Play Chess 101

Learn to Play Chess
Is it very difficult to learn to play chess? There is a commonly held view that chess is too tough for the average person learn, as it needs sharp mental faculties, especially since it involves planning, tactical awareness, and strategizing. However, it is not actually very difficult to learn to play chess. Once a person learns the basics, it becomes very interesting and fascinating. People tend to enjoy the mental challenge that playing chess throws up. Millions of people all over the world have got hooked on chess, and not all of them are geniuses when it comes to IQ levels. In Russia, thousands of children play chess almost before they learn to speak. It is true that the good, professional chess players have to have remarkable mental abilities. However, the same holds good for every discipline, not just chess. You have to have strong skills to excel in any sphere. Most of the chess players might not be able to execute the strategic tactics of a master chess player, but they are able to play their own brand of chess and enjoy it. Like other games and sports, chess is also easy to follow. With the aid of photographs, diagrams and examples we can recognize each aspect of chess - be it the names of the different pieces or the names of the different moves employed. Besides, there are also books available through which one can learn the nuances of the game. Also, with the advent of the Internet, learning chess is very easy. One has to just log onto a site that has chess games, and go through the amazing repertoire of training materials available there - from training manuals to online demos. A sound knowledge of chess notations is very essential to follow chess. Chess notations are simple codes used by chess players to record the moves of the game. They are basically abbreviations derived by naming the chess pieces and the squares of the chess board that they occupy. Knowing the chess notations enables a player to be familiar with the squares of the board and helps the player to think in proper chess terms. The next important thing is to know the basic rules of chess thoroughly. Particular emphasis should be given on the fundamentals of the opening phase of the game, where beginners are most likely to go astray. Besides it is also important to have a thorough understanding of the middlegame and the endgame as well. Knowing the history of the game helps a learner to be aware of the evolution of the different moves, their place of origin, etc.