Someone asks you : Do you know how to play chess ?

Your response?

?

Just say "yes" and see where it goes from there.

Since most people learned when they were kids it's not really giving them any information.

What do YOU say ? How would YOU answer to this veey simple question

I've been asked this.

I literally only say one word: "yes" and I wait to see what they say next.

It's usually some guy who wants to talk about an app he got on his phone and is rated below 1000.

I'd answer yes. If you know the rules, you know how to play. The question didn't ask how well you can play!

Yes, my friend. I know how to play chess. Should I teach you?

Cothurnatus wrote:

Yes, my friend. I know how to play chess. Should I teach you?

Wow very agressive if you say it like that, you sending pretty much a dare or a challenge ! Some players might be an FM or even an IM , they will have some pride in them and they might respond to you saying : you want to teach me little boy? Put sone money where your mouth is , let's have a game and see who can teach who.

Be careful, especially in Russia saying staff like that without knowing somebody.

Oh, so you were serious with your question.

One time I met a guy after a tournament game who just walked in (he wasn't in the tournament) and he offered to play a game with me.

It was funny because we were both condescending to each other (usually I'm nice, but I was tired after playing all day and wasn't in a good mood). So in between making moves I was chatting with other people, not even looking at the board. Pretty soon, he pulled out his phone and was talking on it during our game (it was G/30 time control).

We played 3 games like this, both of us seeming to have no respect for the other... which was really funny because we were evenly matched. At the end when he had to leave, we were very nice to each other and shook hands

Beat him and ask him the same question

Better than most, worse than some.

I say yes, but then they think I am an obsessive chess psycho when I try to teach them that you can't castle through check but can castle if the rook goes through a line of attack.

No, no one does.

Well, yes.

I love the story about Capablanca who was taking a ship across the Atlantic and saw a man in the ships lounge beating all comers. After a while the man was offering Queen odds and winning. After a little of that he could not find anyone else and saw Capablanca watching him. He asked Capablanca if he played chess. The reply was yes but that he had been watching and that Capablanca would like to play the side without the Queen. When Capablanca won the man was incredulous as were the onlookers. Capa explained he had noticed that playing without your Queen was really just a trick the man used because it really gave him the advantage because you had that extra square for your King to retreat to if it was attacked. ;>)

"Not yet. I'm trying to learn."

#16 good story , but not a full one. You cut it where the most interesting part starts

I heard a story about a guy who used to sit around in the park somewhere with a sign "chess lessons $10", if you beat him it was free.....he was a scammer of course because if you were not that good he would make the game close, so you kept trying....if you were a little better, then he played better, and so on.....

I usually say I only know the pieces move. I'm just like, "Can my horsey move here?" Then it's hilarious when I crush them and they think they lost to a total beginner.

And that is one way to learn , if you have a lot of $10s. If you like stuff like that check out a guy named Jude Acres who played all comers in New Orleans for years.