Chess as a Hobby

Chess is one of the most mind bending and intellectually stimulating games available. It has been proven to develop you analytical skills and help to clarify your thinking. Although it is very complex game to play well, it is very easy to begin. Once you learn the basic moves each piece can do and a few other rules you can begin to play. Practicing is where you really learn to become a better player. You can never be to young to learn and many people keep learning past their old age.

Introduction

Chess is a great game that just about anyone can play. Age is not an issue; whether you are young or old, chess is a game that is not only mentally stimulating, but also brings a lot of benefits. It is a game that develops focus, concentration and logical thinking. Because of its complex moves and the goal of the game, you will gradually start recognizing patterns. As with any game, winning is the motive and reaching this goal is an exciting process. Chess has specific rules that you are required to follow and when you get better at the game, you will gradually see that the learning is lifelong. Chess gives you a lot of scope to be creative as well as inventive with its infinite number of combinations. Let’s get started.

Chess is a board game played between two players. It is played on a chessboard, that is a square-checkered board with 64 squares placed in an eight-by-eight grid. Each player starts controlling sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the opponent`s king, where your opponents king is in check and there is no way for your opponent to remove or defend it from attack on the next move.

What you need

It is easy to find a chess set of your choice. Chess sets can be priced as low as $10.00 and go up to several thousands of dollars based on the type you buy. They come in different themes, materials, shapes and sizes. Your chess set can be as decorative or as practical as you want.

As a beginner, you might want to invest in a sturdy plastic set that will stay with you for some rigorous practice, since most people who start learning chess tend to get addicted to the game. You can buy a chess set online easily, choosing from different types of chess pieces and boards.

You can even play chess on your computer with a chess program. However, it does feel good to have a physical set that you can spend time with. It all depends on your comfort level.

How to learn, where to learn

There are several options open to you to learn chess. You can enroll at your local hobby club if you have one nearby. You can also learn from chess software, electronic chess sets, from a DVD or from books.

Computers are accessible to everyone and these days, most beginners get started playing against computers rather than with human players. It is a good idea to browse chess sites. Some of them offer free online lessons with an option for paid advanced lessons. You can play live games on some sites with opponents across the world. If you wish you can also invest in chess videos that teach you to play chess right from the opening moves to the end game.