Setting an Intention for 2023: Play More Chess!

Happy New Year! It’s 2023, and we know many of you are already hard at work accomplishing your New Year’s resolutions.

The tradition of starting the new year with self-improvement in mind dates back over 4000 years to ancient Babylon. Just like our forebears, we’re still resolving to behave better, achieve more, and stay mentally and physically healthy in the new year.

More quality time with family is one of the most common and, in our opinion, worthwhile New Year’s resolutions. This year, let Ches at Three help you achieve the togetherness you’re looking for with chess lessons for ages three and up that make the game accessible for the whole household. After all, the family that plays together stays together.

With that in mind, here are five ways to boost family chess time and celebrate 2023 on the chessboard all year long!

1. Play Two to Three Times a Week
The best way for any chess player to improve is regular practice, but it’s especially important for kids and beginners to get all the reps they can. The more confident your kids are on the chessboard, the more they’ll look forward to family game time.

The best way to do it: Schedule weekly private or group lessons with Chess at Three, then pick another day for family chess time and have your child walk you through everything they’re learning with their tutor.

Even on your less-structured days, you don’t have to play a full game every time you sit down. Chess at Three’s unique curriculum is packed with fun, simple mini-games designed to reinforce individual skills and tactics. Pick your child’s favorite (or ask your tutor for a recommendation) and play it a few times!

2. Reward Yourselves With Free Games and Stories!
When it comes to keeping New Year’s resolutions, rewards are the key to success. Whether you’re setting an exercise goal or resolving to spend more time with your family, a satisfying reward can mean the difference between meeting and missing your goals.

That’s where our free stories and mini-games come in! We release bonus content that you can’t find in our curriculum throughout the year. Email subscribers will see them first, but you can always go back and find them in our blog feed, too.

These super fun freebies usually coincide with holidays, but you never know when the next one’s going to drop. As you move through 2023, keep an eye on your inbox or dive into our blog for seasonal and holiday-themed bonus stories and mini-games to keep your family chess time fresh and exciting.

3. Reinforce Good Habits Wherever You Go
A 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it takes about two months for new behaviors to become habitual, which means that all the good chess habits we instill in our students won’t stick unless they’re regularly reinforced.

That’s why Chess at Three tutors teach online when their students are traveling, so you never have to miss a week or interrupt your kids’ march toward chess success. We even send tutors to some of the hottest vacation destinations to provide in-person private and group lessons. For a full list of the areas we serve, check our website or call (212) 796-2737.

4. Track Your Progress With Club Classes and Tournaments
Another powerful tool for keeping resolutions is progress tracking, and we have just the thing: Chess at Three tournaments!

Our kid-friendly tournament series, known as Quads, is specifically tailored to challenge and entertain even our youngest students, allowing them to gauge their progress against their peers in a safe, supportive environment. Chess at Three tournaments accommodate all skill and experience levels, include story and snack breaks, and offer special prizes for all participants.

Even if your kiddo isn’t excited to compete, there are still ways they can track their progress in a group environment. Our Upper East Side and Park Slope Chess Clubs run regular group lessons and camps that are open to everyone, including private lesson students. Our expert tutors help kids make friends across the chessboard and boost everyone’s skills through creative activities like arts and crafts, puzzles, and more.

5. Learn All Year Long With Workbooks
Setting and accomplishing “mini-goals” is one of the best ways to improve at anything and helps give structure to the longer journey toward self-improvement. When it comes to building chess skills, Chess at Three’s sister company Story Time Chess has the goods, with workbooks that let students gain confidence, have fun, and improve all year long.

With a unique coloring book, phonics-focused activity book, and chess puzzle book, the Level 1 Workbook Bundle, Level 2 Strategy Bundle, and Level 3 Tactics Bundle offer a kid-directed learning experience that will boost chess acumen and make family game time even more exciting and rewarding.

Get the most out of 2023 and embrace chess as a reliable mainstay of family fun time all year long. Head to chessat3.com to register for lessons and let the games begin!

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