The top spot at home
On the playground, one kid stands on a hill while the others try to take the spot. That game is called King of the Castle. For this sticker, the castle is your home. When you have beaten every chess player at home, one by one, the top spot is yours!
Who is on your list?
- Beat each of them at least once, and winning more often is fine too.
- Someone who never plays chess is not on your list.
- A win means checkmate or that they give up, but a draw is not a win.
- If you are not sure who counts as family, ask your grown-up.
You can play anywhere: at the kitchen table, on vacation, or at a grandparent's house. When family lives far away, a grown-up can set up an online game on a kid-safe account. If nobody wants to play right now, ask again after dinner and offer a short game.
How to beat the strongest one
One player at home is the hardest to beat. Play that person the most, and you learn their favorite tricks. Castle early, so your king stays safe behind its pawns. If you lose again, say "good game" and ask for a rematch. It may take a week or a year, but each game gets you a little closer.
Two champions, one kitchen table
Anna and Mariya Muzychuk are sisters from Ukraine. Their parents are both chess coaches, and they taught the girls at home. Mariya became women's world champion in 2015. In 2016, Anna won two women's world titles of her own, in rapid and in blitz. Rapid and blitz are both kinds of fast chess.
How you get the sticker
Your grown-up or coach checks it and hands you the sticker. Show them your list with every name marked, and the people you beat can tell them too. You do not need a club, because your grown-up at home checks the list. Your grown-up may even be one of the names on it. In the printed passport, this sticker has a twin called Queen of the Castle. Pick the crown that fits you best. Did you beat someone before you had the passport? It still counts.