seven. I got really mad at my mom so I didn't say check and I ate her queen. =)
How old were you when you started playing chess?
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10, I remember thinking that I created Philidor’s Defense. Lol, then my dad pointed out that it was played since 1749 and checkmated me.
somewhere between 7 & 10 ...No computers back then...
Oct 21, 2008
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#65
I started playing at age 19, when I read Fred Reifeld's book," The Complete Chess Player". Of course after reading it I was no where close but it gave me a start.
I was 5 years old when I learned to play chess, but it was our own version, with no castling and the ability to play on even after the King was taken. I learned the proper game at age 12 (1969), when a family friend showed me chess notation and Fred Reinfeld books. I've been a devoted addict ever since.
I was too OLD- actually 24- I was stationed overseas and my supervisor taught me to play while we drank beer. I didn't learn much 
except the basics. I am still trying to learn at 60+. I have figured out the beer part pretty well though.
IrishMike 
i started to play a little bit in my teens
My Dad started playing when he was 6.
4 when i started
anyone else?
Nov 3, 2008
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#72
I was 24................................ months. My first word(s) were QuereenGambertdeclinnned
7
Nov 3, 2008
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#74
An adult (18yrs) and to old to become a GM and most likely to old to become an IM as well.
i learned how to move the pieces as 8
i learned how to really play about the time i joined this site.
Nov 4, 2008
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#76
I was really young when I learned how to play chess, mostly from watching my Dad play his friends and then having my older brother teach me so he had someone to play with. Despite playing on and off for so long I've nver been very good, still can't beat my twin sister, who can only beat our older brother when he's tired, who in turn can't beat our Dad. So there's a whole pecking order... As an aside, I don't know any of our ranks.
Nov 4, 2008
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#77
When I was still very young my dad bought me a chessboard (probably around 5?). Soon after I joined a chess club and learned how to wipe my father off the board.
I thought myself at 11 years of age, but I was intigued for my father use to play all the time, that is where my love of chees started!
Nov 4, 2008
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#79
My first game was played on the living room floor by the light of the christmas tree. Santa brought me a chess set when I was nine. My dad and I read the rules and started playing. I can still remember how I chased his King into a corner and then criss-crossed my Rooks to checkmate him. I think that's the only game of Chess my Dad has played in all of his 82 years. (Dad has never been very cerebral.) As for me? Well, I went on to become an average chess player who didn't play very much for the next 51 years, until I discovered chess on the internet. Then I became obsessed.
I started playing Chess at 8, against my Mom, while bored on vacation one day. It was back in the 60's and at that time, we had to end up getting 4 cheapo sets before actually obtaining All the Rules. Combining parts from each. Then started tournaments at 12, getting rated 777 for my efforts.
***
Eventually ending up near 2100 Expert in otb tournaments. But really excelling in Postal play, reaching Master, and having the good fortune to play 3 games vs players who were in the World Correspondence Championship cycle of ICCF and drawing all 3. Also getting to play a number of club champions and several USA champions. It was rewarding because actually, I was not good at Chess, as in being a "natural" player like Capablanca or Anand for instance. Rather had to work my way up with much study and competition.
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The message here is: if you are rated lower than you like, you can get much better if you want it enough and put the effort into it. Perhaps it will take over a decade, like me. But it can be done just as long as you can find some fascination in the game. I put in over 5000 hours of study + play to reach Master.
Good skill to you, if you are trying to improve. Regards, Craig A.C.