What is your chess answer?

When people learn that you play chess and ask you about the game, what is your answer? Some people may ask how the game is played, how they can get involved, or why do you play. It is challenging enough to recruit new players and overcome the obstacles in that effort. Someone showing interest on their own puts you at the “white moves first” advantage. 

The next question is, what are you going to do with that advantage to reel them into becoming a new player? Our chess community’s growth and our opportunities to bring more people into chess can benefit based on your answers to questions from every person showing at least some interest in our beloved game. 

First, consider how and why you started playing chess. Did a family member or friend teach you? Did you learn through a school program? Did you just decide to learn? Second, what was it about the game that helped to inspire you to learn and why do you keep playing? Everyone’s chess story, motivation and view of the game is unique. Having concise answers to these questions can influence others. Help them be inspired by your efforts. 

When I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s in a small rural town in North Mississippi, the only ways a person would likely learn chess is either someone teach them or they learn from a book if they really wanted to do it. These two methods still hold true, but there are many more ways now more than ever to learn chess, mainly due to the internet.

In a nutshell, my son taught me when he was in second grade and he learned through the gifted class at his elementary school. When he showed me how it works, I fell in love with it. I wish I had learned it earlier in life. As for why I keep playing, it’s just fun and I love seeing the evolution of a game as it is played. For me, it is not just about whether I win or lose or how a game starts and finishes, but how my opponent and I proceed through a game before it ended.

I tell people about chess and invite them to a club meeting. When they show up, I welcome them and may ask what made a difference in their decision to try. Some people noted my enthusiasm for the game inspired them to check it out. Anyone who knows me can testify to my excitement for chess. Enthusiasm is contagious and when people see that you’re really into something, it can have a positive influence for them - especially when you invite them into trying it. 

I hear the excuses a lot. “It looks too hard or complicated. That’s a smart person’s game.” It is a challenge to get past these stereotypes of chess. People generally want to feel welcome and supported. Helping them realize someone is available to show them how to play can make all the difference. 

I offer people two basic points to consider. First, half of beginning their chess journey is simply learning how the pieces move. Focus on that until they reach a solid comfort where they almost instinctively know exactly what each piece does. Second, I tell them "don’t try to learn chess all at once" when thinking about strategies. Work on one opening, endgame, group of tactics, and move to another. Like anything else, it takes time and effort to have the desired level of success which can be different for every person.

Regardless of skill level, every chess player is an ambassador of the game and they can help spread the love of the game to the next person. People who have not “discovered” their ability to play, but are intrigued by the possibilities, are looking to those of us who are already playing to show them the way. The way we participate speaks volumes to others as to the game being a worthwhile activity to engage. In this manner, we can lead by example and the possibilities are endless. A young chess player in Franklin County made a wonderful statement that really describes chess well in terms of making opportunities possible. "Chess can take us anywhere but it's not about where it takes us. It's about how far it takes us."

Chess has a rich tradition and legacy due to all players on all skill levels. Every player has their own chess story that is constantly evolving. For every person we bring into the game, we are writing chess’ next chapter. Each person who joins is contributing their part to this legacy. 

When asked how you started and why you play, what will your answer be?