Ho Math Chess Has Revolutionized Math Worksheets

An innovative teaching idea and invention

November 21, 2014
Frank Ho, Amanda Ho
Founders and Teachers at Ho Math Chess Learning Centre, Vancouver, Canada
mathandchess@telus.net, www.mathandchess.com
How math and chess are integrated...................................................................................................... 2
Ho Math Chess discovered the key linking math and chess .................................................................... 2
Figure 1 Geometry Chess Symbol and Ho Math and Chess Teaching Set ................................................. 3
20 years of working on math, chess, and puzzles integrated workbook ................................................. 3
How Ho Math Chess worksheets integrate internet and IT technology into worksheets ......................... 5
How Ho Math Chess worksheets integrate puzzles into worksheets ....................................................... 6
Sample Ho Math Chess Worksheets ...................................................................................................... 7
Integrated Math, Chess, and puzzles () .................................................................... 7
Frankho ChessDoku .............................................................................................................................. 8
Frankho ChessMaze .............................................................................................................................. 9
Kindegarten Math, page 16 ................................................................................................................ 10
Abacus is integrated into Ho Math Chess Worksheets ......................................................................... 11
Problem Solving and Math IQ Puzzles Volume 1, page 365 .................................................................. 11
Frankho Cube Math ......................................................................................................................... 12
How Ho Math Chess worksheet integrates virtual toy into math worksheets ....................................... 12
Problem Solving and Math IQ Puzzles,, Volume 1, page 279 ................................................................ 12
Amandaho Moving Dots Puzzle........................................................................................................... 14
Multi-grade multi-level math () ......................................................................... 15
Mom! I Can Multiply!.......................................................................................................................... 16
Puzzles are integrated into math ........................................................................................................ 17
Mom! I Can Subtract! page 301 .......................................................................................................... 18
Consecutive numbers .......................................................................................................................... 18
Robot is integrated with math ............................................................................................................ 19
Ho Math Chess also incorporates Chinese Ba Gua and Chinese Tangram into math worksheets. .......... 20
Choosing calculation calculator........................................................................................................... 30
1

There have been many articles and research papers published on the subject of how chess
could benefit math but none of them have showed math and chess could be integrated or
combined as one worksheet for elementary students to work on. All these math and chess
research or articles suggest chess been taught along with math in the same classroom. We,
Ho Math Chess, is the only organization which has used its own invention and proprietary
intellectual properties to have created and developed a complete math, chess, and puzzles
integrated curriculum for elementary students from pre-school to grade 7.

How math and chess are integrated

Ho Math Chess invented and created a flat-surface chess set with chess moves marked on
each chess piece (1). This chess symbols are internationally copyrighted (copyright number
1095601) and trademarked (Canada trademark 771400). This chess set uses lines and line
segments pointing to the directions of moves thus it is extremely easy for novice to learn
how to play chess as young as four years old. This idea and invention of using what we call
Geometry Chess Symbol (GCS) to integrate math, chess, and puzzles is world first (2).

Ho Math Chess discovered the key linking math and chess

Ho Math Chess is able to overcome the bottleneck on how math and chess can be linked by
discovering and also creating the key which links math and chess. The key is our invented
Geometry Chess Symbol (GCS).
We believe that our discovery that is the chess moves using symmetry property on a square
shaped surface is the secret key which links math and chess. The difficult task when teaching
children as young as kindergartners is it understandably takes considerable more time for such
young children to be familiar with on how each piece should move since the chess figures have
no clear indication on how each piece relates to symmetry. Without mastering chess moves,
children cannot enjoy the joy of playing chess. Often it even becomes frustrated and
discouraged for some children to pursue further. The main reason that children cannot master
the moves of each chess piece quickly is there is no clear relation between each chess piece's
moves and its corresponding chess figurine. Our chess set is a "what you see is what you move"
chess set. The GCS we invented and its new chess teaching set layout is illustrated as follows
(Figure 1).

Figure 1 Geometry Chess Symbol and Ho Math and Chess Teaching Set

20 years of working on math, chess, and puzzles integrated workbook

We believe our innovative and unique style math worksheets have revolutionized the way
math workbook used to be created and also has a set up a standard on how math and chess
could be integrated as one worksheet. Math drill does not have to be boring. Ho Math Chess
worksheets encourage students to think, so it means even students are doing pure
computational worksheets, Ho Math Chess students are still encouraged to think because of
our specially designed worksheets.
The following example demonstrates a reversing thinking idea to find out how many ways a
number of 10 can be added. The following is a copy of the above problem done by Frank's
daughter when she was at grade 1 in Vancouver, Canada. Meghan's answer has since been
expanded in different formats in one of our workbooks Math Entrance Test Preparation for
Primary Students.

Meghan did the following sum partitioning assignment when she was at grade 1 in Canada.

How Ho Math Chess worksheets integrate internet and IT technology into

worksheets
Ho Math Chess worksheet simulate an internet screen and internet technology

How Ho Math Chess worksheets integrate puzzles into worksheets

The future belongs to a generation who understands how to process information and the
information might include digits, bytes, numbers, graphics, images, languages, symbols,
equations etc. How some or most of this different nature of information processing can be
taught to kindergartners or primary students when they are learning arithmetic?
It is not an easy task that is why there are so many different types of standalone worksheets,
namely logic, patterns, mazes, crosswords. These worksheets are created without
interrelations to each other. This kind of isolated information processing is no longer
reflecting the real world the young generation is facing today or they will be living in the
future.
The computing world children are facing today is a much like a rich tapestry, where a
diversified fabrics and colours are integrated. Children today are absorbing not just numbers
but an array of information like image, sound, music, symbols, spatial information, or even
abstract ideas all bundled together and delivered through many types of media. Children
today are not happy just working on pure number drill without any other stimulus or
motivator. Realizing the importance of having fun while learning, Ho math Chess has been
embarked on an important teaching philosophy that is to integrate chess and puzzles into
math worksheets so that children can learn math while having fun.
When working on Ho Math Chess math worksheets, a child is acting as a data warehouse
manager and sorts data through a variety of tools namely chess, symbols, spatial relation,
logic, comparison, tables, patterns, mazes, computing etc. by networking all kinds of
information together. Only when children have successfully followed through
instructions (GCS) and, as a result, created a question themselves, can a solution be
found at last.
In Ho Math Chess computing worksheets, the questions are not written out for children
but must be mined (after children observing how data is moving) through data warehouse
(mazes), and answers must be computed by following a series of spatial relations and
then analyzed using logic to reach a conclusion.
Ho Math Chess math worksheets teach children not only their basic computing ability but
also train them to be an astute data warehouse manager or an excellent data miner by
developing their problem solving ability and critical thinking skills.

Sample Ho Math Chess Worksheets

Here we list some of our sample worksheets which are unique and innovative.
Problem Solving and Math IQ Puzzles Volume, Page 227

Integrated Math, Chess, and puzzles ()

This math, chess, and puzzles integrated worksheet has mini chessboard on the top left and
Sudoku puzzle on the top right. The math computation problems do not even exist until the
student has worked out the puzzle.
Rule: All the digits 1 to 3 must appear
exactly once in every row and column.

You are at (e, 2) =

3
(a, 3)

(b, 3)

(c, 3)

2
(a, 2)

(c, 2)

1
(a, 1)
d

(b, 1)
e

(c, 1)
f

= __________

= __________

= __________

= __________

= __________

= __________

= __________

= __________

Frankho ChessDoku
Frankho ChessDoku is solved by using one or more operators of addition, subtraction,
multiplication, or division after following chess moves and logic.
Rule
All the digits 1 to 3 must appear exactly once in every row and column. The number
appears in the bottom right-hand corner is the end result calculated according to arithmetic
operator(s) and chess move(s) as indicated by the darker arrow(s).

Frankho ChessMaze

Trace the path from

to .
Movement direction is shown by a darker line segment.

PW (password): Calculate 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + + 98 + 99 + 100 = _____________

Kindegarten Math, page 16

Frankho ChessDoku

Find the number.

The same shape represents the same number.
What number does each shape represent?

+ =
= ____

Frankho ChessMaze
Pattern
What comes next?

10

Abacus is integrated into Ho Math Chess Worksheets

Problem Solving and Math IQ Puzzles Volume 1, page 365

5
4

You are a chess piece

at c3. = 1

2
1
a

= __

___ =

__

= __

= __

___ =

__

= __

___ =

__

= __

___ =

__

= __

= __

= __

___ =

__

= __
= __

___ =

__

___ =
___ =

__

__

___ =

___ =

__
__

11

Frankho Cube Math

How Ho Math Chess worksheet integrates virtual toy into math worksheets
Problem Solving and Math IQ Puzzles,, Volume 1, page 279
(Step 1, Solve Sudoku. Step 2. Fold down a cube and solve puzzle)
Rule: Each row, column, and cell must have only
1 digit from 1 to 9.

Folded down
back view
Write a letter
on each face,
which is
corresponding
to cubes net.

Folded down front view

=_+_=_

=_+_=_

=_+_=_

=_+_=_

=_+_=_

=_+_=_

=_+_=_

=_+_=_

12

Frankho Cube Math

Large cube net

Folded down
front view of
large cube.

fac
e
A

symbol

C
Small cube net

Folded down
front view of
small cube. The
small cube is
inside the large
cube.

face
A

value

face symbo
l
D
4

1
of 28
4
1
of 8
2
1
of 27
3

9
symbol

6
F
8
symbol

3 3

+1 5
E

20
C

11

4 28

1
of 20
5
1
of 36
6
1
of 56
7

face
D

value

10

4
3

Note that the face value is decided by symbol and the outer face value is obtained from the inner cube with
the same symbol.

= ___+___= ____

= ___+___= ____

= ___+___= ____

= ___+___= ____

= ___+___= ____

= ___+___= ____

= ___+___= ____

= ___+___= ____

13

Amandaho Moving Dots Puzzle

Problem Solving and IQ Math Puzzle Volume 2, page 466
Amandaho Moving Dots Puzzle ()
You are a rook at c3.
Move some dots in c4, c2, or d3 squares into c3 square such that the sum of dots +
dots in each of rooks moves at c3 will be equal to the number shown on its
destination square. See the following example.
Example
Problem

Solution

Problem

14

Multi-grade multi-level math ()

How do you create one page of calculation worksheet which can be used for multi-grade students from
grade 1 to grade 7? The following is what we have created for a cross grades teaching in the same room at
the same time.
Problem Solving and IQ Math Puzzle, p. 463

You are a multi-faced chess piece

5
4

located at c3.

3
2
1
a

Fraction 2
decimal 0.0024
Whole
5
%
100

24

3
0.024 10000
15
20
25% 10%

4
0.0048
10
33

5
0.001
25
0.05%

Whole number
=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

______ =

Decimal

=______
______ =
=______
______ =
Fraction of addition and subtraction [Must have the same measuring unit (denominator).]
= ______

______ =

= ______

______ =

= ______
______ =
= ______
______ =
Fraction of multiplication and division [Do not need to have the same measuring unit (denominator).]
=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

______ =

%
=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

______ =

=______

_____ =

15

Mom! I Can Multiply!

Math operations are not always done from left to right direction, but rather in multi-direction. This is very
evident in fraction operations or rational equations. Mom! I Can Multiply demonstrate the calculation
format in multi-direction.
Different ways of writing multiplication (Learning division while doing multiplications)

16

Puzzles are integrated into math

Problem Solving and Math IQ Puzzles Volume 5
Puzzles can be used to teach math concepts. The following two puzzles demonstrate that the first example
shows the math concept of rounding; the second example shows how LCM can be taught by using puzzles.
Find the answer(s) to replace the question mark(s).

123456
123446
123436
123466
999999

:
:
:
:
:

123500
123400
123400
123500
?

Find the answer(s) to replace the question mark(s).

No zero is allowed as an answer.

12 ? = 28 ? = 36 ?
2 ? = 3 ?= 7 ?
4 ? = 6 ? = ?0
4 ? = 7 ? = ?6

17

Mom! I Can Subtract! page 301

Consecutive numbers
5
4
3
2
1

You are at c3 =

12 16 18
8
14
4 10 6
a

1
1

1
1

1
1

1
1

1
1

1
1

18

Robot is integrated with math

Control panel: you are located at c3.
5
4

Step
Step
1
5
Step
Step
2
6
Step
Step
3
7
Step
Step
4
8
Antenna Magic square*

b2

Place a number in each

square box so that each row,
column, and main diagonal
has the same sum.

c4

b3
b4

c2

d2

d3
d4

Replace ? by a number on the

arm.
Replace ? by a number on the
leg and pelvic.
Find out how many
O
? in Cindys
unbalanced scale tray.
Complete robot Cindys antenna
magic square* for numbers of 1,
3, 5, 7, , 15, and 17.
Complete robot Andys antenna
magic square* from 1 to 9.
Replace each letter by a digit on
all robot chests. The same letter
means the same digit for the
same robot.
Complete robot Bobs antenna
magic square* from 0 to 8.
Replace ? by a number on the
antenna

19

Ho Math Chess also incorporates Chinese Ba Gua and Chinese Tangram into
math worksheets.

20

Frankho Eight Diagrams Math (The Frankho Ba Gua Math)

You are positioned in the middle of a chessboard which is at c3 and it is called Ba Gua
() in Chinese. "Ba" means eight (8). "Gua" means trigram. The Ba Gua is divided
into 8 Gua (trigrams/sections) consisting of the most original and basic binary form of
"Yin" (female - two short hyphens) and/or "Yang" (male - one long hyphen). This
following octagon is Ba Gua which will guide you to solve the mysterious mathematical
chess puzzle. First you solve mathematical problems according the 8 symbols (made of
broken and unbroken lines) of Ba Gua pointing to, then you get each answer by
associating it to the Yin Yang (Taiji) in the middle of Ba Gua. Finally you will go back
to the chessboard which has Ba Gua in the middle as a controller and it shows how you
shall move by following the chess symbols to get the final answer.
This is Ba Gua ().

21

There is a close relationship between Ba Gua and chessboard. A queen can move 8
directions which is the same as the 8 trigrams on the Ba Gua. The 64 squares of a
chessboard are the same as the number of 64 hexagrams of the Chinese I Ching.
Because of the close relationships between a Ba Gua and chess, Ho Math and Chess has
created a world first mathematics puzzle which links Ba Gua, chess, and mathematics.
Step 1
Students have a condensed version of chessboard (5 by 5) and in the middle of the
chessboard has a diagram of Ba Gua. Each trigram guides students which math problem
shall be solved. The math problem consists of 8 major areas: Chinese Tangram, Frankho
Puzzle, Chinese magic square, smart and speedy computation, word problems, Olympia
math contest problems, Math IQ problems, and recreational math problems.
Once the problems are solved, they must pass back to Ba Qua for further processing. Each
answer is passed on to the original of universe which is YinYang (Taiji). An intermediate
result is obtained by using its answer from trigram to interact with the answer from the Yin
Yang.
Step 2
At this point, you shall go back to the chessboard and stat to work on divergence by
following chess move, each answer obtained as the result of chess move will then processed
with the result of the step 1 to get the final answer.
You are at c3.
5
4
3

10

15
19

12
11

13

S= 64

2
1

15
a

27
16
b

23
11
d

14

*1= +
*5= +

*2 = +
*6 = +

*3 = +
*7 = +

*4=+
*8=+

22

Frankho Eight Diagrams Math (The Frankho Ba Gua Math)

You are at c3. Work from inner convergence to outer divergence.

Answer _____

Answer _____

Answer _____

Answer _____

23

Frankho Eight Diagrams Math (The Frankho Ba Gua Math)

You are at c3. Work from inner convergence to outer divergence.

Answer _____

Answer _____

Answer ____

Answer ____

24

111
Adam has 101 apples and Bob has 15 apples. How many apples does Adam have to
give Bob so they have equal number of apples?
Answer _______ Return the answer to Ba Gua.
Algebraic method.
Arithmetic method

110
You are at b2 and the area of the entire
square

is 16.

The Chinese Tangram. (; literally

"seven boards of skill") invented by the
ancient Chinese hundreds of years ago is
a dissection puzzle consisting of seven
flat shapes (2 large right triangles, 1
medium right triangle, 2 small right
triangles, 1 square, and 1 parallelogram)
which are put together to form shapes.
The objective of the puzzle is to form a
specific shape (given only in outline or
silhouette) using all seven pieces, which
may not overlap.

= _____+_____ = _____

= __________ = _____

=_____+_____ = _____

18

12

17 16

14

+
_____

=__________ =

13

15

Return the last answer to Ba Gua.

25

010
Frankho ChessDoku
All the digits 1 to 3 must appear in every row and column. The number appears in
the bottom right-hand corner is the end result calculated according to operator(s) and
chess move(s).
Return the answer of

to Ba Gua.

26

100
Fill each box by a number. Same box has the same number.

29

21

Return the value of

to Ba Gua.

27

000

Chinese Magic Square () is called

, in China.

According to ancient
Chinese legends, a giant tortoise
surfaced from the River Lo in central
China around 4,000 years ago. The
ancient Chinese found a pattern on a
tortoise shell (refer to the picture). There
were circular dots of numbers on the
giant tortoise that were arranged in a
three-by-three nine grid pattern on its
shell.
The pattern of numbers on the giant
tortoise in any given direction i.e.
horizontal, vertical or diagonal all add
up to a total of 15.

001
Place each number from 1 to 6 in each of
the following circle such that each the sum
of three circles on each side of
Triangle is 10.

Place each number from 1 to 6 in each of

the following circle such that each the sum
of three circles on each side of
Triangle is 11.

Place each number from 1 to 6 in each of

the following circle such that each the sum
Place each number from 1 to 6 in each of
of three circles on each side of
the following circle such that each the sum \triangle is 12.
of three circles on each side of triangle is
9.

.
Return the total of the top three circle
values to Ba Gua.
Return the value of the top circle as an
answer to Ba Gua.

28

101
Annabelle has three times as many
apples as Sunny. Together they have 64
apples. How many apples does each one
of them have?

011
Place 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 in each of the following
square box such that the sum of 4 numbers
in each circle is 17.
Return the answer of the right most square
box to Ba Gua.

Return the Annabelles answer to Ba

Gua.

29

Choosing calculation calculator

How can one create a calculation worksheet which allows students to decide its calculation
operator? The following is the one we created to answer the above question.
Multiplication, addition and subtraction

3
2
1

1
4
7
a

2
9
8
b

You are at b2 =

3
6
9
c

3
2
1

36
63
18
d

81
40
45
e

27
54
36
f

or

(circle one) _______ = (shaded square on the

right)
______

_____

or

or

(circle one) _______ = ________

(circle one) ______ = (shaded square on the

right)
______

_____

3
2 x
1
d e f

3
2
1

d e f
or

(circle one) ________ = ________

30

References
(1) Ho, Frank, Vector 2006, Volume 47, Issue 2, Enriching Math Using Chess
(2) Ho, Frank, Vector 2007, Volume 48, Issue 3, A New Chess Set for Teaching
Mathematical Chess

31