Chess Curriculum - Susan Polgar

Continuing with this blog's Chess Curriculum Inventory, the S.Polgar Chess Curriculum (May 2015) is again at bat. Following a brief detour for J.Polgar's Chess Palace, it's time to give Susan full attention over her younger sister Judit.

Susan Polgar never does anything half-way and her chess curriculum is in keeping with the tradition. My May 2015 post showed that there are at least two versions available, but the differences are minor and I'll limit this post to the April 2014 version.

The curriculum consists of 30 lessons, with a page or two of material per lesson. The document lacks a TOC and although I created one easily, I'll mention only the first entry of the first few lessons.

Lesson 1 - Excite kids about the fun game of chess
Lesson 2 - Introduce the Pawn
Lesson 3 - How to use your Pawns more effectively
Lesson 4 - Introducing the Rook
Lesson 5 - How a Rook can best help (or fight against) a Pawn
[...]

The notes behind each lesson are light and the instructor will have to do some preparation, but this shouldn't be too onerous for an experienced chess player. The material looks appropriate for someone who knows how to play and is looking for a structured approach to teaching someone else. The inexperienced player will need more support.

At the end of the document is a summary of general points to keep in mind while playing.

Susan Polgar Power Principles of Chess
1. Control the Center!
2. Develop Your Pieces as Soon as Possible!
3. Castle as Soon as Possible!
4. Keep Your Pieces Protected!
5. Have Fun and Win with Grace, Lose with Dignity!

That last bullet -- 'Win with Grace, Lose with Dignity' -- is probably GM Polgar's personal motto and could be good advice for all competitive aspects of life.