Welcome, Chess Beginners!

You have to start somewhere! And check out the Blog for more club-oriented information.

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  - Maine Calling, September 12, 2025
  
  Jennifer Rooks talks with Wyatt Hendrix and Molly Teftt about chess in Maine.
  

  While the origins of chess date to the 6th century, the game is surging in popularity now—in part due to more people playing during the pandemic, as well as the rapid growth of online chess platforms. We learn about this game of strategy, we'll meet some of Maine's avid chess players, and find out where to learn, play for fun—and compete. This show is part of our "Passions & Pastimes" series.
  Panelists:
  Wyatt Hendrix, president, Maine Chess Association; 2024 Maine Chess Player of the Year
  Molly Teftt, senior, Brunswick High School; three-time Maine Girls State Champion at Haring National Girls Tournament of Champions; co-founder, Brunswick Scholastic Chess Club
  VIP Callers:
  Majur Juac, chess teacher, Baxter Academy for Technology & Science, chess national master; originally from Sudan
  Cicy Po, head of school, Baxter Academy for Technology & Science

What Chess Does to Your Brain explains what happens to your brain when you play chess. Hint: good things. Source: The Curiosity Mysteries - 05/02/2025 [7:20]

Some people like to know about the history of chess.

• A Brief History of the Game of Chess - The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered - 09/04/2020 [14:07]
• History Of Chess - Deutsche Schulschachstiftung e.V. - 06/09/2022 [3:23]
• The Story of Chess - ESNAJ - 05/17/2017 [2:42]
• The Entire History of Chess in 12 Minutes - Radiant Enigma - 02/15/2025 [12:18]
• . . . or you can use Google to find more information about the history of chess.

The Basics.

Every teacher has their own style.

Find the one you like best!

• How To Play Chess: The Ultimate Beginner Guide - GothamChess - 12/02/2020 [31:26]
• How to Play Chess: Chess Rules for Beginners - ChessKid - 04/08/2021 [19:18]
• How to Set Up a Chess Board: Chess Rules For Beginners - ChessKid - 03/16/2022 [2:40]
• Chess Pieces | Chess Introduction - ChessKid - 10/16/2020 [1:11]
• How to Play Chess: Rules for Beginners: Learn Game Basics, Board Setup, Moves, Castling, En Passant - Chess Talk - 06/01/2018 [11:26]
• Learn How to Play Chess for Beginners in Less Than 8 Minutes - Mr. Animate - 11/28/2019 [7:25]
• More to come, but try these and let us know if you want more.

Once you know the basics ...

Have a look at these interesting videos!

• 5 Common Mistakes BEGINNERS Make in Chess - Anna Cramling - 10/30/2022 [13:39]
• 10 Chess Tips Every Beginner Should Know - BotezLive - 04/05/2021 [9:10]
• I wasted years playing chess the wrong way, until I learned this - Pegasus Chess - 05/14/2025 [19:23]
• Check out the Enthusiast section for more links.

Choosing an Opponent

With the arrival of the internet, we can now play live chess, correspondence chess and chess tournaments from the comfort of our own homes, and even on a smart phone. This allows us to make friends with people all over the world. Whichever way you choose to play, there are always plenty of opponents out there just waiting for a chance to give you a challenge!

Playing against the computer! - visit CartoonStock for your own personal copy of this great cartoon!

The internet has LOTS of different websites to play or learn online.

• 365Chess
• AimChess
• BaxterAcademy
• Chess.com
• Chessable
• Chessly
• ChessPathways
• DecodeChess
• ForwardChess
• GameKnot
• GM Igor Smirnov
• ItsYourTurn
• lichess.org
• Remote Chess Academy
• US Chess Federation
• . . . and many more . . .
• Google is your friend; there are far too many to list! Have fun searching. In a pinch, you can contact us at the Waterville Chess Club and we'll be happy to help you get started.

As much fun as it is to play against the computer, playing against a real live opponent is usually more satisfying. Computers are great for learning how to play and practicing various openings and strategies, but however much you study, playing against a real person usually brings a few surprises and a lot of satisfaction on those occasions when you win the game (whether you are just playing for fun at a club or playing in a tournament to compete against tough opponents). The Blog section has a list of regular and irregular gatherings in this area.