Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you can find my answers to frequently asked questions. I tried to answer the questions asked by people enquiring about chess lessons or what I thought was important when it came to chess.
What is the earliest age one can start learning to play chess ?
There’re no age limits to enjoy the game. I find that even 4-5 year old can easily pick up a few things about chess if taught in a playful mode.
Can a child master the game just by playing ?
Playing games is definitely beneficial in gaining practice. Even though combining playing and studying chess regularly is the key to a rapid improvement.
Is one hour of practice per week enough to become good at chess ?
The chess goddess Caissa would like you to work on chess an hour a week PLUS bits and bobs on other six days of the week to start with…
Where can I play chess online ?
Chess websites I recommend using to improve at chess are listed below. Here you can play against a computer or another player from all over the world. You can choose different time control starting with 0.5 minutes per game up to days to make your move. You can solve chess puzzles or listen to lessons by experienced chess players and that way improve your practical games.
I like chess.com You can read my blog post about it here.
and lichess.org which is completely free to use.
There is also a junior version called ChessKid.com
chesspuzzle.net seems to be quite good for puzzle solving.
Is there a chess program to use for chess training and preparation for chess tournaments ?
Yes, there is! It is called a ChessBase program and is used by majority of competitive chess players for the tournament preparation.
It can be purchased at ChessBase Online Shop here
or at Chess and Bridge Online Shop here
Chess and Bridge Shop have a shop in London. See the map with their address below:
Can a chess game be won in two moves ?
Yes, but only with Black. Get your chessboard out. Also, make sure you know chess notation. I am giving you the moves:
- g2-g4 e7-e5 2. f2-f4 Qd8-h4X
White needs 3 moves to win in the quickest way if Black plays weakest moves possible.
- e2-e4 g7-g5 2. d2-d4 f7-f6 3. Qd1-h5X
In both case the idea in a game is the same – the side which lost the game has weakened the diagonal leading to their king for no reason whatsoever. Normally chess players make more meaningful moves than that. Therefore, the chess games last longer than the examples above.
What are the upcoming chess events in Suffolk (UK) ?
I run fun and classical chess events and tournaments. Please, have a look at the Tournaments/Events section. Other useful links are:
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/event-calendar/
http://www.suffolkjuniorchess.org/
