How were you taught chess?

I began learning chess at the age of 3 weeks. We started with basic king + pawn endgames. (Or, as I liked to call them, "goobo-wabba".) Every time I got a move wrong I was flogged. If I successfully finished an endgame with no mistakes, I was given a doggy treat.

By the age of 3 years, I had memorised every variation of the Ruy Lopez, Italian Game and Queen's Gambit. I could also perfectly play any 6-piece endgame, a human tablebase, if you will. Perhaps my most impressive feat at this time was discovering a depth-to-conversion of 517 moves in one particular endgame- unfortunately, some greedy tablebase creators claimed they had found it themselves.

At 9 years old, I was already stronger than some of the best chess computers in the world. I would train on Fritz each day- my record for the week beginning March 3rd 2003 was my best up to that point, with a score of +6, -0, =1. I was easily the best chess player on the planet, but my father wanted more out of me before he would allow me to see the light of day.

At the age of 12, my dad finally decided I was good enough to leave the basement I was locked in. The light outside was a shining brilliance. I wandered around, dazed by all the colours and sounds. I stepped out into the road and was promptly hit by a bus.

Four weeks later, I awoke from my coma. Everything seemed to be working fine, except for one problem- I had forgotten how to play a decent game of chess. My father promptly disowned me. My dear mother, however, allowed me to stay at her home.

Now I am 16 years old, coming on 17, and though I have improved somewhat since I left hospital, I fear I shall never reach the greatness that I once held in my cold, damp basement.

Nytik

If you're talking to me, then thanks. There seem to be many people who doubt me, and I have to say I am extremely hurt.

Nytik, this story is invalid for only one reason. This is claiming to be someone you are not! I indeed am the man in the story! I look forward to seeing you in court.

Not if I poke your eyes out!

***Nytik smiles triumphantly.

Is that a threat? Oh dear.

Now, now, Chris, lets not go around making wild claims. This is bordering on thread hijacking. Let us be quiet. 

hmm, i dont know why you are both claiming to be the person in the story... when it is quite obvious its me ;)

also Nytik, "goobo-wabba" were not king and pawn endgame, they were rook and pawn endgames. "goobo-gaga" were king and pawn endgames

lol

going back into serious mode, i first encountered the game when my uncle came down to visit us with one of those magnetic, electronic boards which picks up the moves when you move the pieces. i lost numerous times (like you would assume) and then i gave the game up until december of last year. thats when i found this great site, and i have never looked back!

i learned by watching my ex boyfriend and a friend of his play ... once i got the hang of it i started playing quite well (this was about 9 years ago now)

he got sick of me keep beating him so we stopped playing til about 2 and a half years ago when i got my computer, thats wen i discovered online chess 

@Nytik: that almost qualifies as child abuse

My dad taught me the moves when I was about three. I became a bit obsessed with the game in my late teens, and I was lucky enough to have a couple of opponents who did become strong players, eventually. I played in a few tournaments, but didn't do all that well, as I remember. It was stressful, my opponents were seasoned. I had to think out every move when I didn't know the opening: they clearly knew what they were doing.

I did other things in life. I've taken it up chess again casually and play for relaxation now. I have a couple of regular partners I play with at local bars. It's surprising how many people want in on our games. Chess has given me a lot of fun over the years.

I never, not even once,  beat my dad at chess. I suppose I might now,
but I wouildn't take it very seriously at this point. He's older now. Not the opponent he once was

i was so young that I can't remember...I just remember my father having a chess book in his shelf when I was very young and I think that I learnt it from that book with a little nudging from him.

What a wonderful game invented in the east!

I know this will be hard to believe (even harder than Nytik's story), but I am the son of two chess pieces, a king and a queen. When my mother (queen) gave birth to me, she vowed to make me the best chess player ever to walk the face of the earth, but then something terrible happened. My mother, she was... captured, and my dad was checkmated, so now I am staying with their friends, knight and bishop trying to fufill my destiny, although, I stink at chess and the only way I will become as great as my mother wanted is to get better, there I said it, and if I don't get better, bishop and knight will throw me out onto an open chess board against a queen, 2 pawns, a knight, and a bishop. I must improve or all will be lost...

i was 4 and my cousin was playing it i kept on asking what that does and so on and she explained it i tookit in then when i went to school i leart all the rules

I was enlisted in a summer recreation group at my elementary school. I was taught chess there during the times we all played a board game. Didn't take any real interest into chess until very recently (like 2 weeks ago).

Funny!

I learned to play at school.  During study hall, lunch, after school.  Kids were playing games and I started watching.  I asked someone to teach me how to play, they accepted and we would have take back moves.  When I made a bad move my opponent would ask are you sure you want to make that move?  If I said yes, he would take advantage of my incorrect move.  Then we would back it up and he would either show me a better move or allow me to make another move.  After losing many games I began to read chess books.  I also played other chess players until I began to win.  We never really had a chess club at school, we just had guys who liked to play chess.  I also have taught other to play, using the take back method.  I also play without my queen from the start when playing beginners.

I was about six when my step-dad taught me how the pieces move. I didn't get interested in chess until very recently.

After being caught in a jigsaw trap by the jigsaw killer, this recording came on that said "I want to play a game". Suddenly this chess set came rolling out in a wagon. Talk about a killer chess set.

I played a game on the computer a couple of years ago. Because of that, I learned how to move the pieces, so I just learned myself. Chess.com is also useful and I'm still learning :)