[blindkid] Braille Chess Sets

[Carol Castellano]

Dave,
Two games blindfolded--that is impressive!
Carol

At 12:19 PM 9/13/2011, you wrote:

>I have not seen a Chess set with the algebraic markings on the 
>edge.  I'm not sure if they are necessary.
>
>Here is a web site for the United States Braille Chess 
>Association.  http://www.americanblindchess.org/
>
>I looked through their set offerings and they are all the 
>conventional ones with raised squares and pegs.
>
>we made our own set by buying two different chess sets one wood the 
>other metal and using velcro on the bottom of the pieces and on the squares.
>
>We used round velcro for the white and square for the black.
>
>If you teach using the older descriptive notation rather than the 
>algebraic it might be more self evident.
>
>i.e.  Pawn to King 4,  Knight to Rook 3 etc.  Vs e2-e4 and Nb1-a3.
>
>When I have taught chess to sighted people I never used the pieces 
>with the directions on them I don't see them as greatly helpful either.
>
>The Knight move is the most difficult to understand for a 
>beginner.  The concept of 2 up or back and 1 left or right or 1 up 
>or back and 2 left or right takes a little time to explain.
>
>The best way to learn is to just start out playing and learn theory later.
>
>I'm not blind but I used to be able to play two games simultaneously 
>blindfolded.  It just takes a little time to get used to the 
>movement of the pieces and familiarity with the game.
>
>Later I would suggest that you just get a board with sufficient 
>border to put Braille labels on.
>
>
>
>Dave Hammel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org>
>To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children) 
><blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Tue, Sep 13, 2011 10:32 am
>Subject: [blindkid] Braille Chess Sets
>
>
>Kendra is learning to play chess in Chess Club at school. I'm trying to
>mprovise a teaching set for her. We already have a set with markings to tell
>lack from white with peg-style pieces that go into holes so they don't slide
>ff the board.
>The main problem is that it has no rank and file numbers & letters 
>and the board
>t too small to fit them in dymo tape or the like. Also, I have seen some
>teaching sets" (for sighted players) with indications of the way the pieces
>ove on the base.
>Surely a similar set is available with raised indications of the moves or a
>uick braille reminder on the base?
>I'm wondering what anyone here may have run across before I try and attack a
>arger set and board with a hot glue gun and a roll of dymo tape for the
>raille. The rank and file markings have to be accomplished one way or another
>f noting else as she needs them to follow discussions of strategies and to be
>ertain she is on the correct location. I'm sure she could get by without that
>s some cases, but it slows her down to count over the spaces over 
>and over and
>he needs the same info that the other kids have anyhow.
>Surely someone has already created a better solution that will look 
>better (and
>e a lot less hassle for me too?)
>Thanks!
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