Would you say that chess is a hard game to learn?

By Link
United States
August 1, 2009 3:52am CST
I have always thought that chess is a hard game, and so I have never tried to learn it. Would you say that chess is a hard game to learn? I have always thought it was for intelligent intellectuals, and for very distinguished people. And also old people in parks. But I am thinking that I should try to learn. I just learn better at things like this when I have someone to physically show me and explain everything, but I don't want someone who will huff and puff because they think I am slow, I just like to be thorough. So what do you all think mylot? Should I try to learn chess?
4 people like this
43 responses
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
2 Aug 09
I believe that the people that play chess would like the rest of the world to think is is intellectuals and intelligent to play chess. Very distinguished people...LOL!!! The two people i know that play are no more distingushed or intelligent intellectuals than you or i. My nine yr old granson is learning to play. And secretly i believe my granson has more distingushed intellectual intelligents than the other two i know who play. Learn it!!!
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
5 Aug 09
I believe my grandson has higher IQ than most 9 yr olds. Im possitively certian you can.
• United States
4 Aug 09
Thanks, well I suppose if your grandson can do it, then I can at least learn.
@tundeemma (894)
• South Africa
1 Aug 09
chess is not a hard game to play but the strategies involved makes it a hard game for everyone, planning your winning strategy is much more difficult than learning the game itself and the smarter you are on the chess board the more games you tend to win
• United States
2 Aug 09
That's cool I have no real desire to win. Just to achieve the goal of knowing how to play, even if I always lose. I never even win at checkers! lol
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
1 Aug 09
Hi BambooPanda it's never to late to learn anything if you have an interest to learn it. Chess is easy to learn even though people have a perception it is difficult. I taught my son to play when he was six and couldn't judge if he was skilled at it when he only played against me but then one day he had a game with an 80 year old man, an historian, who has been playing chess all his life, and they reached a draw, so I realised he must have developed a skill. I love to see the children playing chess together in the tavernas on hot evenings as it shows that electronic games have still left room for the more traditional ones. The national game is backgammon so it's great to see a new generation of chess players springing up.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Aug 09
I agree it is never too late to learn something. Thanks!
@Wismay (2037)
• India
1 Aug 09
That is true. It is difficult in the beginning. You have to wait a lot before you start winning any game of chess convincingly. Chess is not like a team game or sport where you can manage when other team mates do well even if you fail. There are many subtle things are involved in chess which one need to know before getting good results. I know many people quit it because they can't stand the beat that they take! And Chess is rightly or falsely regarded as something that indicates a person's wit. You can read the headlines in magazines "A outwits B" etc. This is also one of the reason why people quit. People can accept a defeat which is depended on physical strength but accepting that you are low in wisdom than the other player hutrs a lot. So many quit playing. I too felt disheartened to lose so many games in the beginning but I kept saying myself "If you quit, you will never win a game of chess again in life" which inspired me to go on. Later on I beat all those people who used to beat me in the beginning. Now I play online and plan to play in rated tournaments. Many discouraged me saying you are already old but I didn't care. I enjoy playing so what age has to do with? I have a blog on chess: chessbeat.blogspot you can have a look. If you want to refer some nice chess sites you will get all that information on that blog. With right training a beginner can become a very strong player within two months! Happy Mylotting!
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Aug 09
Thanks for the loads of information, very interesting, I will check out your blog!
@grace118224 (1038)
• China
1 Aug 09
Yeah if you are interested in it why not to learn ? You can go to a class , or you can learn from TV programs . Or you can even buy some books for guidance . After that you can play chess with others to improve yourself . i cann't play chess either . but i'm fond of jumping chess . When i was a small girl i often play by myself , very serious.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Aug 09
Lol. kool, I usually end up playing board games myself as kids tend to see them as "bored" games. Anywy, thanks I will probably find someone or a class or something online.
• India
1 Aug 09
No doubt chess is hard game but any other game is as hard to learn as chess. Chess involves only mental presence but as compared other games requires both physical and mental strength of players. So I think chess is less hard to learn and play as compared to other games.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Aug 09
Thanks, I think I was just intimidated by the perception, or stereotype that it was difficult.
• United States
2 Aug 09
If you like to figure things out.If you like to think a few steps ahead.You know,"If I do this,then this will happen."Then chess is the game for you.I thought chess was complicated but it isn't really.It is a little tricky.I taught myself the basics.I learned by reading a book about chess for children.The rules were plainly written and there were pictures.So if you think you would like chess,try it.Go to your local library and check out some chess books for kids.
• United States
6 Aug 09
You are so welcome.Let me know how you are doing.Have fun. It is a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it, it is fun.
• United States
4 Aug 09
That seems like my kind of deal, simple steps and pictures, thank you for the tip.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Aug 09
Bingo! I rememberd the book that help me learn chess. It is Beginning Chess by Bruce Pandolfini. It is an adult book but it has many great pictures.
@carrine (2743)
• Philippines
1 Aug 09
no its not, its a clever game.they said if you're not that brainy then dont you are not for that game. whew! you have always to think and learned each move you make and the move of your opponent. but still practice makes perfect. why not trying to indulge such game and explore and of course you will have fun.
• United States
3 Aug 09
Well I think I like clever games, I just learned how to play dominoes, it's online but still very fun, and it wasn't as hard as I thought, I'm not really great at it, but I know how to play. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
1 Aug 09
Chess is neither hard not easy. You can pick up the basics fairly easily, but there are so many levels you can play at depending on how good you are. You have to think in three dimensions somewhat. As it is not a simple game, intelligence can give you an edge. Having said that, I am not sure why you will not play just because there are people better than you are when you start. Is that not true of a lot of sports, not everyone is a tennis pro, but that is no reason you cannot enjoy playing a game. My goodness if we too that attitude as a child we would never have learned to walk. Look at all these people who can walk better than I can. You can decide to sit on your diapered @$$ all your life or can take the struggles and falls to learn how to walk. It is up to you.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Aug 09
Thanks, since you said that I definitely think I will find someone to teach my chess and invest in a board. I will at least give it a go. I've been into trying things that I feel I might not be good at. I don't think I am a good artist, but I've started painting a Naruto themed dresser. I'm overweight, but when I was little I wanted to tap dance, my mother wouldn't buy me the shoes, so I recently bought some and started trying to learn on my own, just simple steps! I've also started to learn the tin whistle! So now my new thing will be chess. Thank you!
@srganesh (6340)
• India
1 Aug 09
Chess is an easy game to learn but very hard to master it.One can easily learn chess if he knows how each and every piece should be moved.But then comes the strategies of openings and the style which makes the game difficult for a beginner.One should have a great memory power and lot of patience to master the game.Yet it is an interesting game and you should learn it for the fun at least.Cheers!
• United States
2 Aug 09
Thanks I am definitely going to look into getting a chess set!
@kdmlrys (398)
• United States
1 Aug 09
I believe it isn't hard to learn. I remember my classmate before (he taught me how to play chess). The moves and rules are quite easy to memorize. However, the strategy for winning the game can be quite hard especially when your opponent is a chess master. So yeah, my opinion is that chess is easy to learn but hard to win. But with patient and practice, the word "hard" will be omitted as time pass.
1 person likes this
@x_Jo_x (1040)
1 Aug 09
My dad is quite good at chess, he taught me and my sister to play so im not too bad at it. My sister hates losing, and shes usually always beating me at anything mental because she is smarted than me. And i beat her at anything pysical because i am stronger. But i always beat her at chess and she got so angry! I would litterally have no plan and just think "Hmmm i move this one here" and she will be going crazy cos ive just ruined her whole strategic plan! I think it would definatly be something worth learning for you. Yes, can be incredibly boring! but still can be great fun if you play with someone fun and good!
• United States
2 Aug 09
Well I enjoy typical "boring" things, so I think I will enjoy the waiting, and strategy planning.
• India
2 Aug 09
No not at all. Chess is not a difficult game to learn. Actually i've learned how to play chess in just 2 days from my elder sister. She taught me playing chess very easily without any problem. And i followed a simple rule that i'm my own competitor. So i used to sit alone in a room and played chess from both sides without cheating and try to win from both the sides.This actually helped me to develop strategies how i could win the game if i face such a condition. So try to learn it. Its easy and Best of Luck to you..........
• United States
3 Aug 09
Wow, two days? That's awesome! Sounds like I can do it. At least understand how the game is played so I can appreciate it. Thank for the advice!
• Philippines
2 Aug 09
Yes try to learn the chess game. It will help your intelectual capacity develop. If you were a slow learner please have patience to study and learn. Chess games in not only for intelligent people or for old people in the park. It is for everyone who is interested to know how to play. It will help you to practice you reasoning power, systematic and analitical way of thinking. Yes it true if you a first learner some people will make huff and puff on you. But ignore them your better than they are.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
5 Aug 09
Learning the basics of chess should be picked up easily with a simple explanation..the names of the pieces,their starting positions,how they can and cannot be moved on the board,etc..It would be the strategy of chess that can take a long time to master! there have to be chess tutors and programs available online to let you see what the game is about
@quinnkl (1667)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I don't think it is all that hard to learn, but to be good at it takes a lot of time in my opinion. I learned to play at a young age, out of curiosity. I didn't really keep it up over the years, so I still remember the basics, but it takes me forever to figure out what it going on and where to go next, when I play now, because I have to think back and remember strategy. And I am hardly what you would consider distinguished or intellectual.....
@4ofmyown (1119)
• United States
19 Aug 09
I would guess it would depend on the person. I have never learned to play chess and people have tried to teach me but I always thought of it as being difficult. I don't know if it really is or if I am just not interested. I have 4 children all under the age of 11 and 3 of them know how to play chess and seem to enjoy it.
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
4 Aug 09
I didn't find it hard to learn at all....remembering it though after quite a bit of time? DIFFICULT! I would need a refresher course lol.
@Ritchelle (3790)
• Philippines
22 Aug 09
i'd have to say yes, chess is a hard game to learn. but i know the reasons: am an impatient person and waiting for the opponent to make his turn would certainly zonk me out. also, it is such a quiet game and i see no fun in that. besides, you always have to try to learn new moves...
@Koollook (89)
• India
6 Aug 09
Chess is one of the easiest game to learn. I learned chess from my friend when i was twelve. You can easily learn the basic moves and aim of the game in less than 30 minutes. And as you start playing you will automatically get the tricks and ideas to win the game when you become involved in it.