Learning to play a game like chess is a great idea as it’s an effective way to learn new skills, and have a lot of fun too. There are organized chess clubs all over the world and you can make a lot of new friends who have the same interests as you and are looking for new partners to play against.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get started either, all you need invest in is a standard sized chess board, wood is fine and probably one of the better options as it lasts for years and actually looks better when it starts to get a little shabby as this gives it character. So spend wisely on your first board and ensure it is durable and hard-wearing.
When buying a chess set you can either choose to get the board and pieces together, in which case they will match, or buy them separately if you like the idea of a set that’s a bit different. Wooden chess boards with marble pieces can work just as well if the colours contrast and it can give a set a unique look that suits your personality.
The objective is to make moves that lead to winning the game, each player chooses a colour, generally black or white, and there are 16 pieces in a chess set consisting of 6 different types, a King, a Queen, two Bishops, two Rooks, two Knights, and eight Pawns.
These pieces are each allowed to move in various directions and a certain number of squares, so Knights can move in the shape of the letter L, two squares forward, backward, left, or right, followed by one square left or right, and their added advantage is the ability to jump over other pieces, the only piece that can do this. Bishops can move as many squares as they like as long as it’s diagonally and the path is clear. Rooks can move forward, backward, left, and right as many spaces as desired without jumping over any other chess piece.
Then there are the pawns that take over the whole front line to start with and doggedly make their way, one square at a time, to the top of the opponent’s side whereupon they can be crowned as queens. Although pawns are only allowed to only move one square at a time, on the first move they can move two squares if they want to, also they can only move straight ahead, until they want to capture one of the enemy then they have to take the piece diagonally.
Queens have the most powerful role of all the pieces, and are one of your most important players, as they can go anywhere they choose, forwards, backwards, sideways and diagonally, unlike the king who can only move 1 square a time forward, backward, left, and right and diagonally.
The aim of the game is to capture your opponents King, so if you hear your opponent say checkmate, then you have lost the game. There are other possibilities, for example the game could be a draw if the only pieces left in the game mean that nobody can win. Check means you still have a chance as it’s a warning that your king is being attacked and could be captured on the next move, but gives you the opportunity to move away from the danger, unlike checkmate.
White is always the first to move at the beginning of a game, and you should be aware that y once you have moved a piece you can move it back only if you don’t take your finger off it, once you let go then you have committed to that move. Make sure you are definite about that move before letting go. Electronic chess sets are an effective way to teach yourself chess if time is limited and means you can carry a portable product around with you whilst on trips or travelling to and from work.
Playing backgammon or chess are great ways to unwind after a long day at work or school, or a stressful day doing chores, whilst simultaneously developing cognitive skills for any age. Backgammon for travel is also a popular game and can be carried around easily enough when bought in lightweight, compact designs.
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