Chess is an abstract strategy game that often comes packaged with the game Checkers. Learning to play Chess is relatively simple but mastering Chess takes a little longer. Chess encourages you to think and can help you develop skills you can use in everyday life.

Chess is a game for two players. The game board is like a Checkers board. It contains 64 squares that alternate between two colors. Each player will have 16 game pieces that are made up of:

One Queen
One King
Two Bishops
Two Knights
Two Rooks
Eight Pawns

Board setup for the row closet to the player is from left to right is: rook, knight, bishop, king, queen, bishop, knight, rook. The second row is made up of the eight pawns. The player with the white pieces always go first.

The purpose of the game is to attack your opponent's king. When this is close to happening, it is said the king is in check. It has become customary for a player to announce check when they have their opponent's king in check. The king must move out of check or risk being captured. The object of the game is to checkmate your opponent. That means to bring your opponent's king to where he has no moves left and will not be able to fend off an attack. Chess games can end in a tie depending on how the game unfolds.

Players spent the early game getting their pieces into place to capture the king. Along the way they will capture other playing pieces on the board. It does not matter how annihilated your forces may become. All that really matters is the king.

Certain pieces can only move in certain directions. Moves are also limited to a number of spaces for different pieces. Beginner Chess sets will have the movements marked on the base which make it easy for players to know their movement options at a glance.

There are advance rules to play Chess for more experienced players. Some players analyze their Chess games by keeping up with each movement. The Chess board is like a grid. The columns are represented by letters beginning with A to the furthest left one. The rows are represented by numbers beginning with the row closest to you. Once you learn the basic rules of play, then you can move on to more advanced strategies.