my daughter is only 16 months old but i've already introduced her to a chess set. she has no idea how to play, i just want her to become familiar with it. my wife is from mizoram and i'm from england so my daughter is already multi-lingual. I want to introduce her to brain-building games as opposed to television and cartoons but the question is this...

 ....how young can a kid learn to play chess??

Depends on the individual child some can learn when they are 4 or 5yrs some dont learn well untill they are 8-10yrs. I have not heard of any children younger then 4 yrs old so im not sure if its possible.

  In Singapore children are introduced to the chess pieces when they enter kindergarten (around 4years old).  By the time they enter primary schools at 7seven years old, they would have attained an average rating of 1200-1400.

At two and a half years my daughter could set up the chess board completely without assistance or faults. Shes turning three in April.

 

The chess set is always out so currently we are "playing chess" but that mostly involves her moving the pieces in all kinds of Barney-like ways... And of course she always wins. 

Singa and King William, that is exactly what i am hoping to acheive. By making her familiar with the chess set, she will slowly learn the rules and gain interest.

 

I have no dreams of her becoming a grandmaster, i just want to find an alternative to tv.

In my experience a "bright" 4+ year old can learn the basics but unless the child is some kind of rare freaky genius - don't expect them to perform in above scholastic  levels.