For beginners, the game of chess can seem intimidating, but while chess is a game of depth and strategy it is also a fun way to stretch and exercise your brain. Swallow your pride and learn chess basics, and if possible find a patient and intelligent teacher or chess mentor.
The game of chess offers many benefits, including improvement in cofnitive abilities such as spatial awareness, concentration and consideration of consequences. Everyone from children to adults can benefit from playing chess.
The Basics of Chess
At its simplest, chess is a boardgame played by two people, with characters – the same for each player – beginning on each side of the board and moving towards each other until the end point or winning move, which is called check mate and involves capturing the other side’s king. The board is checkered and looks a little like a checkers game board, however because is so popular and also considered a game of intellect, there are many very beautiful and upscale chess sets in the world.
In chess basics, one of the first things you’ll learn is that the various chess pieces have different rights and abilities, as well as specific limitations. There are only 16 pieces per player, but the strategy of playing chess can be very complex indeed. A well-played chess game can last for many hours, and chess tournament players can test their strategies and abilities against other chess enthusiasts. An added bit of tension is included in some chess tournaments by limiting the time a player can take to make their moves, thus forcing the participants to think both strategically and quickly.
The pieces involved in the game of chess are (for each side):
- Eight pawns: can only move forward in a straight line
- Two rooks: can only move in a straight line, either across the board left to right, or forward and reverse
- Two bishops: can only move diagonally, either forward or backward
- Two knights: can only move in a ‘L’ shape, either forward two squares on the board and over one, or forward one and over two
- One queen: can move in a straight line in any direction, including forward, backward and diagonal
- One king: can only move one square at a time, but in any direction
The goal in chess, as mentioned above, is to ‘capture’ the other player’s king, and when you are one move from doing so, you declare ‘CHECK.’ This alerts the other player to the imminent danger of losing the game, and they may move to protect their king if they are able.
Once you have taken out the king and won the game, you declare ‘CHECKMATE.’ Game won!