Chess for beginners: learn chess as a grown-up

Never learned chess, or forgot everything? Good news: the way kids learn chess is also the fastest way for adults. Coach Castle teaches one piece at a time with short games that use the real rules, and nobody is watching you make mistakes.

Why the kids’ route works for adults too

Most adults try to learn chess by memorizing how all six pieces move, then playing a full game. That is a lot to hold in your head at once, and it is why so many people give up.

Coach Castle breaks it into small games. You master the pawns first, then the knight, then play a full game with hints. Each step takes minutes, and the rules are exactly the same as real chess.

What you will learn, in order

1. How to set up the board and the names of the pieces.
2. Pawns: moving, capturing and promoting, with Pawn Wars.
3. The knight’s L-shaped jump, with Hungry Knight.
4. The rook, bishop, queen and king.
5. Check, checkmate and stalemate.
6. The special moves: castling, en passant and promotion.
7. Your first full game, with hints from the coach.

A first week, 15 minutes a day

• Day 1: learn the pieces and play three games of Pawn Wars.
• Day 2: learn the knight with Hungry Knight.
• Day 3: play a guided full game. Losing is fine. Watch what the coach points out.
• Day 4: read the principles of chess cheat sheet, then play again.
• Day 5: play a friend or family member with a room code.

Three questions that make beginners better fast

Ask these before every move, and you will stop losing pieces for free:

1. What is my opponent’s last move attacking?
2. Can I capture something that is not protected?
3. Is the square I am moving to safe?

Learning with your child

Many grown-ups learn chess alongside their kids. Play as a team against the coach, take turns choosing moves, and let your child explain the rules back to you. You can also play each other on two devices, with no accounts needed.