Chess Educator Karel van Delft Uses Science to Inspire

On Feb. 22, the University of Texas at Dallas honored Dutch chess instructor Karel van Delft as its 2022 Chess Educator of the Year. Van Delft joins a long line of Chess Educator of the Year winners and is only the second award winner from abroad. The first was GM Jonathan Rowson in 2010.

https://youtu.be/PMHtdbXyXSA

Van Delft learned the game at age 11 through the book Oom Jan leert zijn neefje schaken (Uncle John Teaches His Nephew Chess) by Albert Loon and world chess champion GM Max Euwe. Though his passion for journalism led him away from chess, he returned to the game in the 1990s to support the chess pursuits of his pre-teen son Merijn, who would later go on to become an International Master.

By 2008, Karel transitioned to coaching chess full time. He founded Schaakacademie Apeldoorn (Chess Academy Apeldoorn) and began serving and empowering diverse communities, such as those with autism, through the power of chess. At his award ceremony address, Van Delft discussed this passion and observations through his talk, Chess and Special Needs.

Drawing on his master’s degree in psychology and his understanding of autistic children, Van Delft developed four principles for instruction: structure, safe environment, concrete communication, and empathy. The method has been inspiring, as some of his autistic chess students from years ago have become chess coaches themselves.

With few studies about the impacts of chess on those with autism, Van Delft has taken it upon himself to document the results of chess instruction on autistic students as case studies. According to his research, chess stimulates social, emotional, and cognitive development for people with autism.

His scientific approach to uncovering the power of chess led to his being hired as the science project manager for Chessable, an instructional website that builds educational material using science-backed research and methods for chess improvement.

He has put his practical experience to paper as well, penning Developing Chess Talent with his son IM Merijn van Delft, as well as his own book, Chess For Educators.

A full list of Chess Educator of the Year winners, along with links to their presentations, can be viewed online.