How Long Does It Take To Learn Chess?
Chess is arguably the most popular strategy game in the world. You go to parks, relaxation centres, bars, libraries, schools and even in moving vehicles, you see the game. People play chess anywhere and everywhere. If you’re new to the beautiful game you’ve probably wondered how people keep track of all the different pieces, rules, and piece movements over the huge board of 64 squares. Also, If you are an “outsider” to the world of chess you’ve probably wondered ” Man! It would take forever to understand this game”. Well, this article is here to explain that gnawing question, “how long does it take to learn chess?”
The question “how long does it take to learn chess” can only be answered by you. That’s right, you already have the answer to the question.
Because chess is a mind game, the ability to grasp the concept of the game is dependent on the intellectual capability of an individual. Many people start playing at a very young age and grow to become very strong players, this is major because a young person’s brain can assimilate new information much quicker than that of an old person. However, this doesn’t mean older people cannot learn the game. Quite a few chess players started the game when they were older and went on to become excellent chess players.
An excellent example is the legendary chess player who was called “the black death” due to his aggressive style and deadly play, Sir Joseph Henry Blackburne.
So how exactly do I begin my chess journey you ask?. Well, fear not as we are going to provide you with some valuable tips to set you on your way to chess greatness.
Also see: The Game Of Chess: A Complete Guide to Getting Started
The Basic Knowledge and Rules Of Chess
The question “how long does it take to learn chess” is heavily dependent on how quickly one can understand the principles of chess.Chess is a board game played by two sides, the side with the white pieces and the side with the black pieces.
Each player has 16 pieces making a total of 32 pieces on the board. The pieces are the king, the queen, the pawn, the knight, the rook and the bishop.There are 8 pawns per player, two bishops, two rooks, two knights, a queen and a king. All these puts together make 16 pieces per player. We will examine what these pieces are, their value and their basic movements.
The King
The king is the most valuable piece on the board. It is the game itself. The whole chess game revolves around the capture of the king. Your opponent’s main goal will be the capture of your king. Therefore, the king must be protected at all times. Since the king is meant to be protected, there is a special move in chess that allows the king to be able to hide behind the other pieces. This move is called CASTLING.
The Queen
The Queen is the most powerful chess piece due to her wide range of mobility and devastating powers on the chessboard. The Queen can move diagonally, vertically or horizontally
The Rook
The rook is also called the castle. The rook is another piece on the chessboard which moves horizontally or vertically.
The Knight
The knight is a horse-shaped piece with the special ability to “jump”. It moves in an “L-shape”—that is, it can move two squares in any direction vertically followed by one square horizontally, or two squares in any direction horizontally followed by one square vertically
The Bishop
There are two bishops per player, the white and black bishop. The white bishop can move diagonally on white squares while the black bishop can move diagonally on black squares.
The Pawn
The pawn is the least valuable piece on the board, it moves directly forward. But don’t underestimate this little guy, it can be promoted to any piece on the board if it reaches the other side of the board.
And those are the foremost chess rules you should know! Good luck on your chess journey, and remember the answer to the question “how long does it take to learn chess” lies in your hands.
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