Stepsies
For the parent

How to teach chess to kids

In short

Teach one thing at a time, in 10-minute sessions: first the board, then one piece a session with a mini-game for that piece, then check and checkmate, then full games. Add the special moves (castling, en passant, promotion) when they first come up in a game.

What to teach at each age

Age 3 to 4

Name the pieces and set up the board together. Play with only pawns, or hide a piece and ask which one is missing. Stop while it is still fun.

Age 5 to 6

One piece a session, each with a mini-game: the pawn game, rook against pawns, the knight hop. Start check and checkmate with only a few pieces on the board.

Age 7 to 8

Full games. Teach castling, promotion and en passant as they come up. Show the quick mates so your child can spot them, and stop them.

Age 9 and up

Opening rules, forks and a few puzzles a day. Play slow games and talk about one move after each game.

These ages are a guide. Go by your child's interest: stop while it is still fun.

Step by step

  1. 1Learn the board together

    1. DoPut the board between you, with a light square in each right-hand corner.
    2. Say“This is our battlefield. Each side has 16 pieces.”
    3. Ask“Can you find the queen? Put her on her own color.”
    4. Child“The white queen goes on the light square in the middle.”

    Lesson 1: Set up the board ›

  2. 2One piece a session, with a mini-game

    1. DoPut only the eight white pawns and eight black pawns on their start squares.
    2. Say“Today we play the pawn game. The first pawn to reach the other side wins.”
    3. Ask“Your pawn is blocked. Can it capture straight ahead?”
    4. Child“No. A pawn captures one square diagonally.”
    5. TipDo the same with each piece: rook against four pawns, bishop against four pawns, then the knight hop. One piece a session is enough.

    Lesson 3: The pawn ›

  3. 3Check and checkmate

    1. DoPut a white king and rook against a black king, with the black king near an edge.
    2. Say“When a king is attacked, it is check. If he can't get away, it is checkmate, and the game is over.”
    3. Ask“Is my king in check? How can he get out?”

    Lesson 10: Check and checkmate ›

  4. 4Full games

    1. DoPlay a full game. Leave the special moves out until they come up.
    2. Say“You can take back a move if you see a mistake. Tell me why you want to change it.”
    3. TipWhen your child is about to lose a piece, ask: Is anything of yours under attack? This teaches the habit to look before each move.

    Lesson 12: Castling ›

  5. 5First wins and puzzles

    1. DoShow scholar's mate on the board, then play it against your child.
    2. Say“This is a famous trap. Now you know it, so you can stop it.”
    3. Ask“Which square do the queen and bishop attack?”
    4. Child“The square next to the king, f7.”

    Lesson 20: Puzzles ›

Mini-games

Small games with only a few pieces teach one idea at a time, and a child can win them early.

The pawn game

Each side has only its eight pawns. The first pawn to reach the far row wins. If a player can't move, that player loses.

Rook against pawns

One white rook against four black pawns. The child takes all the pawns in as few moves as possible. Then try with a bishop or a queen.

Knight hop

Put a knight on one square and a coin on another. Count how many jumps the knight needs to reach the coin.

Capture the king

For children who are new to check: play with a few pieces, and the first player to capture the king wins. Later, change to the real rule: the king is never captured; the game ends at checkmate.

Questions parents ask

What age should a child start chess?

Many children start at 4 or 5 with the names of the pieces and the pawn game, and play full games at 6 or 7. Start when your child is curious, and keep the sessions short.

How do I teach chess to a 5 year old?

Teach one piece a session with a mini-game, in 10 minutes or less. Use only the pieces you need: the pawn game with eight pawns each is a good first game. Stop while your child still wants to play.

How do I teach chess to a 4 year old?

Name the pieces, set up the board together and play the pawn game. A 4 year old can learn how most pieces move. Full games usually come later.

Should I let my child win?

Sometimes, early on, so the game stays fun. Better: play a weaker game on purpose, take back your child's mistakes in the first games, and say why a move is good. When your child wins for real, celebrate it.

Is chess easy to learn?

The moves are easy to learn in a week or two of short sessions. The rules that confuse most beginners are castling, en passant and stalemate, so each has its own lesson here.