Mentoring: I need advice

I am helping someone learn how to play better and need advice on the best ways to proceed. Also I would like to know if there is a way to set-up a position and he and I work on it together.

Please help I want to do a good job of helping.

Chris

There are TONS of great chess problem and fundimental positions out there to set up and work on together... what level is your student at?

~1400

i suggest important end game positions (philidor's for example). very important to learn. not overly difficult, and helps with the overall understanding of the game. you don't have to do all of them at once, you can space them out over lessons, but you should definitely focus on this aspect for two reasons. one, the endgame is where you either win or lose, and two, proper endgame techniques can help your overall game with a better understanding of where you want the game to go.

then work on one opening in particular and look at all the possible lines (maybe 5 moves in), and a few possible responses for black against queen pawn or king pawn openings (i stress not to get too much into the opening theory for a player at this level).

keep in mind that he shouldn't necessarily be memorizing this stuff, just having an understanding of it.

obviously tatics tatics tatics! set up positions and have him make moves and explain to you why he's making them (very important). he should have a plan or something in mind with every move he makes. it's easy to find tatics online or in books.

also, something as simply as playing an "open" game against him. what i mean by that is have him explain his moves to you and you explain your moves to him while you play. something this simple is usually overlooked, but just being able to hear a good players ideas behind his moves is an incredible help.