The Minichess Activities Pack provides a wide range of activities using subsets of chess designed for all children of primary school age. It’s suitable for use both in school and in home. Children below the age of 7 should start here, and some of the activities will also benefit older learners.
My Beginners’ Guide ensures that you know ALL the rules of chess before you start to teach your children or play yourself.
I have three beginners’ courses: one based on worksheets, one on activities an one somewhere between the two. Choose the one you think most suitable, or, if you prefer, download them both and mix & match.
Junior Chess Heroes is a worksheet-based coursebook for younger learners designed to ensure children really understand the basic principles of the game. It’s not for everyone, but children who enjoy, for example, Kumon Maths, may also enjoy learning chess in this way.
Journey Through Chess is an older book combining both methods. It’s written for parents and teachers, not for children, and provides both worksheets and activities. It would be suitable for children starting chess at about 7 or 8.
Chess for Heroes is a beginners’ book for older learners explaining what’s really happening in a game of chess. First, you must understand that you win by having more pieces than your opponent, then you learn how to win your opponent’s pieces, finally how to start the game to make it easier to win your opponent’s pieces.
The NEW (2025) Chess Heroes Guide for Parents and Teachers is recommended for ALL parents wanting to introduce their children to chess, and for all schools interested in promoting chess.
The Chess Heroes Books
The Chess Heroes project offers a series of books designed to take older learners from very first principles through to adult club standard.
They are ideal for children who are old enough to study chess on their own using material written for intelligent adults, for older players who know the basics but would like to find out more, for parents who’d like to be able to help their children at home, and for chess teachers at all levels.
Visit the Chess for Heroes website to find out more.
Simple Opening Guides
Back in the 1990s we introduced Richmond Junior Chess Club members to a wide range of openings through our series of simple opening guides. Now revised and updated, they’re available for download as a combined volume here.
Chess with Richard 