Chess

Chess requirements

1. Discuss with your merit badge counselor the history of the game of chess. Explain why it is considered a game of planning and strategy.
2. Discuss with your merit badge counselor the following:

   a. The benefits of playing chess, including developing critical thinking skills, concentration skills, and decision-making skills, and how these skills can help you in other areas of your life

   b. Sportsmanship and chess etiquette

3. Demonstrate to your counselor that you know each of the following. Then, using Scouting’s Teaching EDGE*, teach someone (preferably another Scout) who does not know how to play chess:

   a. The name of each chess piece

   b. How to set up a chessboard

   c. How each chess piece moves, including castling and en passant captures

4. Do the following:

   a. Demonstrate scorekeeping using the algebraic system of chess notation.

   b. Discuss the differences between the opening, the middle game, and the endgame.

   c. Explain four opening principles.

   d. Explain the four rules for castling.

   e. On a chessboard, demonstrate a "scholar's mate" and a "fool's mate."

   f. Demonstrate on a chessboard four ways a chess game can end in a draw.

5. Do the following:

   a. Explain four of the following elements of chess strategy: exploiting weaknesses, force, king safety, pawn structure, space, tempo, time.

   b. Explain any five of these chess tactics: clearance sacrifice, decoy, discovered attack, double attack, fork, interposing, overloading, overprotecting, pin, remove the defender, skewer, zwischenzug.

   c. Set up a chessboard with the white king on e1, the white rooks on a1 and h1, and the black king on e5. With White to move first, demonstrate how to force checkmate on the black king.

   d. Set up and solve five direct-mate problems provided by your merit badge counselor.

6. Do ONE of the following:

   a. Play at least three games of chess with other Scouts and/or your merit badge counselor. Replay the games from your score sheets and discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently.

   b. Play in a scholastic (youth) chess tournament and use your score sheets from that tournament to replay your games with your merit badge counselor. Discuss with your counselor how you might have played each game differently.

   c. Organize and run a chess tournament with at least four players, plus you. Have each competitor play at least two games.

* You may learn about Scouting’s Teaching EDGE from your unit leader, another Scout, or by attending training.

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Boy Scout Requirements, 2018 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #641568)

A FREE workbook for Chess is available here! (PDF or Word) with the maps, charts, links, diagrams, and checklists you need! Or click here to print just the Chess requirements.

meritbadge.org has PDF and Word versions of workbooks for Scouts BSA ranks and merit badges, Webelos adventures, Cub Scout ranks and adventures, and Nova awards.

• Per the BSA: "You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject." The Chess merit badge pamphlet can purchased at ScoutSthop.org or at your local Scout Shop.
• "Get a signed Application for Merit Badge ... from your unit leader." An electronic, fillable, and printable PDF file version is available.

• Scouts BSA awards: Complete Angler
• Scouts BSA merit badges: Art - Basketry - Bugling - Chess - Coin Collecting - Collections - Cooking - Digital Technology - Dog Care - Fishing - Fly-Fishing - Gardening - Genealogy - Golf - Hiking - Home Repairs - Horsemanship - Indian Lore - Leatherwork - Metalwork - Model Design and Building - Music- Pets - Photography - Pioneering - Pottery - Radio - Railroading - Reading - Rowing - Sculpture - Stamp Collecting - Wood Carving
  
• Venturing: Ranger Award electives: Cave Exploration - Cycling - Equestrian - Fishing

• An Introduction to Merit Badges – how to get started, who chooses the counselor, etc.
• Merit Badge revision dates – latest revision dates of each merit badge pamphlet.
• Merit Badge Worksheets & Requirements – with the revision dates, diagrams, charts, checklists, logs, and links you need.
• Merit Badge Application – offers online resources to let you print "Blue Cards," etc.
• Merit Badge FAQ – answers dozens of questions like: Who can be a counselor? Can requirements be added or removed?
• Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval – Certain requirements need prior approval. Most do not. Here is the list.
• Also see: List of how many youths have earned each Merit Badge – Merit Badge policies – Merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank – Merit Badge Days
• Additionally: List of Merit Badges by Field of Study – Merit Badge Pamphlets & Libraries
• Merit Badge Counselors must complete Youth Protection Training, file an Adult Application (and Merit Badge Counselor Information Form); and be approved by the local council. (See the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors for additional details.)
• See Submitting New Merit Badge Ideas for guidance on how to submit suggestions for new merit badges to BSA.