Did you know chess is the oldest board game in the world?
Chess was already a popular game long before Dungeons & Dragons took over the world. Nobody knows when was chess invented but the evidence goes back to the last millennium. According to the history of chess, chess was one of the eligibility criteria for becoming a knight in the medieval era.
Interesting, isn’t it?
Well, if you are intrigued enough, read ahead to find the step-by-step guide to playing chess.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Play Chess
Step 1: Learn About the Chess Board & Pieces
The primary part of any board game is the board itself. So, begin your chess journey by learning how to set up the chessboard and how to put the chess figurines on it.
There are a total of 32 figurines–16 black and 16 white. In each set, there are 8 chess pieces and 8 pawns. You have 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, and 2 knights in each set.
Check the extreme squares (in the corner) on the right-hand side of each player (chess is played by 2 players). These squares must be white.
To make it easier, try to keep in mind that both the chess players will have white squares on their extreme right.
Next, set the pieces and pawns in the right order.
Step 2: Learn Chess Rules & Regulation
Every piece has a unique movement in chess. Try to memorize the movement patterns by practically trying out the moves on the chessboard.
Next, it’s time to learn the basic rules of playing chess.
- White always plays the first move
- The goal is to capture maximum enemy pieces and pawns
- The king can’t be captured but only put under check
Once you know these rules, you can start playing chess at home.
Step 3: Learn Chess Openings
Like a story/movie, a chess game also has a beginning, middle, and ending. The beginning phase of a chess game is called chess opening, the middle part is called middlegame, and the ending is called endgame.
It’s important to divide a game in such a manner because only by doing so can you master the necessary tricks & tactics.
To begin with, try to learn one or two easy chess openings. At this point, it’s advisable for beginners to stay away from playing aggressive chess openings.
So, learn chess openings that begin with the king’s pawn and the queen’s pawn. Some of the openings are King’s Pawn opening, King’s Indian Defense, Pirc Defense, etc.
Step 4: Learn Essential Chess Tricks & Tips
Did you know the total number of ways to play a chess game is….um…almost infinite? Yep, that’s true. Check out Shanon’s number, and you will be surprised.
The point is: that chess is a mind-boggling game. At one moment, you’re secure, and in the next moment, you’re probably bawling your eyes out because you’re under check.
Yeah, so this is why you must know the necessary tricks & tips to keep yourself safe but also attack the enemy player. Some of them are:
- Castle the rook and king during the opening
- Capture enemy pawns with En Passant
- Always open with a pawn
- Promote the pawn to make it a queen
- Exchange pieces/pawns in the middlegame
Step 5: Play Online or at Local Tournaments
After completing step 4, you’re ready to play at local clubs and also on the internet. Check out platforms like chess.com, lichess.org, etc.
The easiest way to complete step 5 is to make an account on chess(.)com for free and begin playing today. The system will set you up with someone with a similar rating as yours.
Even though you will be playing novice players, try to incorporate the tricks & tips you learned.
Step 6: Learn the Basic Middlegame & Endgame Strategies
The middle game is the most dangerous part of a chess game. This is when most attacking and trading pieces take place. Therefore, once you’re familiar with the basics of playing chess and you know how things work in the world of chess, it’s time to step up your game.
Start with the most basic middlegame strategies. Some of them are:
- Try to advance your pawns towards the eighth file
- Gather the pieces at the center
- Don’t trade pieces from unimportant positions on the board
Step 7: Read Basic Chess Theory
Be it building a rocket or playing a chess game; the theory is an unavoidable aspect. Go through the available theory online or read books such as Chess 101 by Dave Schloss and The Steps Method by Rob Brunia and Cor van Wijgerden.
The goal of the step is to brush up on basic chess theory.
Step 8: Get Trained by a Professional Chess Player/Coach
By this point, you are already at the end of self-learning, which will include YouTube videos and informative chess blogs.
Now, you’re ready to receive formal training. For this, you can either join a chess academy or take one-on-one class classes at home. You can also checkout the EnthuZiastic chess classes.
No matter how much you learn by yourself, you need a chess expert to help you learn how to play chess.
All the best for your future chess games!
