# Is there an online site that teaches one how to play chess?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-site-that-teaches-one-how-to-play-chess/267907>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 6, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-site-that-teaches-one-how-to-play-chess/267907 "2004-10-06T19:58:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-site-that-teaches-one-how-to-play-chess/267907/1 "2004-10-06T19:58:58Z")

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A good one?  
I am sure I could google, but I expect one or twelve dopers know of a really good place.

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**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-site-that-teaches-one-how-to-play-chess/267907/2 "2004-10-06T20:12:29Z")

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[www.chessgames.com](http://www.chessgames.com) has a great and easy to use database.

But I really recommend downloading a chess client such as x/win board and playing online at [freechess.org](http://freechess.org), I think what you can learn from books etc is pretty limited.

Just don’t end up like Bobby Fischer 😉

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**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-site-that-teaches-one-how-to-play-chess/267907/3 "2004-10-06T20:33:19Z")

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Let me also add that [www.50chessgames.freeserve.co.uk/](http://www.50chessgames.freeserve.co.uk/) is very useful if you are just beginning. These guys are very nice and their site is not at all pretentious or aloof like some.

They also have a separate site, the URL for which escapes me, that contains tactics lessons etc. Well worth looking for.

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-site-that-teaches-one-how-to-play-chess/267907/4 "2004-10-06T20:46:05Z")

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Thanks **Scarf-Ace**. 🙂