Recommended for students USCF 800-1200. Answers available here.
Step 2 is the core for our Intermediate Lessons. Upon completion, students progress through Step 2 Plus, Step 2 Extra, Step 2 Mix, and Step 2 Thinking Ahead. Ambitious students may work through more than one workbook simultaneously.
Step 2 Workbook introduces tactics and positional play. At this level, nearly all games are decided by tactics, so most of the attention is paid to common tactical patterns. Students new to chess should complete Step 1 before starting with Step 2. This workbook contains 526 positions matching the lessons in the Step 2 Trainers Manual. Step 2 Workbook contains lesson summaries for:
Activity of pieces
Targets of attack
Double attack: queen
The pin
Eliminating the defense
The 3 golden rules
Discovered attack
Defending against mate
Notation
Step 2 Extra extends our Intermediate Curriculum. It repeats the subjects of Step 2 Workbook, but with new and unique puzzles so that students can practice recognizing these patterns in different contexts. Many students benefit from reinforcing their skills with Step 2 Extra before moving to new and more difficult subjects in Step 2 Plus. Step 2 Extra contains approximately 500 positions. You can download the answers here.
Step 2 Mix extends our Intermediate Lessons by presenting challenges that most accurately reflect real games. The puzzles are not grouped by theme or subject. You simply have to find the best move. What is going on? Which targets can I exploit? What is my opponent threatening? Is it time to draw? The Mix Workbooks are perfect to use as a test to see with what kind of positions and subjects a student is still struggling. Recommended for students who have completed a substantial portion of the Step 2 Workbook. Step 2 Mix contains over 700 puzzles.
Step 2 Plus is the final workbook in our Intermediate Curriculum. It contains exercises matching the plus lessons of Step 2 Manual. It is more difficult than the Step 2 Workbook, introducing broader subjects and covering previous topics in greater depth. Step 2 Plus contains approximately 500 positions.
Step 2 Thinking Ahead forms the core of our Visualize 1 Special Topics Course. It is appropriate for students who have completed (or are at least well into) Step 2 Plus.
Thinking Ahead exercises are completely different and more diverse than the other workbooks. For example:
Blindfold chess: Instead of a board with pieces, you will see an empty board with only notation of the position of each piece on the side.
Blindfold exercises: Similar to route planner, but visualizing every move.
If then exercises: The student has to visualize a possible move of the opponent, before solving the exercise. Sometimes multiple possible moves of the opponent are given for the same diagram.
Step 2 Trainers Manual is used in our Intermediate Lessons and is an essential resource for anyone who wants to teach more than the basics. The Step 2 Manual has lesson plans to accompany everything in the Step 2 Workbook and Step 2 Plus.
Combined with regular game analysis and practice games, the Step 2 series (Workbook, Extra, Mix, and Plus) can bring a student to a rating of USCF/NWSRS 1200.
The Step 2 Manual is much more than lessons plans. It contains over 50 pages on chess pedagogy and learning theory, focusing in this case on the very different needs of the Intermediate student.
Step 2 Trainers Manual Topics:
Chess development of a child
Characteristic features of children’s play
Sequence of the teaching material
Teaching
Discussing the games of the children
Using books and computers
Step 2 Lesson Plans:
Activity of the pieces
Double Attack
The pin
Elimination of the defense
Golden rules of the opening
Mate in 2
Discovered attack
Defending against mate
Intermediate move
Mating patterns
Defending against a passed pawn
Threatening mate
Pawn endings
Logical thinking
Answers and explanations for Step 2 Workbook and Step 2 Plus
The Step 2 Trainers Manual accompanies the Step 2 Workbook and Step 2 Plus. Ideally, the coach should have a copy of the manual and workbook, and each student should have their own copy of the workbooks.
Recommended for students USCF 800-1200. Answers available here.
Step 2 is the core for our Intermediate Lessons. Upon completion, students progress through Step 2 Plus, Step 2 Extra, Step 2 Mix, and Step 2 Thinking Ahead. Ambitious students may work through more than one workbook simultaneously.
Step 2 Workbook introduces tactics and positional play. At this level, nearly all games are decided by tactics, so most of the attention is paid to common tactical patterns. Students new to chess should complete Step 1 before starting with Step 2. This workbook contains 526 positions matching the lessons in the Step 2 Trainers Manual. Step 2 Workbook contains lesson summaries for:
Activity of pieces
Targets of attack
Double attack: queen
The pin
Eliminating the defense
The 3 golden rules
Discovered attack
Defending against mate
Notation
Step 2 Extra extends our Intermediate Curriculum. It repeats the subjects of Step 2 Workbook, but with new and unique puzzles so that students can practice recognizing these patterns in different contexts. Many students benefit from reinforcing their skills with Step 2 Extra before moving to new and more difficult subjects in Step 2 Plus. Step 2 Extra contains approximately 500 positions. You can download the answers here.
Step 2 Mix extends our Intermediate Lessons by presenting challenges that most accurately reflect real games. The puzzles are not grouped by theme or subject. You simply have to find the best move. What is going on? Which targets can I exploit? What is my opponent threatening? Is it time to draw? The Mix Workbooks are perfect to use as a test to see with what kind of positions and subjects a student is still struggling. Recommended for students who have completed a substantial portion of the Step 2 Workbook. Step 2 Mix contains over 700 puzzles.
Step 2 Plus is the final workbook in our Intermediate Curriculum. It contains exercises matching the plus lessons of Step 2 Manual. It is more difficult than the Step 2 Workbook, introducing broader subjects and covering previous topics in greater depth. Step 2 Plus contains approximately 500 positions.
Step 2 Thinking Ahead forms the core of our Visualize 1 Special Topics Course. It is appropriate for students who have completed (or are at least well into) Step 2 Plus.
Thinking Ahead exercises are completely different and more diverse than the other workbooks. For example:
Blindfold chess: Instead of a board with pieces, you will see an empty board with only notation of the position of each piece on the side.
Blindfold exercises: Similar to route planner, but visualizing every move.
If then exercises: The student has to visualize a possible move of the opponent, before solving the exercise. Sometimes multiple possible moves of the opponent are given for the same diagram.
Step 2 Trainers Manual is used in our Intermediate Lessons and is an essential resource for anyone who wants to teach more than the basics. The Step 2 Manual has lesson plans to accompany everything in the Step 2 Workbook and Step 2 Plus.
Combined with regular game analysis and practice games, the Step 2 series (Workbook, Extra, Mix, and Plus) can bring a student to a rating of USCF/NWSRS 1200.
The Step 2 Manual is much more than lessons plans. It contains over 50 pages on chess pedagogy and learning theory, focusing in this case on the very different needs of the Intermediate student.
Step 2 Trainers Manual Topics:
Chess development of a child
Characteristic features of children’s play
Sequence of the teaching material
Teaching
Discussing the games of the children
Using books and computers
Step 2 Lesson Plans:
Activity of the pieces
Double Attack
The pin
Elimination of the defense
Golden rules of the opening
Mate in 2
Discovered attack
Defending against mate
Intermediate move
Mating patterns
Defending against a passed pawn
Threatening mate
Pawn endings
Logical thinking
Answers and explanations for Step 2 Workbook and Step 2 Plus
The Step 2 Trainers Manual accompanies the Step 2 Workbook and Step 2 Plus. Ideally, the coach should have a copy of the manual and workbook, and each student should have their own copy of the workbooks.
