Your First Chess Game - Tips for Complete Beginners
Practical, encouraging advice for sitting down to play your very first game without feeling overwhelmed.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: I still remember my first game like it was yesterday. I was forty years old, my hands were actually shaking, and I blundered my queen on move six. My opponent - a very kind woman at a community center - smiled and said, "That happens to everyone." She was right. I have been playing for over twenty years now, and that embarrassing first game is one of my favorite memories.
Lower Your Expectations - Then Lower Them Again
The single best thing you can do before your first chess game is to let go of any expectation of playing well. You are going to make mistakes. You might forget how a piece moves mid-game. You might accidentally put your own king in danger. None of this means anything about your intelligence or your potential.
Think about the first time you drove a car, cooked a new recipe, or tried a new sport. Were you excellent? Of course not. And nobody expected you to be. Chess is no different. The only goal for your first game should be to finish it and to enjoy the experience.
Many beginners put enormous pressure on themselves because chess has a reputation for being an intellectual game. They think that struggling with chess means they are not smart. This is completely false. Chess is a skill, like playing an instrument or speaking a new language. It is learned through practice, not inherited through genius. Give yourself permission to be a beginner.
A Simple Checklist for Your First Game
- Set up the board correctly - Light square in the bottom-right corner. Queen on her own color - white queen on a light square, black queen on a dark square. Eight pawns in the row in front of your pieces. Take your time with setup; there is no rush.
- Start with a center pawn - Move the pawn in front of your king or queen two squares forward. This is almost always a good first move. It immediately starts the fight for the center of the board and opens paths for your bishop and queen.
- Bring out your knights and bishops - After your center pawn, start developing your knights toward the center - f3 and c3 for White. Then bring out your bishops to active diagonals. Do not worry about finding perfect squares; active and developed is far better than sitting on the back row.
- Castle as soon as you can - Once you have moved your kingside knight and bishop, castle by moving your king two squares toward the rook. This protects your king and connects your rooks. Making castling a priority in your first games builds a fantastic habit.
Who to Play Your First Game Against
Your first game should be against someone patient and supportive. If you have a friend who plays chess and is willing to go slowly, that is ideal. If not, playing against a coach set to an easy level is a wonderful option because there is no social pressure and you can take as long as you want on each move.
Avoid playing your first game in a competitive setting or against someone who takes the game very seriously. You want an environment where asking questions is welcome, where taking back a move to try something different is acceptable, and where the focus is on learning rather than winning.
Online platforms can be good for first games if you use the longer time controls. A ten-minute or fifteen-minute game gives you breathing room to think. Avoid one-minute or three-minute games until you are very comfortable with the rules - speed chess when you are still learning the moves is a recipe for frustration, not fun.
What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Things will go wrong in your first game, and that is not just acceptable - it is expected. You might hang a piece, which means leaving it where it can be captured for free. You might miss a checkmate threat. You might get confused about which direction a knight moves. All of these things have happened to every chess player who ever lived.
When you make a mistake, take a breath and keep playing. Do not give up or feel like the game is over. Many beginners resign far too early because they lose a piece and assume they have lost. In beginner games, the advantage swings back and forth constantly. Your opponent will make mistakes too, and you may well recover.
After the game, whether you won or lost, think about one thing you did well and one thing you want to do differently next time. Just one of each. This simple reflection builds improvement naturally without turning the experience into a stressful self-evaluation. Be kind to yourself - you just played a game of chess, and that in itself is something to celebrate.
First Game Anxieties Answered
What if I forget how a piece moves during the game?
This is completely normal and nothing to be embarrassed about. In a casual game, simply ask your opponent. Most chess players are delighted to help a beginner. If you are playing online, the software will only allow legal moves, which actually helps you learn.
Is it okay to take a long time on each move?
In your first games, absolutely. Take as much time as you need. Playing slowly and thoughtfully builds much better habits than rushing. Choose longer time controls or play casual untimed games while you are learning.
What if I get destroyed in my first game?
Then you join the overwhelming majority of chess players who lost their first game badly. It happens to almost everyone and it means nothing about your potential. The players who end up loving chess are the ones who lose their first game and decide to play a second one.
Professor Archer says: Your first game does not define you as a chess player. It is simply the door you walk through to start a wonderful journey. Go in with curiosity instead of pressure, and I promise you will come out wanting to play again.
Quick Quiz
What is the best approach to your very first chess game?
- Study openings for a week first so you are prepared - Over-preparing can increase anxiety and delay the most important step: actually playing. You learn chess by playing chess, and opening study can come later.
- Focus on enjoying the experience without pressuring yourself to play well (Correct) - Correct! Your first game should be about curiosity and enjoyment. Let go of performance pressure, make your moves, and simply experience the game. Everything else builds from there.
- Play as fast as possible to get the awkward phase over with - Rushing leads to frustration, not faster learning. Taking your time helps you absorb the game and build good thinking habits from the very start.
- Only play if you can find an opponent at your exact skill level - While a patient opponent is helpful, waiting for the perfect match can delay you indefinitely. A supportive friend, a coach, or an online game at a longer time control all work wonderfully.