensible lot if I hadn't heard the earlier segment on ASBOs which was a non-stop flood of 'bring back National Service', 'short sharp shock' (literally in one case - the idea of electric-shock collars was seriously advocated...) and 'prison's too soft' comments. I despair.

Still, undoubtedly another positive bit of exposure for the game by CJ!

[Ian Kingston]

Now available to listen again at:

http://beta.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b ... 29_07_2010

The interview starts at about 1:41:30.