Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Chess for Beginners: Free Printable Guide for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Chess for Beginners is a free printable guide for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children learn how each chess piece moves. They set up a real board with a partner, try each move, and fill in a table to record what they find. It takes about 20 minutes, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas and a stretch task.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children work with a partner and a chess set. They fill in a table with two columns, one for the piece and one for how it moves. Each time, they try the move on the board before they write it down. Seeing a move, saying it and then writing it helps the rules stay in memory. The sheet takes about 20 minutes.
- Piece
- How it moves
Why start chess with the pieces?
Chess is a game for two players who take turns. Before anyone can plan ahead, they need to know what each piece can do. That is why this sheet slows down and looks at the pieces one at a time. Children who know the moves well can spend their thinking on choices, not on remembering the rules.
Moving a piece on a real board makes the rule easier to remember than reading it. Writing it in the table in their own words adds a second layer. Children have to decide what matters about a move and say it clearly. That is useful practice in explaining, and it gives the grown-up a quick way to see what has stuck.
Chess facts for children
- Chess is a game for two players who take turns to move.
- The board has 64 squares, in light and dark colours.
- The player with the light pieces moves first.
- Every piece has its own way of moving, so each one is worth learning on its own.
- The Staunton pattern, first made by Jaques of London, is the style of piece used in tournaments today.
Skills and curriculum link
- Chess
- Rules
- Remembering
- Taking turns
- Explaining a move
What children will be able to do
- I can name the chess pieces.
- I can say how each piece moves.
- I can set up a chess board.
Ways to help children learn the pieces
- Touch and sayAsk your child to pick up a piece, say its name, then move it and describe what they did. Hearing and doing together helps memory.
- One piece at a timeLearn a single piece, practise it on the board, then fill in that part of the table. Add the next piece only when the last one feels secure.
- Use the table as a referenceKeep the table beside the board. Children can look back at what they wrote when they forget a move, so the sheet becomes a tool they made.
- Swap rolesLet your child be the teacher and explain a move to you. If they can explain it clearly, they know it. You can ask questions as a beginner would.
Key words
- PieceOne of the figures you move in chess, such as a pawn or a knight.
- SquareOne of the light or dark spaces on the board. Pieces stand on squares.
- TurnYour chance to move. Players take turns, one move each.
- OpponentThe person you are playing against.
- CaptureTo win an opponent's piece, usually by moving onto the square where it stands.
- CheckWhen a king is under attack and must be protected.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Set up a chess set on a table. Sit together and look at the table on page 1 before you touch a piece.
- Work through the first piece together. Move it on the board, talk about what it did, then write it in the table.
- Carry on with the other pieces, one at a time. Let your child lead when they feel ready. Praise careful thinking, not only quick answers.
- Check against the notes on page 2, then come back another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Move one piece at a time on the board. Put a single piece down, say its name and move it slowly. Do the same move three times before you write it in the table. Take a break between pieces, and come back to the rest later.
To stretch confident children
Learn how pawns capture and how the knight can jump. Try each one on the board, then write it in your own words. Test your partner: can they follow your instructions to make the move without help from the sheet?
Make it a game
Play a game with pawns only. Agree the rules for how pawns move before you start, using your table. Take turns to move one pawn each. Decide in advance what counts as a win, so the game is clear to both players.
Talk about it
- Which piece did you find easiest to remember? Why do you think that was?
- Which piece was hardest, and what could help you remember it?
- How would you explain one move to someone who has never played chess?
- Why do you think players take turns?
- Which piece do you think is the most useful? What makes you say that?
- What did you notice when you moved the same piece a few times?
Take it off the page
Draw a board
Draw a square grid on paper and colour it in light and dark squares. Cut out small paper pieces and write the name of each piece on one. Use it to practise moves away from the main set.
Say it and show it
One player calls out a piece name. The other shows how it moves, using a finger on the board. Swap roles after a few goes.
Memory challenge
Look at the pieces on the board for one minute. Close your eyes while a grown-up takes one away. Open your eyes and say the name of the missing piece.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first piece, then let them lead. You do not need to be a good player. Ask them to show you each move and explain it. About 20 minutes is plenty. Stop while it is still fun.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs a chess set per pair and no other preparation. Chess is not a separate National Curriculum subject, but explaining a rule supports spoken language and reasoning. Page 2 has support and stretch ideas.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider games plan. It pairs well with board games, outdoor play and everyday talk about rules and fair play. Because the sheet is free and printable, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits
Before chess, children benefit from simple games that involve turns, rules and fair play. Noughts and crosses, draughts and card games all help them practise waiting, watching and thinking about what comes next.
After this sheet, children can play a full game and begin to think about protecting their own pieces. They can also learn how a game ends, and start to plan a few moves ahead. Pawn only games and short practice games are a good bridge between learning the moves and playing for real.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How does the knight move?
- Which piece can move in any direction, and how far?
- Where does each piece go at the start of the game?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Chess for Beginners for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with a grown-up helping. Older children can use the stretch idea on page 2 to learn how pawns capture and how the knight can jump.
- What will children practise?
They learn how each chess piece moves. They try each move on a real board, then record it in a table in their own words. It also builds remembering, turn taking and clear explaining.
- Do we need a chess set?
Yes. The sheet needs a chess set and a partner. A full size set, a travel set or a magnetic set all work. The sheet itself needs only paper and a pencil.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 20 minutes. Short, calm sessions work well. If your child tires, stop after a few pieces and come back another day to finish the table.
- What if it feels too hard?
Move one piece at a time on the board. Do the same move a few times before writing it in the table. Come back to the other pieces later. There is no need to finish in one go.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. You do not need colour. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Print both pages, and keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider plan. It needs no preparation beyond printing.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.