Chess for Beginners - Learn to Play

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Essentials : How to Play
How to set up a chess board, move the pieces, castle, capture, checkmate, and more. From your About Chess Guide.

Essentials : Basic Concepts of Chess
Here's what every chess player should know -- chess notation, draws, the relative value of the pieces, the phases of the game, tactical play, and more. This is basic knowledge you need to get started on the winner's path.

Email course : Chess 101 - How to Play
Learn to play chess in six email lessons, one lesson per day. From your About Chess Guide; based on 'Essentials : How to Play'.

Email course : Chess 102 - Beyond Beginner
Learn to play better chess in six email lessons, one lesson per day. In these lessons, we'll introduce the principles behind openings, middle games, and endgames.

Chess Tactics Illustrated
A series of 12 charming French postcards illustrate basic tactical themes in chess.

FAQ : Beginner questions
If you're just getting started learning how to play chess, we have a good idea what's confusing you. Have a question? Look here for the answer. If you can't find your question, send us an email. Maybe your question will find its way to a new FAQ! From your About Chess Guide.

Essentials : Index to all About Chess Essentials
After 'How to Play' & 'Basic Concepts', it helps to know something about Openings, Middle Games, and Endgames. Then you'll need FAQs, a Glossary, a Bibliography, and a guide to the Champions.

Openings : Recommendations
Starting from The Initial Position, step through recommended moves. From your About Chess Guide.

Quizzes for Beginners : Notation, Setup, and Moves
It's quiz time! You've learned the basics of chess notation, how to set up the board for a new game, and how the pieces move. Now you want to see how well you've learned the basics. If you get a perfect score, then you know how to play chess!

Quizzes for Beginners : Check and Checkmate
This series of quizzes is designed to test your knowledge of check and checkmate. Each quiz is a series of seven multiple choice questions based on a specific chess position. Make sure you've mastered one set of six quizzes before you start the next set.

Rules from Lasker's 'Manual of Chess'
A world champion teaches the basics. After you've read this article, follow the other links under 'Beginner'. From Chess Central.

Chess Tutorial
Starts with rules and notation, then introduces tactics and openings. When you've learned this material, you're no longer a beginner. From Chess Corner.

Chess Doctor by Bob Ogden
Downloads, secrets, strategy, and forums for instruction.

Basics of Chess
Introduction to the game for beginners plus 50 (25?)positions of increasing difficulty with hints and answers.

50 Chess Games for Beginners
Tutorial for new players with annotated examples of games showing tactics and strategies. Free competition for visitors.

Logical Chess in Every Move
Modeled after Irving Chernev's 'Logical Chess : Move by Move', four games are annotated on every move. One game is from Chernev's book.

Books for Beginners I
Four book recommendations, including two from the legendary Bruce Pandolfini. From the Barnet Chess Club.

Books for Beginners II
Two dozen recommended titles are organized according to typical needs of starting players : 'I'm an Absolute Beginner', 'I Know The Moves But I Want to Learn Some Strategy', etc. From the British Chess Magazine (BCM).

Play against tkChess
Play against a computer. The page displays all legal moves for the current position. Click on your move -or-let the computer play. Also offers a Java version which doesn't display the moves.

FIDE Laws of Chess
The International Federation's rules of chess, used in most international events. 'The FIDE Laws of Chess cover over-the-board play.' Includes the moves of the pieces, completion of the game, the clock, conduct of the players, and the role of the arbiter.

USCF Clock Rules
'Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The USCF's New Clock Rules, But Were Afraid To Ask.'