I suppose one question is--what is the goal? Is it to meet other kids who enjoy the game and find a tribe? (This is valuable for DS at present since he is not yet in an environment at school with other gifted kids.) Is it to get really good? Is it to learn the life lessons of poise, losing with grace, and practice and determination?
Or is it to play as much as possible because he just loves it? Let me emphasize that chess is pure joy for DS. He plays every single day and practices tactics with an app on my phone (this is what he chooses for screentime 80% of the time). He reads chess books. But this is all his idea. It is not like an instrument or a sport, where at some point every kid balks at practice or is tired out. It's 100% enjoyment and excitement. I wonder, if he were being coached, if he might lose some of this. He never "has to" do anything with chess at this point (well, except go to club).
