Learn to Play!
New to chess? Start here!
ChessHootz subscription challenges will take you from Beginner to Veteran, but before that, you need to learn how to play!
New to chess? Start with these free ChessHootz below! Each start with a 30-second lesson, then quiz you on what you have learned. You can repeat them at any time to help solidify your knowledge of the game.
WELCOME
Welcome to Chess
Just click the “Open” button below and enter you “nickname” to get started!
Welcome to Chess!
A quick overview of the board, pieces, object of the game, and even a little history and current events!
Rooks & Bishops
Learn HOW to move these long-range pieces and WHERE to place them in the opening moves.
Queen & King
The most important piece and the most powerful piece!
Knights & Pawns
The two tricky pieces. Each gets their own video within the ChessHootz!
Chess Piece Review
Test your knowledge of the movements of the six different pieces on the chess board.
RULES
Rules of the Game
Quick & Easy – If you THINK you know all the rules, challenge yourself with these ChessHootz.
If you are still learning, make sure to watch each short video carefully so you can correctly answer the questions.
Just click the “Open” button below and enter you “nickname” to get started!
Check & Checkmate
Did you know that you can never capture the king? CHECK this out!
Draws
Not every game ends with someone winning or losing. Learn about the five basic draws, especially Insufficient Material and Stalemate.
Castling
Special moves come with special rules. Learn all the tricky rules about when you can and cannot castle.
Pawn Promotion
Did you know that it’s possible for a player to have 9 queens on the board at the same time?
Enjoy this ChessHootz and take another step towards promoting yourself to chess excellence!
En Passant
The least known, least understood rule in chess. You might want to do this ChessHootz more than once!