Step 3
To proceed with the third step the knowledge from step two is indispensable,
but apart from that step three is not really difficult.
The tactics issues are relatively easy and also the lessons about defending
against tactics should not cause any problems. Only trapping is a bit tricky.
It can be compared to mating but now instead of the king another piece is the victim
Furthermore, attention is being paid to the first pawn endgames. For some students it is a
child's play but for those who have still problems with the control of space it is a
tough struggle.
In this step we begin to teach the supporting skills. One of them is īthinking aheadī.
The student calculates in his head the possibilities and visualizes ( tries to imagine)
the new situation which arises on the chess board. The command of this skill can
differ enormously per student
'The third step' consists of a manual and workbooks.
■ Manual for chess trainers Step 3
■ Workbook Step 3
■ Werkboek Stap 3 extra (in Dutch)
■ Werkboek Stap 3 plus (in Dutch)
Manual for chess trainers Step 3
Manual for
chess trainers
Step 3
1st edition 2004
128 pages
with drawings
Contents:
Introductory articles about:
- Thinking ahead
- Knowledge and skills
- Homework
- Training games
- Discussing the games
- Help
- Competition systems
Then the 17 lessons follow:
1: Finishing the opening
2: Discovered and double check
3: Attack on a pinned piece
4: Mate in two (access)
5: The square of the pawn
6: Eliminating of the defence
7: Defending against the double attack
8: Mini plan
9: Draw
10: X-ray
11: The opening
12: Defending against the pin
13: Mobility
14: Key squares (1)
15: Pinned pieces
16: Threats
17: Key squares (2)
Workbook Step 3
Step 3
1st edition 2004
56 pages
with drawings
Next to the exercises there are reminders in the workbook.
These are short recapitulations of the material from the manual for the students.
There are 12 reminders.
- Discovered and double check
- Attack on a pinned piece
- Access and mating patterns
- Pawn ending: the square of the pawn
- Eliminating of the defence
- Defending against the double attack
- Draw
- X-ray
- Defending against the pin
- Mobility
- Key squares
- A pinned piece is not a good defender
On the remaining 43 pages there are always 12 diagrams a page. That means a total number of 43x12-27 (the drawings )= 489 positions.
Have a try! Mobility: trapping
The issues of the exercises correspond to those in the manual.
See the Manual for the chess trainer.
Werkboek Stap 3 extra
Stap 3 extra
1st edition 2003
56 pages
with drawings
Read more about the Extra books in info.
In the extra workbook there are 57 pages with exercises, which means as
many as 54x12=648-25 (drawings)= 619 positions.
At the beginning come the exercises with the familiar items from Step 3:
- double check
- pinning
- double attack
- discovered attack
- defending against a double attack
- defending against a pin
- draw
- elimination of the defence (capturing, luring away, chasing away)
The last 26 pages contain tests. There is also a reminder with hints how to proceed with the tests.
Test yourself! Test step 3
Werkboek Stap 3 plus
Stap 3+
2nd edition 2005
56 pages
with drawings
Read more about the plus books in the info.
The contents of the Workbook Step 3+:
More or less new topics:
- minorpromotion
- the in-between-move
- the rook's pawn
Elaborating the already introduced material:
Improve the position of a piece, increase activity, improve the pawn structure, exploit the opponent.
- Eliminating of the defence
Eliminate two defenders with one piece, eliminate two defenders at the same time and
luring away a defender with two functions
Calling in guards and hunters
Developing and well-known combinations in the opening
X-ray as help in other combinations and x-ray protection
An addition to the lesson in Step 2
Combinations that make use of the pin
An addition to the lesson in Step 3
Special forms: the in-between-move, eliminating the defence and trapping
