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Completely new to chess
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Chess is a complex game. The best way to start is to just play. Challenge some people. You may not do well, at first, but you'll get the hang of it. After a time, it'll become just like riding a bicycle!
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Thank you.
There are quite a few basics to chess: 1 the rules(how the pieces move, etc.) 2 strategic basics, & 3 tactical basics. once you have a solid understanding of all then try playing.
icynina wrote: This is the first time I have ever played chesse. What is the best way to start? I read the basics on a website.
Train first then Play!
I'd suggest getting Emmanuel Laskers Chess Manual and Sigbert Tarrasch's the Game of Chess study and master the material in both these books until it becomes crystal clear to you for about 5 or 8 months (no playing at all) if you play untrained you'll stumble around in the dark you'll recieve scraps of advice to play for tricks and traps here and there this over time will mold into a style and is the surest way to be an unskilled player.
The other way I'd suggest is take lessons learn from a strong Master who can teach you the right stuff you need to know and act as your guide or mentor.
Good luck on your journey!
Let's see if I can give a reasonable answer in one try. If you already know the rules (make sure you know castling and en passant which many beginners don't)
i) Learn basic checkmates (different themes and how pieces work together)
ii) Learn the basic ideas behind opening (why do people play e4 and d4 so often as opposed to a3? Silly i know, but important!)
iii) Learn some basic tactics (you will see these themes repeat theselves over and over again. Very important for the middlegame! You must learn what to do after move 3! Learn about pins, forks, skewers, etc...Chessmaster and chess mentor are both great for this)
iv) Learn a bit about what good pawn structure is. I think this a bit of an advanced topic that should be handled after you have a firm grip on i-iii.
v) Play chess on here! Play rated or unrated. Try different things. Remember you learn whether you win or lose
Best of luck!
Alec's got the right idea. Although 6-8 months seems like a bit of a stretch to me, it's not good for you to spend lots of time playing chess lacking fundamentals.
Thank you everyone. I went to the bookstore this weekend and picked up two books.
If you spend 5 months "studying" without having played a game, nothing you study will make any sense to you. You have to have some game experience in order for your study to have context. In the beginning, you definitely have a lot of study to do compared to playing, but shunning playing altogether for fear of developing a bad playing style is, in my opinion, a wrong approach.
icynina, it is necessary to play in order to feel the pieces in your hand and to acquire vision of the whole board. Studying the rules first is all that is needed. Play beginners, because you will improve by playing those who play a little better than you play. As you learn more from experience, your curiousity derived from situations you encounter will focus your studies. You are not likely to be ready to read a chess book from cover to cover yet.
The first book I read was Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess. It teaches the basic principles of chess, like back rank mates.
This is the first time I have ever played chesse. What is the best way to start? I read the basics on a website.