Chess Intermediate II 'Castle Keepers' (THS)

Chess Intermediate II "Castle Keepers" focuses on strengthening students’ tactical and strategic thinking while preparing them for deeper game analysis and more competitive play. This course introduces more advanced concepts and develops their ability to think several moves ahead.

Key Skills Covered:

• Multi-move tactical combinations including discovered attacks, deflection, and removal of the defender

• Positional concepts: open files, outposts, weak squares, and space advantage

• Building and recognizing effective pawn structures

• Introduction to classical opening systems and responding to popular lines

• Intermediate endgames: king and pawn vs. king, opposition, and basic technique

• Notation and structured self-analysis of games

Students are placed into small skill-based groups when appropriate to tailor instruction. This level serves as a key stepping stone toward tournament preparation and strategic depth.

Prerequisites: Completion of Intermediate I or demonstrated mastery of rules, basic tactics, and end-of-game procedures.

Duration: One school year (approximately 32-34 lessons).