Start Learning Chess with Zero Experience
You do not need to know a single chess rule to begin. Professor Archer will guide you from the very first piece to your first full game.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: Some of my favorite students are the ones who walk in knowing absolutely nothing about chess. There is something beautiful about a blank slate. No bad habits to unlearn. No misconceptions to correct. Just pure curiosity and a willingness to learn. If that describes you, I want you to know: you are in exactly the right place, and we are going to have a wonderful time together.
Everyone Starts Somewhere
Every grandmaster who ever lived sat down at a chess board for the first time knowing nothing. Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, Magnus Carlsen, they all had a moment where someone explained to them how the pawn moves. They all had a moment where they confused the bishop and the knight. They all played their first terrible, blunder-filled game and loved it anyway.
The idea that you need some baseline knowledge to start learning chess is a myth that keeps people from experiencing one of the most rewarding intellectual pursuits in human history. You do not need to know anything. You do not need to be particularly smart, gifted, or mathematically inclined. You just need to be curious.
Old School Chess was designed specifically to welcome people with zero experience. The learning path starts at the very beginning: what the board looks like, how the pieces are arranged, and how each piece moves. Professor Archer introduces each concept with the care and patience of someone who genuinely enjoys teaching beginners. There is no assumption that you already know anything.
This starting point is not a simplified or watered-down version of chess education. It is the same foundational knowledge that every strong player has internalized. The difference is that Professor Archer presents it in a way that makes sense, connects to your existing understanding of the world, and builds naturally toward more complex ideas.
Learning the Pieces
The chess board has six different types of pieces, each with its own personality and way of moving. Learning these pieces is your first step, and Professor Archer makes this process engaging and memorable.
You will meet the pawn first, the humble foot soldier who can only move forward but captures diagonally. Despite its simplicity, the pawn has hidden depths: the en passant capture, promotion when reaching the other side of the board, and the critical role pawns play in forming the structure of every game.
Then come the minor pieces: the knight, who leaps in an L-shape and is the only piece that can jump over others, and the bishop, who glides along diagonals and always stays on the same color square. You will learn the rook, a powerful piece that commands entire files and ranks. You will discover the queen, the most powerful piece on the board, combining the abilities of the rook and bishop.
Finally, you will learn about the king, the most important piece whose safety determines the outcome of the game. And with the king comes one of chess's most unique rules: castling, a special move that protects the king and activates the rook in a single turn.
Professor Archer introduces each piece individually, gives you time to practice with it, and helps you understand not just how it moves but why it matters. By the time you have met all six pieces, you will already be thinking like a chess player.
Your First Moves
Once you know how the pieces move, the next step is learning how to start a game. This is where many beginners feel overwhelmed, because the board is full of pieces and the possibilities seem infinite. Professor Archer removes this overwhelm by introducing a few simple, powerful principles that guide your first moves.
The first principle is to control the center. The four central squares of the chess board are the most important real estate on the board, and moving a pawn to occupy or influence those squares is almost always a strong way to begin. The second principle is to develop your pieces. Get your knights and bishops off the back rank and into active positions where they can influence the game. The third principle is king safety. Castling early gets your king to a safer position and connects your rooks.
These three principles, control the center, develop your pieces, and ensure king safety, will guide you through the opening phase of every game you play. And the beautiful thing is that they are not rules to memorize. Once Professor Archer explains why they work, they become intuitive. Of course you want your pieces to be active rather than sitting at home. Of course you want your king to be safe. The logic is natural.
Your first few games will be messy, and that is not just acceptable, it is wonderful. Every mistake is a chance to learn something new. Every surprise is a door opening onto a deeper understanding. Professor Archer will be right there with you, turning each experience into a lesson that builds your foundation.
From Rules to Understanding
There is a critical difference between knowing the rules of chess and understanding the game. Many beginners learn the rules and then feel stuck, unsure of what to do with the knowledge. They can move the pieces legally, but they have no idea what constitutes a good move or a bad one.
Professor Archer bridges this gap by teaching understanding alongside the rules. When you learn how the bishop moves, you also learn why bishops prefer open diagonals and why having a pair of bishops is often an advantage. When you learn about castling, you also learn why king safety is a strategic priority and what can happen when you neglect it.
This integrated approach means that by the time you finish learning the basics, you are not just equipped to play chess. You are equipped to play chess with purpose. You will understand why some moves are better than others. You will start to see patterns and ideas that inform your decisions. You will move from "I can play chess" to "I understand chess" much faster than if you had learned the rules in isolation.
The transition from rules to understanding is where the magic happens. It is the moment when chess stops being a confusing game with arbitrary rules and starts being a beautiful, logical system where every decision has consequences and every position tells a story. Professor Archer lives for that moment, and he is very good at helping students find it.
What You Will Achieve in Your First Month
If you start today with zero chess knowledge, here is what your first month with Professor Archer might look like. In the first week, you will learn how every piece moves, practice basic captures and checkmates, and play your first complete game. It will be imperfect, and it will be exhilarating.
In the second week, you will start learning the three opening principles: center control, piece development, and king safety. You will play more games, and you will notice that applying these principles makes your games feel more organized and purposeful. You will also start recognizing basic tactical patterns like forks and pins.
By the third week, you will be developing a sense for good and bad piece placement. You will understand why knights belong in the center, why bishops need open diagonals, and why rooks want open files. Your games will start to have a shape, a beginning, middle, and end, rather than a chaotic scramble.
In the fourth week, you will begin exploring your first real chess ideas. Maybe you will discover an opening you enjoy and want to learn more about. Maybe you will play an endgame that fascinates you. Maybe you will find a tactical pattern that delights you every time you spot it. Professor Archer will follow your curiosity and deepen your understanding wherever it leads.
Four weeks from knowing nothing to playing purposeful chess with a growing understanding of the game. That is what a personal coach makes possible. And this is just the beginning of a journey that can last a lifetime.
Questions from Complete Beginners
Do I need a physical chess set to learn?
No. Old School Chess provides an interactive board right in the app. You can learn, practice, and play entirely on screen. That said, many students find that having a physical set to practice on is enjoyable and helps reinforce what they are learning. It is entirely optional.
How long does it take to learn all the rules?
Most people can learn how all the pieces move in a single session. Understanding the special rules like castling, en passant, and promotion might take a few more sessions. But remember, knowing the rules is just the starting point. The real joy comes from learning how to use those rules to play beautiful chess.
What if I feel stupid making mistakes?
Every chess player in history has made thousands of mistakes. Mistakes are the primary mechanism through which you learn. Professor Archer treats every mistake as a teaching opportunity, not a failure. You will never feel judged for not knowing something you have not been taught yet.
Is chess really as hard as people say?
Chess is as deep as you want it to be. The basics are accessible to anyone. The game becomes more complex as you advance, but that complexity is part of what makes chess endlessly interesting. With a good coach, the complexity unfolds gradually and naturally, and each new layer is exciting rather than intimidating.
Professor Archer says: By the time you finish your first few sessions with me, you will know how every piece moves, what the goal of the game is, and how to play a complete game from start to finish. More importantly, you will understand why the pieces move the way they do, why certain moves are stronger than others, and why chess has captivated human minds for over a thousand years. The door is wide open, and I cannot wait to walk you through it.
Quick Quiz
What are the three fundamental opening principles in chess?
- Attack the opponent's king, capture as many pieces as possible, and bring out the queen early - This aggressive approach often backfires. Bringing the queen out early exposes it to attack, and chasing captures without a plan leads to disorganized positions. The opening is about building a strong foundation, not immediate aggression.
- Control the center, develop your pieces, and ensure king safety (Correct) - Correct. These three principles guide virtually every strong opening. Control the center to dominate the board, develop pieces to active squares, and castle to protect your king. Everything else in the opening builds on these foundations.
- Memorize twenty moves of theory, copy grandmaster games, and avoid playing pawns - Memorization without understanding is counterproductive, especially for beginners. And pawns are essential to controlling the center and creating structure. The opening is about principles, not memorization.
- Move each piece once, avoid trading pieces, and keep all pawns on their starting squares - While developing each piece is good, avoiding all trades and keeping pawns on starting squares would lead to a passive, cramped position. Pawn moves, especially to the center, are essential for a healthy opening.