Learning Chess at the U3A

Dear Friends, Lennie Lower once explained that "chess is played on a black and white board. All the white squares are next to the black squares, and all the black squares are next to the white squares. This is to keep them separate. Then you are given a handful of rooks (not the kind you know) and pawns, and kings, and queens, and bishops, and castles which you spread out on the board indiscriminately. You then go to sleep. The first to wake up moves something on the board, and then it is the other player's turn." Chess is fun to play and easy to learn. Here are some websites which make it easier still: Chess notations are those mysterious codes which describe the moves. We won't get into them much but those who wish to learn chess from a book or replay some matches, can read about them at www.logicalchess.com/info/reference/notation/ The history of chess is interesting. Read up on it on the website scsc.essortment.com/chesshistory_rmct.htm There is even a circular chess! Click here for full explanations of each chess piece's movements and to test your newly acquired skills, you can play some online chess on the website chess.delorie.com And here's some required reading. One interactive website I found particularly instructive is Chess is Fun - click on "Openings", then on "Seven Opening lessons for beginners" and play the moves by clicking on the > (greater than) symbol. Here is another CHESS system - but you probably already knew that! Have fun! - and see you in class! Peter Goerman "Riverbend" Nelligen N.S.W. 2536 email riverbend@batemansbay.com   P.S. Building your own website is fun - and very, very easy! Here's an online tutorial to get you started: www.wigglebits.com   Commences Friday, 17 October 2003, at 10 a.m. at the Bridge Club, Batemans Bay, for five weeks. Next page