Master the fundamentals and become a chess champion!
Imagine you're the ruler of a magical kingdom! Chess is like commanding two armies in an epic battle. You have brave soldiers (pawns), mighty horses (knights), powerful wizards (bishops), strong castles (rooks), a wise queen, and most importantly - YOU are the king! Your mission is to protect your king while trying to capture the enemy king. It's like being the hero in your own adventure story!
Watch the pieces come to life in this interactive introduction!
The most important piece! Protect him at all costs!
The most powerful piece! She can move in any direction!
The castle piece! Strong and sturdy, moves in straight lines!
The diagonal mover! Slides across the board at angles!
The jumping horse! Only piece that can jump over others!
The brave soldiers! Small but mighty when they work together!
Chess is over 1,500 years old! It started in India and traveled the world like a magical spell!
There are more possible chess games than atoms in the observable universe!
"Checkmate" comes from Persian "Shah Mat" meaning "the king is dead!"
The fastest chess game ever played lasted only 2 moves! (But don't try that at home!)
Playing chess makes both sides of your brain work together like a super team!
Even famous people like Napoleon, Benjamin Franklin, and Einstein loved chess!
Chess begins as "Chaturanga" - the game of four armies!
The game becomes "Shatranj" and spreads across the empire!
Chess arrives in Europe and becomes the "Game of Kings!"
The Queen becomes the most powerful piece - girl power!
The first official World Chess Championship begins!
Deep Blue computer beats world champion - technology wins!
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to trap the enemy king so it cannot escape - this is called CHECKMATE!
Move your pieces to threaten the enemy king
Put the king in immediate danger - say "Check!"
Make sure the king has no escape squares
Shout "Checkmate!" and celebrate your win!
Chess makes you smarter by exercising both sides of your brain!
Learn to think ahead and predict what might happen next!
Improve your concentration and attention to detail!
Join chess clubs and meet awesome people who love the game!
Learn patience and how to handle pressure like a champion!
Compete in tournaments and maybe become a chess champion!
Basics Mastery: 0%