Learn to play chess
About this idea
Master this ancient strategy game that improves critical thinking, planning, and problem-solving skills. Start with basic piece movements and common opening strategies. Chess is played by over 600 million people worldwide and has been shown to improve memory, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. Whether you want to play casually or competitively, chess offers endless depth and challenge.
On this page
How to get started
PHASE 1
learning the basics (1 hour)
- Understand the board: 64 squares, ranks (rows) and files (columns), light and dark squares
- Learn piece movement: Pawn (forward, captures diagonally), Rook (horizontal/vertical), Knight (L-shape), Bishop (diagonal), Queen (any direction), King (one square any direction)
- Master special moves: Castling (king and rook), en passant (pawn capture), promotion (pawn to queen)
- Practice piece placement: Set up starting position, understand initial setup
- Watch beginner tutorial: 'How to Play Chess' on Chess.com or YouTube - visual learning helps
PHASE 2
understanding the rules (30 minutes)
- Check and checkmate: When king is under attack, how to win the game
- Stalemate: When game ends in draw (king not in check but can't move)
- Basic strategy: Control center, develop pieces, protect your king
- Practice online: Play against computer on Chess.com (free) or Lichess.org (free) - start with easiest level
PHASE 3
learning openings (1 hour)
- Study one opening: Italian Game or Ruy Lopez for white, King's Indian Defense for black
- Understand opening principles: Control center, develop pieces, castle early, don't move same piece twice
- Practice opening: Play first 10 moves of your chosen opening repeatedly
- Use opening trainer: Chess.com or Lichess have opening trainers to practice
PHASE 4
tactics & patterns (1-2 hours)
- Learn basic tactics: Fork (attack two pieces), pin (piece can't move), skewer (attack through piece)
- Solve puzzles: Chess.com puzzles (free daily), Lichess puzzle trainer - start with easy
- Recognize patterns: Common checkmate patterns (back rank, smothered, scholar's mate)
- Practice daily: 10-15 minutes of puzzles improves tactical vision quickly
PHASE 5
playing & improving (Ongoing)
- Play regularly: 15-30 minutes daily - play games, analyze mistakes
- Review your games: Use game analysis tools on Chess.com/Lichess to see where you went wrong
- Study endgames: Learn basic checkmate patterns (king and queen, king and rook)
- Join community: r/chess (2M+ members) for tips, r/chessbeginners for help
- Set goals: Reach 1000 rating, learn 3 openings, solve 100 puzzles
What you’ll need
- chess set (physical or digital)
- chess app or website
- notebook for studying (optional)
Recommended resources
Tools & Apps
Tutorials & Learning
Progress milestones
Track your progress with these key achievements:
1
1 hour
Understand all piece movements and basic rules
2
2 hours
Can play a complete game from start to finish
3
3 hours
Know one opening and basic tactics
4
4 hours
Beat computer on easiest level
5
Week 1
Play 10 games, solve 20 puzzles, rating established
6
Month 1
Reach 800-1000 rating, understand basic strategy
7
Month 3
Reach 1000-1200 rating, chess is a regular hobby
Common challenges
Every beginner faces obstacles. Here's how to overcome them:
Can't remember how pieces move
Solution: Practice setting up the board daily. Play against computer on easiest level - repetition helps. Use Chess.com's piece movement trainer. Focus on one piece at a time. Visual memory: Rook = straight lines, Bishop = diagonal, Knight = L-shape.
Losing pieces quickly
Solution: Think before moving - ask 'Is this piece protected?' Check all attacks on a square before moving there. Develop pieces before attacking. Don't move the same piece multiple times in opening. Practice tactics puzzles to see threats.
Don't know what opening to play
Solution: Start with Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) - simple and solid. Learn opening principles (control center, develop pieces) rather than memorizing moves. Use opening trainer on Chess.com. Study one opening deeply rather than many superficially.
Getting checkmated early
Solution: Always check if your king is safe. Castle early to protect king. Don't leave pieces undefended. Learn common checkmate patterns so you can avoid them. Practice endgames - know how to checkmate with king and queen.
Share your progress
Celebrate your achievements and inspire others:
- • Share your first win on r/chessbeginners
- • Post your chess rating progress on social media
- • Challenge friends to learn chess together
- • Join a local chess club or tournament
- • Teach someone else the basics of chess