Learning to Play
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As a child a generation ago, I learned by watching my father play with his friends, without actually being taught about the mechanics of the game. As I began to play with my brother and friends, I started to appreciate the game, with its own simplicities and complications. It is also best to have the actual board and chess pieces with you. You may also follow the different links in the Learn menu above. Just have fun and good luck! 
You can start right here at Chess.com check ou the following link.
http://www.chess.com/article/view/chess-rules--basics
Aswell as using the above link try playing against this sites chess programme under drop down box play, feels like a real achievement once you beat it!
I learned by learning the chess notation first, then going though the games. That way I soon learned how the pieces moved.
I'm a novice too, albeit I've known the basics of how the pieces & pawns move for decades. From what I've been able to gather, the best ways to learn chess are, in this order...
- Be born into the Polgár family
- Attend a Russian chess academy from childhood
- employ the services of a private chess tutor (which I like to call the Howard Stern method)
- join a chess club (again, preferably as a small child)
- take advantage of the incredible range of chess software currently available--Fritz, Chessmaster, Rybka, Chess Mentor, Advance Chess School (which is free) etc...
I have just joined Chess.com and am a complete beginner not having played before. What is the best way to learn how to play?