Reading books or lessons are not worth much if you do not practice what you did learn because to really remember it you must do it on a board.
The two go together! learning + doing what you learned! by playing often.
I was well past the age of 50 when I learned by playing against myself using the "No Stress Chess" set. The board is marked with what pieces go where, and you start the game with the e- and d-file pawns already in the most common opening. Then you draw cards to tell you your next move, and the cards explains how that piece can move.
I never learned much beyond the basics, but I like working chess puzzles.
I learned billiards when I was 8. Been at the table up to 22 yrs old. Somewhere in 20 yrs old I learned the rules of chess, that started to cure my billiard addiction. Now and then I have a new addiction. And I am verry happy on it. Hahaha.
cool - I play billiards too. Yeah, chess was just another game to me too 
Learnt the game in my 30's. Used an early chess computer (Saitek I think) and then stopped. Started again at 69 yrs and soon after discovered Chess.com. That was 7 years ago. I'm mainly interested in tactical puzzles.
I stumbled across a funny and interesting chess video when I was 22 and an interest in watching analysis videos on YouTube developed from there. I knew the pieces and how they moved since I was young and had a really nice set but never bothered playing. I didn't know anyone else who really cared either, to be honest.
I kept watching analysis videos for quite a few years until I discovered Chess.com's puzzles maybe when I was 29, maybe 30. By then I knew a lot about historical players, current big names in the game, concepts within the game but I enjoyed it as a spectator since I couldn't lose games by just watching!
Now I'm 33, I use Chess.com every day for games, puzzles and I watch a lot. I'm still terrible but who cares? The years of enjoyment and interest I've gained and the years of intrigue and joy lying ahead of me within chess make it a wonderful part of my life, win lose or draw!
I learned chess at five by watching my dad play it on a computer. I picked up how the pieces moved and quickly understood the game.
However, I didn’t have anyone to play against: elementary school kids couldn’t keep up, my dad last played me when I was seven (he doesn’t like losing), and chess master 3000 (or whatever the game was) could only provide so much a challenge before it crushed me.
Eventually, when I was nine, my teacher not only played, but played better than me. We played and I really enjoy the complex positions that would develop, and trying to solve the puzzles to win. I didn’t beat him, and after moving to fourth grade, I gave it up for years. I ran into said teacher a few years back, we chatted, and he got me to play him in a game.
We still play and chat, and I finally got a win against him (I think over the past four years, I have more wins against him than losses, so yay). He reminded me how much I enjoy the game, and I am thankful I got back into it after an extended hiatus.
cool - I play billiards too. Yeah, chess was just another game to me too
I believe a Russian poet fabricated a poem about Lenin, mentioning he liked the game of billiards. Vladimir objected, stating chess would have more practicality. So if you like chess to a greater extent, you billiard players, be sure to become the next dictator. I think the salary’s a bit lower than usual in this pandemic though.
I started playing chess from 6 and after a long gap of 4 years I resumed chess for another 3 years and now I am 13 😉😉
At 8 my mom forced me to join a chess club. I had no experience and I was easily the worst player. So I stopped until I was 10. Now I'm 13 and still suck.
At 8 my mom forced me to join a chess club. I had no experience and I was easily the worst player. So I stopped until I was 10. Now I'm 13 and still suck.
Damn.
I started in kindergarten(5 years) and quit in 6th grade due to a lack of progress
but now I’m back
I started at 8, unfortunately the best age is 3-4.
Ikr, those four year olds be sitting on everybody
But you need to play more than 2 games to get good!
Try 15+10 sec games ,you will have the time to think a lot more?