learning for a beginner

I am new to chess. I have read a couple of books and have been playing on chess.com. There is so much information out there, that I am just getting confused. I have lost the last 5 games I played.  Chess Mentor is way above my level. It talks about openings I have never heard of. If I was to get a coach or go to a web site, is there a training program to help beginners improve? How would you go about teaching someone that is new the game ofchess?

Try finding a higher rated player to go over the basics of the game. And also there are some great groups here on chess.com.

http://www.chess.com/groups/home/c-project

http://www.chess.com/groups/home/chess-unlimited

Go out and buy chessmaster: grandmaster edition. Just go thru the training course. Thats the easiest way to learn the basics. If you know how all the pieces move, then you need to learn the 5 tactics. (Forks, Pins, Skewers aka X Ray attacks, discovered attacks, and undermining aka removing the defender). All these are covered in chessmaster, but if you ask enough people, or find a book for beginners you should be OK. Dont worry about openings till you understand these tactics.

Chessmaster is how I learned how to play.  It has great tutorials.  I like to think I taught myself...but really chessmaster did lay the groundwork for my learning the game

Thanks for the advice. I'll try and find  a copy of Chessmaster.

The above recommended chessmaster. That's excellent advice, and a definite place to start. However, realize that there is no substitute for a living, breathing, person, a mentor who will help you through your many questions. Join a club, or find someone near you who is good at chess, and willing to show you a thing or two on the board. Interactive CD's and books should do the rest, if you apply them correctly.

And don't forget, practice! Don't worry too much about the games you lose here, just try to learn from the mistakes, and it's a win-win situation.

I am also a beginner, but I have found this website to be very helpful at learning tactics. It is very thorough and easily understood by someone at a beginner's level. I don't have any experience with Chessmaster, but Mr. Farnsworth's book covers all the tactics listed above.

http://chesstactics.org/

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

Chess master is a great piece of software. I use it every single day and it's very reasonably priced. If you want to pdf files (chess books), drop me a message at my profile.