“This being our first day, I want to see pieces disappearing from the chess board and a smile on your face as you realize that you can do this, that it wasn’t that hard.”

Woody Woodson was talking to his McDowell Mountain Elementary School chess club.

The group, comprised of students in kindergarten through third grade, consists of players who have never picked up a pawn in their lives and others who can call “check mate” within minutes of starting a game.

Woodson teaches two groups of players locally, including his second team at Four Peaks Elementary School.

He also teaches chess at five other schools around the Valley, educating youngsters on the basics and on up to the finer points of the game.

“Chess is a game of quiet mouths and loud pieces,” Woodson continued.

He went on to encourage some of his younger students to find joy in slamming down their pieces when they take one away from their opponent, but stressed that conversation should remain at their own table, and never louder than the pieces themselves.

Woodson himself is very animated, doing lots of voices as he goes over the basics and creating a character for each of the pieces; the fat and slow king can only move one space in any direction, the smelly horse of a knight has to go around corners, and the pawn can move forward, but can only attack other pieces at an angle by reaching out with his arms.

Woodson went on to explain the importance of being on a team when it comes to chess, and that their solo victories aren’t worth much if their teammates aren’t equally prepared.

“You’re here to help each other,” Woodson explained.

“By our third lesson, you’ll be tournament ready, even if you don’t know all of the pieces or how they all move. But don’t even worry about that. We’ll get there.”

After that, Woodson set up his team with boards and got everyone playing in pairs. For their first day, nobody was allowed to take a king.

Woodson explained that claiming all of the other pieces was fine but, for this first practice, he just wanted everyone moving the pieces and seeing how they worked.

This being the first week of practice, Woodson said he’s waiting to see what numbers his McDowell Mountain and Four Peaks teams actually turn out.

Currently, each squad is between 10 and 20 kids.

“It’s always been around that number,” Woodson said.

“I’ve got a mix of all different skill levels, and that’s exactly how I like it.”

The chess tournament season runs through late November, but Woodson’s classes will continue until the start of winter break.

“We typically end with a class championship and, believe me, it’s totally possible that one of those beginners is going to compete for it,” he said.

“They learn fast and, for some of them, it’s just going to click.”

Woodson said he also has a nice group of what he calls “rebounders” this year, or chess kids who left and are now coming back to the classic game.

“They went and tried some other stuff and realized, hey, I had a lot of fun playing chess,” he said.

“That’s why I never worry if someone decides it’s not for them. There’s a good chance they’ll be back.”

While the kids are learning the game of chess, Woodson said the experience is equally rewarding for him.

“When I go home at the end of the day, I don’t have to unwind. I’ve been having fun all day,” he said.

“It doesn’t pay much, honestly, but getting paid anything to do something you love like this is a dream come true.”

With the current season only just beginning, Woodson said that his early looks at the Four Peaks team reveal a group of kids he expects to be absolutely dynamite. A lot of his best players from McDowell Mountain have moved on to Four Peaks, where he expects to see them continue to shine.

No matter what the roster offers, though, Woodson said he’s on the lookout for a complete team where the leaders are ambassadors, not just standouts.

“I’m hoping our leaders will be the type that don’t say ‘get behind me,’ but rather ‘get ahead of me, I’m covering you,’” Woodson added.

“I want people who realize that their own wins aren’t as important as how the entire team does. You don’t win team trophies by yourself.”

The local teams’ first outing will be Sept. 14, The Galaxy Quest at Mountainside Middle school. Play will continue at the Sept. 28 Solar Eclipse meet back at Mountain Trail Middle School.

On Oct. 26, the local squads will return to the same location for The Oasis, followed by The Rattlesnake at Shea Middle School Nov. 9. The final event of the season is Nov. 23-24, which will be the Best of Phoenix at the San Marcos Resort in Chandler.

No matter how they do in official play, though, Woodson said the most important thing is that the students enjoy themselves as they learn the game of chess.

“Number one, chess is fun,” Woodson said.

“Everybody here has their own style, and I encourage them to play that way and be themselves. They already know what they want to do. Once I see them take the baby step, I want to help them learn to run.

“Any kid can play chess, from the top of the honor roll on down. I’ve had some kids here where chess pulled them out of the fire.

“To me, that’s a more important story than the kid with monstrous skills. Sometimes you get these kids who have nothing and come back with something, knowing this is something they can be good at. Those are the stories I really love.”