Chess

[smtroop168]

What no first aid requirements? How is a MBC to be sure the scout knows how to treat blisters and callouses on the fingers?

If you have blisters and callouses on your hands from playing Chess, you need to get outside and go camping.

[lambeausam]

What no first aid requirements? How is a MBC to be sure the scout knows how to treat blisters and callouses on the fingers?

If you have blisters and callouses on your hands from playing Chess, you need to get outside and go camping.

Our 8-man family tent has a chess/checkers board printed on the floor of the vestibule!

[FrankJ]

There really needs to be a first aide requirement. Like how do repair wounded ego when old fogey "chess master" is beaten by a 12 year old.

[Quailman]

...or injuries caused by flying chess pieces when a frustrated opponent flips the board.

[AquilaNegra2]

Without listing the actual requirements, I don't think BSA will mind if I reveal a basic list of items the Scouts and Counselors will need to know and demonstrate: History, benefits, etiquette, basic rules, score-keeping, basic play, strategy, tactics, problem solving, and of course, the Scouts must play a number of actual games or compete in a tournament.

Thanks Paul! Looks like an easy one for those doing Scholastic Chess.

[SoCal76]

ScoutStuff.org has both the pamphlet and badge in stock

Badge - item number 613249 $2.29
http://www.scoutstuff.org/chess-merit-badge-emblem.html

Pamphlet - item number 613560 $4.49
http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa/literatur ... chess.html

[PaulSWolf]

ScoutStuff.org has both the pamphlet and badge in stock

Badge - item number 613249 $2.29
http://www.scoutstuff.org/chess-merit-badge-emblem.html

Pamphlet - item number 613560 $4.49
http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa/literatur ... chess.html

They won't ship them, however, until September 10th.

[biglou]

According to the BSA's facebook page, it is now available today to be earned. Maybe I am wrong. Here is the link to the page. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 3441755297

[AquilaNegra2]

Meh.

Way too easy. Requirement 6 should have been to do TWO of the choices -- with the "play three games" option, this becomes a fast badge for Scouts who already know how to play.

Still signing up to be a counselor, though. Won't be a one-day badge for THOSE boys

[PaulSWolf]

The requirements are now posted on Scouting.org, meritbadge.org, and usscouts.org. Meritbadge.org and usscouts.org have worksheets, as well.

[AquilaNegra2]

"..Then, using Scouting's Teaching EDGE, teach the following to a Scout who does not know how to play chess..."

We started this badge with five boys this weekend. One is a champion scholastic player who's complete except for the above requirement. He wants to know if "Scout" includes adult Scouters, Venturers, or others who are not BSA Cub/Boy Scouts (yet still a "Scout"; i.e. Girl Scouts, Rangers, etc). Haven't yet answered him. Thoughts?

[smtroop168]

I believe the intent here is another scout within the BSA, boy, varsity or venture. Maybe Cubs but remember one of the purposes of the MB program is to stimulate interest in the subject and maybe the one taught would also like to earn the MB.

Other examples where "Scout" is used are Life Rank...teach a younger scout rank requirements
FA MB...teach another scout


For Tenderfoot..it says another "person"
Comms MB...teach "someone about something"

Email merit.badge@scouting.org and see what they say/

[RWSmith]

3. Demonstrate to your counselor that you know each of the following. Then, using Scouting's Teaching EDGE, teach the following to a 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

"..Then, using Scouting's Teaching EDGE, teach the following to a Scout who does not know how to play chess..."

We started this badge with five boys this weekend. One is a champion scholastic player who's complete except for the above requirement. He wants to know if "Scout" includes adult Scouters, Venturers, or others who are not BSA Cub/Boy Scouts (yet still a "Scout"; i.e. Girl Scouts, Rangers, etc). Haven't yet answered him. Thoughts?

I would say that, without a doubt, "a Scout" means a Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Explorer, Venturer, or Sea Scout. That is to say, a registered youth member of the BSA. (National has issued similar clarifications regarding other requirements... See: Corrections and Clarifications at USScouts.org.)

Plus, in my personal opinion, in this case, I would also include Cub/Webelos Scouts. But, National may not agree with that one. So, I'd be interested to hear what they have to say about this.

=======================

Additionally, "....who does not know how to play chess" is obviously a bit subjective. [We all know that subjective = bad.] I may know the most basic rules of chess, that doesn't mean I know how to "play" chess. So, I would look at it this way...

While the Scout being taught may know how to do some of the following, if s/he doesn't know how to do ALL of the following:

• The name of each chess piece,
• How to set up a chessboard,
• How each chess piece moves, including
  
  • castling, and
  • en passant captures

...then, as far I'm concerned, s/he is an acceptable candidate for helping the Scout earning the MB in meeting this requirement. (NOTE: Even if the Scout being taught knows some of these, the teaching Scout still must cover all of them.)

[AquilaNegra2]

Thanks! That makes sense. I'll let you know what they say.


ETA:
Reply --

What constitutes a "Scout"? “Scout” refers to a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout. A good approach for interpreting a merit badge requirement is seeing the impact of “learning by doing”, one of the four steps of Advancement. As he develops knowledge and skill, he is asked to teach others which challenges his leadership ability.

Clarification on "...does not know how to play?": He would be more challenged to teach these to someone unfamiliar with the game than someone with a basic understanding of how the game is played.

*****

So, the real challenge for some is going to be finding Boy Scouts who don't play, but are willing to learn. That gives the badge a little more difficulty (a good thing).

[SoCal76]

From the Orange County (Calif) Register:


http://articles.ocregister.com/2011-09- ... boy-scouts

[smtroop168]

Interesting that he flew halfway across the country to get this MB. Nice to have resources to do this. Wonder if he flew to MIT to get Robotics when it came out.

His local council could have had a Chess MBC at the ready for him to get #131.

[SoCal76]

He got his Robotics MB (#130) at a local high school.

http://articles.ocregister.com/2011-06- ... tics-troop

[smtroop168]

I find these cases of scouts who earn all the MBs fascinating. 3 1/2 years from joining to earn 131 MBs is over 3 MBs per month. The cost involved in multiple summer camps and other MB events, Airfare and items like Scuba Certification make this financially out of reach of most. Also keeping himself as an 11-12 year old motivated to do this and him keeping track of all the meetings with MBCs is extremely time consuming.

[Quailman]

If you follow the recommended process and ask your SM for the name of a MBC, there's very little expense associated with most MBs. Also, it helps to be home-schooled. Merit Badges are recommended for use in home-school curricula. The boy I met who had 130 was home-schooled.

I read a while back about a boy who earned them all by picking one per weekend to do. Every so often he'd do a catch-up weekend to finish up requirements.

[smtroop168]

If you follow the recommended process and ask your SM for the name of a MBC, there's very little expense associated with most MBs. Also, it helps to be home-schooled. Merit Badges are recommended for use in home-school curricula. The boy I met who had 130 was home-schooled.

I read a while back about a boy who earned them all by picking one per weekend to do. Every so often he'd do a catch-up weekend to finish up requirements.

I'm not sure I follow how the SM giving you a MBC name keeps the cost down unless they are all Troop only MBC or relatives.

Actually without getting too much further away from Chess, I was thinking he would have to go to summer camp for multiple weeks (approx $300 per week) since 4 maybe 5 MBs are all you should be able to accomplish in a week (although we had a post about a camp where a scout earned 12 in a week). If you went to our summer camp for the 8 weeks ($2400) they offer, you could finish 30-40 of the 50 they offer. It's a stretch for some to be able to afford 1 week of camp. There are lots of hidden costs in MBs if you count the field trips and trips to visit the MBC.

Don't know much about home school curriculum but how many MBs fit in what would be their usual studies? This kid is not homeschooled since it says he's the President of his HS Freshman class.
I'm glad he accomplished his goal. My point is that not many scouts could even attempt to afford it.