Which are chess variants that are helpful in teaching chess?
Pushing the pawn

White has a king with its pawn, black only has a king (all at their usual starting locations). White wins if the pawn savely (so either protected by its king or the black king more than one square away) moves to the last row, black wins if he survives 40 rounds (each player has 40 moves).

Teaches opposition



Checkmate for two

White has a king and first a queen, next a rook, then two bishops, then two knights (no forced checkmate possible), then a bishop and a knight. Black has only the king and white wins if he ckeckmates black, black if he survives 40 rounds.

Teaches checkmate options for different pieces.