“I thought chess was hard… until I learned how the pieces move.”

That’s all you need to start.
No books. No lessons. Just the basic moves. Once you know them, you're in. Here's how:

♚ King (∞ value)
Moves 1 square in any direction — up, down, sideways, or diagonal.
Lose your king, you lose the game.

♛ Queen (9 points)
Moves in any direction — as far as she wants.
She’s the most powerful piece on the board.

♜ Rook (5 points)
Moves in straight lines: left/right, up/down, as far as possible.
Great for controlling space and launching attacks.

♝ Bishop (3 points)
Moves diagonally, as far as you want — but only on its color.
You get one dark-square and one light-square bishop.

♞ Knight (3 points)
Moves in an L-shape: two steps in one direction, one step sideways.
It’s the only piece that can jump over others.

♟ Pawn (1 point)
Moves forward 1 square (or 2 from its starting square).
Captures diagonally.
If a pawn reaches the other side, it can become anything (even a queen!).

Chess is NOT expensive.

I got my first set at Value Village for $1.25.
Online is free at chess.com and gameknot.com — both have built-in learning tools and friendly opponents.

Why bother?

Chess is more than a game.
It sharpens focus, boosts planning, helps you think a few moves ahead.
It’s war, art, and meditation — all on a little square board.

Checkers is a fun game.
But chess?
Chess is a new language for your brain.
And it starts with just learning how the pieces move.