SchoolChess.com's Think Like a King School Chess Software System

Food for Thought Software, Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 1997	FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Ms. Leslie Lipschultz, Vice-President 847/433-6515
THINK LIKE A KING SOFTWARE SERIES FOR SCHOLASTIC CHESS CLUBS Software Tools to MAKE CHESS YOUR SCHOOL SPORT!! HIGHLAND PARK -- Does your school have a Chess Club or do you want to start one? Food for Thought Software, Inc. announces the release of its Think Like a KingT Software series -- inexpensive, fully integrated modular software components designed to enhance existing chess clubs or make it easier to introduce chess to your school. No other software series is designed specifically for this purpose. In fact, because of its unique approach and substantial potential for expanding and enhancing scholastic chess opportunities, *the United States Chess Federation (USCF) has given our foundation program, Chess Club Manager©, its exclusive endorsement. Why Chess at school? Not just because Chess has long been shown to improve critical thinking skills and attitudes important to academic success, but because it's time kids learned that thinking is as legitimate and enjoyable a competitive activity as any sport!! One of the significant advantages of our series is that kids will be drawn to chess not only as an intellectual activity (which many resist) -- but as a school sport. The pool of students interested in chess is, therefore, likely to expand in schools using our system because of the inherent attraction of sports. Used together, our Think Like a KingT software components will provide the basic curricular, motivational and management tools needed to establish and sustain a truly successful and exciting school chess program. With our system, the chess learning process is made easier and infinitely more fun and rewarding than when traditional methods are used. While chess books are an important learning resource, students are sometimes overwhelmed by the constant back-and-forth struggle between text and static diagrams; the interactive quality of our tutorials, allowing students to experiment with moving pieces as they read the text, or watch pieces move automatically, greatly enhances the quality of the learning experience. Even non-chess playing teachers or volunteers will be able to educate and motivate students, and club management is simplified and streamlined enormously with Chess Club Manager© ($74.95 + tax, shipping and handling). Using this software, coaches are able to electronically maintain rosters, track player progress and standings, create custom Award Certificates and perform dozens of other functions. We also offer a 32 page manual entitled "How to Organize a School Chess Club," free of charge to interested schools. Our tutorials, Your First Lessons in Chess©* ($19.95 + tax, s/h) and the Chess Workouts© series ($15.95/'book' + tax, s/h), can be used by students at school or at home; a special electronic scoring feature (as well as other scoring options) allow the Workouts© scores for chess reading, puzzles and problems to be processed through Chess Club Manager©. Students not having access to home computers can be provided with chess puzzle printouts created with Chess Club Manager© (at no extra cost!) and their work can still be scored and entered. Custom Award Certificates can then be printed out to recognize students for their many accomplishments as chess "learners" and "players". Our Chess Workouts©** series is being authored by David MacEnulty, one of the foremost chess coaches in the New York City Public School system and one of the most experienced chess teachers in the entire country. An ever-expanding library of interactive chess 'books' for beginning through advanced scholastic players, these tutorials are designed to pick up where Your First Lessons in Chess© ends. A School Software "Book" Club approach is available to chess coaches interested in ensuring that students take full advantage of learning materials; school premiums (free software, award certificate paper, chess videos) are available with minimum purchase. Beyond the advantages of learning how to play chess with our software, students are able to enhance their computer literacy skills using Chess Club Manager© through data base management and other 'real-world' applications. The response of chess coaches, students and parents who have used our software as part of our beta testing, or who have seen these products at tournaments, has been uniformly enthusiastic!
* Mac now. PC in future	**School version: Mac now. PC in future Home version: Mac or PC
System Requirements: Chess Club Manager©: Mac: 68030 (68040 preferred) or PowerPC, and a 640 x 480 resolution 256 color monitor. You should allow 6 MB of hard drive space. Once installed, CCM requires 5 MB of available RAM to run. Your First Lessons in Chess©: Mac: Same as above, but only 4 MB of hard drive space Chess Workouts©: Mac: 68030 (68040 preferred) or PPC; System 7; 5 MB available RAM; 1.5 MB disk space; 256 color 640 x 480 monitor. Chess Workouts©: PC: 100% Windows 95-compatible computer system (NOTE: Will work on Windows 3.1 operating system, but not supported); 2 MB of hard drive space; 800 x 600 high resolution color monitor.

Food for Thought Software, Inc.