Before the first move
- What are you hoping will happen in this game?
- Which piece or square matters most right now?
- What do you think the other player wants?
- Is there anything you want to try that you have not tried before?
The Question Card
Sitting beside a child who is playing, it is hard not to point at the right move. This card gives you something better to do with your hands: a question. It shows no moves and no evaluation. The child does the thinking; you do the asking and the waiting.
How to use it
- Ask one question, then wait. Count to ten in your head before you say anything else.
- If the answer is "I don't know", that is fine. Say "Take your time" and look at the board, not at them.
- Never answer the question yourself, and never follow it with a hint. The question is the whole help.
- One question every few moves is plenty. Most of the time, say nothing at all.
In the middle, when they pause
- What are you thinking about?
- What was the last thing your opponent did, and why might they have done it?
- If you could take back one move, which would it be?
- What is the worst thing that could happen after that move?
- Is there another move you thought about?
- What are you protecting?
When they are stuck
- What does the board look like from the other side?
- Which of your pieces is doing the least?
- What would you tell a friend to look at?
- Can you say what you are worried about, out loud?
After the game, win or lose
- Where did the game change?
- What did you notice that I might have missed?
- What would you do differently next time?
- What did your opponent do well?
- Which moment are you proudest of?
The thinking behind the card is the short course Coach by Questions. It works for chess, Go, cards or a jigsaw. Fold the printed card in half and keep it under the board.