I wrote here about what happened back in 1960 when my parents gave me the Gift of Chess for Christmas.

Giving your children the Gift of Chess this Christmas will offer then a passport into a world of intellectual stimulation, excitement and beauty, membership of a vibrant international community, lifelong friendships and a lifelong hobby.

Equipment

Children will benefit from a full size chess set with standard (Staunton Pattern) pieces. If they’re interested in competitive chess they may want a chess timer as well. Our recommended source for chess equipment is the London Chess Centre at 44 Baker Street. The links above take you to their online shop, but, if it’s convenient for you, you could always pay them a visit.

Books

Younger beginners will enjoy my book Chess for Kids, an Amazon best seller since its publication in 2010, introducing them to the game through a story with cartoons and jokes. For children who are old enough to teach themselves, the introductory Chess for Heroes book will introduce them to the basics. Older children who have mastered the basics and would like to take the game further will benefit from the Chess Heroes Checkmates, Tactics, Openings and Endings books, while the Puzzles and Games books will be helpful for anyone already playing competitive chess. If you’re interested in helping your children at home I’ve written a guide for parents, and your children’s schools might like a copy of my book for teachers. Find out more about all my books here.

Clubs

If your children really enjoy playing chess and would like to make friends who share their interest, a club subscription would be a great present. If they want a social, community based club, our Twickenham Library club is absolutely free. There’s nothing better than a free present! If your children are more ambitious they might enjoy a professionally run Centre of Excellence like Richmond Junior Club. Older children who already play to a high level might like to join an adult club such as Richmond & Twickenham Chess Club, which meets on Tuesday evenings in Teddington.

Tuition

Some children will enjoy and benefit from private tuition either on a regular or an occasional basis. If your children are really ambitious to do well this is certainly something you should consider, but other children who are perhaps less ambitious might also enjoy spending time talking about chess with a more experienced player. A series of private lessons might well be a great Christmas gift for your chess playing children. I sometimes have vacancies myself and can offer a free trial session (yes, another free Christmas gift) if you’re interested. I work mostly at lower levels, and have a particular interest in helping children on the autism spectrum. If you’re interested, do get in touch.

Websites

The two most popular online chess destinations are chess.com and lichess.org. chess.com is a commercial site but has many free features. They also run the child-friendly chesskid.com, which is great for children learning chess – if you’re happy with your children using screen-based learning. If, like me, you prefer not to be distracted by gimmicks, cartoons and sound effects, you might prefer lichess, which is non-commercial, open source and free – signing your children up would be another great no cost Christmas present. Don’t forget to select Kid Mode to protect your children online by disabling all site communications.