I first learned how to play chess at age 10, after seeing a chess-related episode of "Mission: Impossible" on TV. I was instantly captivated by the game, fascinated by the look of the classic Staunton pieces, its system for recording moves (the old "descriptive" notation was still in use then, with its "Pawn to King 4" and "Knight to King's Bishop 3", etc.), and just the whole general mystique of the game. I simply *had* to learn more about it! And I did. Been playing ever since. 😊 Although, to be honest, the game didn't really start to make any sense to me until I was about 16, when I observed two friends of mine playing and I finally was able to glean some of the ideas behind their moves. From that moment on, I had a totally different perspective on the game and how to make moves that had a real purpose or plan behind them. It was a real "A-ha!" moment, a real revelation for me! I've never seen the game the same way since!