7 Simple Steps to Learn Chess

Chess is a game of strategy, patience, and foresight, where players must think several moves ahead to outmaneuver their opponent. When you learn chess, you also gain critical skills that can help you with problem-solving, strategic thinking, and other critical life skills.

It is also a pretty simple game to play. You don’t have to enroll in expensive courses and join time-consuming Chess Clubs.

We can help you learn chess from beginner level, in your own time and at your own pace. Learning chess is fun and easy when you play the right way.

Use our simple 7-step strategy to learn chess:

1. 1. Learn the basic rules
2. 2. Watch YouTube tutorials at Chess4Life on how to play chess
3. 3. Play chess against a computer or a friend
4. 4. Learn chess by mastering strategy and tactics
5. 5. Study your mistakes after playing every game
6. 6. Play chess regularly with experienced opponents
7. 7. Play chess online and use free courses to get better at it

Put the kettle on, grab a pen and paper, and find a quiet place as we help you learn how to play chess. Make notes as you read to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Plan each step carefully and take your time. Only move on to the next step when you feel ready.

This is your first move to becoming the next Bobby Fischer.

Chess is a classic game of strategy and tactics, played by 2 opponents. You play chess on a square board, consisting of 64 squares.

When playing chess, first lay the chess board on a flat surface, ensuring that there is a white square to the far right side of each opponent.

Each player begins the game with 16 chess pieces in the same color, with six main types of chess pieces. As you learn chess, you’ll discover that each chess piece is worth a certain number of points.

Setting Up a Chess Board

Place each chess piece in its own square on the chess board, as shown below. Each row is called a rank, and each column is a file.

The six different chess pieces are often shown in symbols, as shown below.

King

Queen

Rook

Knight

Bishop

Pawn

The chessboard may look complicated at first, but once you set up the pieces for the first time, learning how to play chess isn't nearly as hard as it seems.

Chess Rules, Chess Piece Values, and Starting Positions

As you become an expert, you’ll learn that chess pieces have standard values. The table below shows the beginning position of each chess piece and its value, which is handy for chess notation and evaluating the best chess strategy.

The main objective in chess is to checkmate the opponent's King by placing it under threat of capture, with no possible escape. This must occur according to the rules, such as the following:

• White always moves first, with players alternating turns. You can only move one chess piece at a time, except when castling
• Capturing: Players capture pieces when they encounter an opponent's chess piece in their movement path. Only pawns capture differently from their movement path.
• Pawn promotion: If a pawn makes it to the opponent’s back rank, it can be promoted to any other high-ranking piece, other than King; most players opt for Queen
• Checkmate: To finish a game in checkmate, the opponent’s King must be “in check,” which means the opponent can’t move the King out of check, block the check, or capture the attacking piece.
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In chess, putting an opponent's king in "checkmate" is the only way to win unless both parties agree to a draw.

A King is in checkmate if it’s under immediate threat of capture by one of the opponent's pieces (in check), the check cannot be blocked, the King cannot move to a square that is not under attack, and the opponent's chess piece that has the king in check cannot be captured.

The game ends in a draw either through a stalemate or when there are insufficient chess pieces to checkmate. A stalemate is a situation where one player, on their turn, has no legal moves left to make, but their king is not in check. In either case, both players may agree to a draw.

As a beginner, a printed copy of chess rules will be your best friend. Raphael wrote a handy guide over 10 years ago, and the chess rules booklet has since helped thousands of learners master chess.

Watching tutorials and joining chess courses can greatly enhance your chess learning process. YouTube is a treasure trove of educational chess content, and Elliot Neff is among the best Chess trainers.

As a National Master himself and an active chess coach, Neff creates incredibly helpful, perfectly paced chess training videos. As you can see in the video below, beginners can learn chess more easily from Neff’s simplified explanations.

Better still, you can buy Elliott’s Chess School course. This comprehensive series creates a solid foundation in chess basics and is ideal for both kids and adults. Elliott introduces essential fundamentals with clear, engaging explanations, making it easy to grasp key strategies and concepts.

You can also get started with chess through the many other helpful chess channels on YouTube, including the following:

• ChessNetwork
• Saint Louis Chess Club
• FIDE channel
• How to Play Chess for Kids
• Channels by Chess Grandmasters, such as Simon Williams on @GingerGM

These channels offer in-depth chess lessons and courses ranging from beginner basics to advanced strategies and tactics. You’ll also learn much about chess strategy, how to study epic grandmaster games, and more.

As you learn chess, watching chess videos and enrolling in courses also helps you develop a deeper appreciation for the nuances of the game.

Playing chess against a computer can help you identify your weaknesses and develop strategies without the pressure of live opponents.

On the other hand, playing against a friend adds a social element to the game, making it more enjoyable and interactive to learn chess practically.

Whether you're a beginner with an ambition to play chess and to practice basic moves or an advanced player seeking to refine your tactics, both options provide valuable opportunities to enhance your abilities and play chess in your free time.

Once you have found your preferred learning resource and even copied a few moves from your new favorite chess professional, make a habit of playing, watching, reading, and listening to different chess masters, such as Jeremy Silman.

You can do that by reading chess strategy books from Silman and other chess masters. You can also study famous chess games online, and as you do so, write down tips, practice their playing tactics, and understand the strategies used when they play chess.

For example, you may benefit greatly by learning tactics such as The Woodpecker Method, which is a focused training technique designed to improve pattern recognition and tactical skills through repeated practice.

This method involves solving a series of chess puzzles multiple times until the patterns become second nature, significantly enhancing your ability to spot tactics during actual games. Adopting this approach can lead to a noticeable improvement in your chess performance and strategic thinking.

This training system was beautifully laid out by the legendary chess masters, Axel Smith and Hans Tikkanen. Make a point to learn chess like a beginner, but play chess like a professional.

Analyzing your mistakes after playing each chess game is crucial for improvement. Reviewing your game straight after playing, allows you to identify patterns in your play, recognize recurring errors, and understand the decisions that led to unfavorable outcomes.

Online platforms like Chess.com offer analysis tools that highlight common mistakes made while playing chess and suggest better moves.

By studying these insights, you can learn to avoid similar mistakes when you next play chess.

At the same time, comparing your strategies with those of more experienced players can provide new perspectives and techniques to incorporate into your play.

Consistent analysis and reflection on your play technique will accelerate your growth as you play chess and enhance your overall strategic thinking.

If you can, find a highly skilled opponent to play chess with you and review the entire game afterward. Better still, work with a chess coach, who will help you get better by their thought process and strategies.

Learning chess regularly with an experienced opponent is one of the most effective ways to improve your game and learn chess at higher levels. For instance, playing against skilled players allows you to observe advanced strategies and tactics in action, offering a firsthand look at high-level thinking and decision-making.

An experienced opponent can provide immediate feedback, helping you understand your mistakes and guiding you toward better moves.

Regular matches and post-game analyses foster a deeper understanding of the game's complexities. This consistent exposure to expert play challenges you to elevate your own skills, making you a more competitive and proficient chess player over time.

There are many benefits to gain when you play chess online. For starters, you have the advantage of participating in tournaments, joining clubs, and engaging with a community of chess enthusiasts.

When you choose to regularly learn chess using the internet, you can continually challenge yourself, track your progress, and become a more proficient chess player. Playing competitive chess online gives you access to a wide range of playing skills and styles that you can use to your benefit.

There are always players available to play fast games like 1 minute bullet chess, or slow games with 30 minutes or more per player.

Playing a variety of different game types and learning chess at differing levels is crucial to becoming a better chess player.

BUT - Don't get overwhelmed! Learning chess is a life-long endeavor. Take just a few small steps each day, have fun with it, and learn chess quicker than you thought you could.

Learning chess requires dedication, regular playing, and a willingness to learn every time. Study the basic rules of chess, watch instructional chess videos, learn from chess professionals like Jeremy Silman, and keep learning from your mistakes to help you improve your skills.

Engaging with courses and chess communities further enhances your experience as you learn chess, providing endless opportunities to challenge yourself and grow as a chess player.

Remember, each game is a step towards better strategy and more adept tactics. With persistence and passion, you'll find yourself saying "Checkmate!" more often.