DS6 likes to play, and his school has an after school program for the kids that want to play each other. We havn't tried it, but there are a couple of boys in his class that he plays with. At home I have played an all pawns only game to learn pawn stratagy. The first pawn to reach the other side becomes a queen. We have also played the all pawns, and then added the bishops, or rooks, etc... . This has helped him understand how to use them in a more stratigic way. We also play the normal way.