Chess — Merit Badge — Scout Troop 79

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Scout Progress

Scout	AWARD	Req 1		Req 2			Req 3				Req 4				Req 5					Req 6	Req 7Complete any one
Scout		1a	1b	2a	2b	2c	3a	3b	3c	3d	4a	4b	4c	4d	5a	5b	5c	5d	5e	6	7a	7b	7c
Adi A.Scout	☆	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Ben B.Scout	☆	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Damian N.Tenderfoot	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Eleanor H.Scout	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Hazel S.Star	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Henry E.Second Class	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Isaac H.Scout	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Kevin P.Life	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Oscar B.Tenderfoot	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Quinn B.Second Class	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□
Robbie H.Second Class	★	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□	□

Requirements

From the official BSA merit badge pamphlet — wording is paraphrased here. Confirm against the current pamphlet for sign-off.

View resources · shown when a requirement has any Suggest a resource · always

For the whole badge

Discuss the history of the game of chess

Research a famous chess player and their accomplishments

Why chess is considered a game of planning and strategy

The benefits of chess: critical thinking, concentration, decision-making

Sportsmanship and chess etiquette

The name of each chess piece

How to set up a chessboard

How each piece moves and captures: castling, en passant, promotion, check, checkmate

The five ways a game can end in a draw

Demonstrate scorekeeping using algebraic chess notation

Discuss the differences between opening, middle game, and endgame

Explain four opening principles; show first five moves of four named openings

Demonstrate Scholar's, Fool's, and Legal Mates, Fried Liver Attack, Noah's Ark Trap

Explain four elements of chess strategy (force, king safety, pawn structure, etc.)

Explain five chess tactics (fork, pin, skewer, discovered attack, etc.)

Force checkmate from three set positions (two rooks; queen; single rook)

King-and-pawn endgame: force promotion as White; force a draw as Black

Set up and solve five direct-mate problems from your counselor

Explain tournaments: Swiss and round robin, pairings, time controls, ratings

(Do any one of the following)

Play at least three games; replay from score sheets and discuss improvements

Play in a scholastic tournament; replay your games from score sheets

Organize and run a tournament with at least four other players, two games each