What can you say? You need to get a book to learn the basic setup. Play against a computer to improve your skills.

Love to play, but as they say, worthy opponent are rare. No one wants to devote several hours to a game.

I don't care for chess, but a good game of checkers is always fun.

a game of tatics and thinking, where the slightest mistake can makle all the difference.

Most likely originating in central Asia (Persia or India) and the oldest known game still play, Chess is the epitome of simplicity, complexity and strategy. The Western version ultimately was settled in the medieval courts of Europe, resulting in castles, knights, and bishops. I used to play during my junior and high school years, but when I tried again some years ago (against a basic computer program), the results were not pretty. This game is not like riding a bike in that (if not used) one's skills fade quickly. As other comments noted, another bonus is that Chess has no real chance factor, as there are no cards dealt, dice rolled, or wheels spun. The bottom line is that the Chess player is only at the mercy of their own limitations and the actions of one's opponent. There's a reason why chess champions are held in higher esteem than Monopoly champions and why there are Chess clubs in schools and not Clue clubs.

Well, i mena, this is chess. Really. There's no strategy like chess. Its the game of all games. And if you win, you feel incredibly smart for some reason.

The greatest board game ever. Tests your patience and perception. . .but it can be just as fun putting on a death-metal album, bringing out a few beers, and having a 'loud' match with your buddy. . .the game never stops challenging and no two games are exactly the same. Easy game to learn, difficult to master. . .

I love it. Encourage my teenage sons to play it with me as a means of teaching them to focus their thoughts. Anything to help them stick with boring school work:) I bought myself a little chess computer $39 which is great for those times when noone wants to play. Takes about 15mins per game if I set the level around 10. Levels go up to 72 but the higher you go- the longer you have to wait for the comp to make it's move and I'm not patient enough for that.

THE classic board game. Cannot be beaten by the catchy gimmics of new games. Can be played over a few minutes or a lifetime.

Chess is a mental exercise that IBM still can't solve, even after two good trys at it. The human ability to leap beyond logic keeps the grandmasters one step ahead of the competition. As much a game of intuition as it is logic and planning.

One of the oldest games too, at least in the west, though it's been through a number of changes over the centuries. Originated in India I'm told. The professionals tend to have fascinating personalities - many of them completely off their rockers.

"Chess is JUSTICE!" Everything is "equal" at the beginning, you, your nerves, skills, your resistance, your IQ, your strength of analyze will turn this equality to advantage or disadvantage... If you live by the help of others and if you are a loser, if you always want help at anything you face then you will not love this colossal GAME. And staying away from chess is soo easy, the hard thing to achieve is daring to play. With my respects... Cinar

I actually don't know how to play this game correctly, so I usually just pretend to sneeze and knock over all the pieces when I think I'm losing.

I learnt how to play this at the age of 4 I had a natural talent in 1996 when I was 7 I won the regional tournament so was best for my age in Liverpool In 2000 I was second best for my age Oh and I never practised:) Too bad they don't do it anymore in high school and all the kids who still do it are really good as they have private coachs etc. which I couldnt afford

Luck has very little to do with it, love those kind of games. :)

The ultimate board game...........

I'd describe chess as a game that's easy to learn and incredibly difficult to master as once you get into it there's a whole wealth of different strategies to use and a vast scope of different playing styles to discover. This is because of the simply astounding number of move combinations that can occur in each new game. Seventeen octillion combinations can occur in the first ten moves!

chess isnt a romantic game it doesnt turn me on

If you want an extreme challenge, get two Einsteins together and watch them struggle to overcome the other in this game. Chess is a great game-- all about strategy. People who are not strategy-inclined will sink faster than the Titanic if they put all their marbles out on the table. Bottom line: chess is great and squelches any other board game, with the exception of Monopoly.

A fine game, but only if played between equals. If there is too much of a skill gap between players, it is like watching ice melt.

The ultimate strategic game. You always think you have the perfect strategy, then you go to play somebody and you still get beat. It sucks when you can't find someone you CAN beat, but when you can it's a blast.

am so good at it

Perfect. The best thing is as long as you're evenly matched it's fun even if you're not that good at it. Also, while complicated the rules are nowhere near as arcane as those for some games.

I don't mind playing this for fun but some people take it way too seriously. I don't have 5 hours to dedicate to your chess game, sorry.

The most perfect of games. Nothing is left to chance: it is your mind against your opponent's. There is a beauty in a perfectly-executed combination which passes beyond strategy into aesthetics. Chess is a beautiful game: if you don't play yet, try it! As white I tend to play the queen pawn openings; as black I like the Sicilian or the Slav.

This game is ok as long as you are the type of person who loves to pay attention and concentrate. I don't think it is necessarily fun however, as it can be stressful in some situations. It is fun to watch chess tournaments sometimes, too. But like I said, only play if you are serious. It can be quite tedious and boring if you are playing for fun....

Good game to play when there's nothing better to do. It's not as hard to learn as some people may make it seem.

Chess is awesome. It is a thinking man/woman's game and I play it as often as I can. I will admit that I am not very good at it though.

Chess is a game of strategy, analytical thinking/logic, and patience; however, I'm not entirely sure that it really requires much "intelligence". Study and determination is usually rewarded with skillful play, rather than some raw intellect ever could. Study pays off in any arcade fighting game, and those should probably be valued just as well. Chess is fairly boring for me at the moment, but I'm going to keep playing until I discover how I really feel about the game. Ah... we'll see, right now: 4/5.

I'll be honest, I'm 30 years old and I still never fully devoured the game of chess because I realize that different pieces only move to different places and that just confuses the hell out of me but I admire the die hard players, not only does it teach strategy but teaches skill and willpower.

it gives me a head ache every time i play. i have to think so much. besides b'more chess g'hetto chess niggas be cheatin and you will get beat up fo winning so i jus don't play

Great game. Makes you think. But, the biggest problem with it is the isolationism. It attracts incredibly introverted people. That's why I gave up chess and switched to bridge. That's where the chess party animals go.

Chess is really a great game. There is not a more strategical game around in which so much cerebral effort is exerted.

Game for the thinker. All about saving/killing the king. I would have to say chess is an all time ame for the masters of the mind. Gary Kasperov best in the world beaten by deep blue. incredible strategies definitely get into this game.

I love the strategic and problem-solving aspects of Chess, but I don't like or seem to have the amount of concentration it takes to be consistently good at it. Still, it is a great game to play every once in a while. I have a beautiful glass chess set that I treasure.

I really used to like chess when I was smaller. You know, grade-school chess club and all that stuff. My father gave me an alabaster chess set when I was 7 years old, and I basically taught myself. As I grew older I lost interest in chess because I took no pleasure in making people feel small when I would say "Check---and mate!" Eventually no one wanted to play me and so I abruptly quit. Now I couldn't even beat a beginner. (Not that I care.) Chess doesn't hold that same awe as it did when I was a young'un. Besides, certain people take these strategy games way too seriously. More people these days like role-playing games such as D & D and Ultima.

chess is for wussies

Chess is a good thinking game to learn stratagies.

one game where age is less discriminated against. there exists plenty of players 50yr + who still play internationally.

This is a game of war through strategic placement of pieces. It is an excellent game to learn as a child and can be played throughout the rest of your life. This game is also great for trips to cafes, parks, home celebrations and just time to relax with friends.

Chess is a great in all, but what I don't understand is why it is such a popular game. What's so great about it? It's almost like checkers except that you have to move certain ways. So why don't they have a checkers tournament like chess? Also chess is boring. It takes hours to get a checkmate or for the other person to get a checkmate.

Chess is one of the oldest mindgames. Each move has to be strategically planned. Some of the rules can get complicated, but overall it's a really good way to "school" someone.

A very challenging game that makes your mind percieve you opponent's next move. Chess can be played by a person of any age. Man vs. woman it doesn't matter because unlike conventional sports, there's no physical aspect. The person who will win will be the smarter person.

Chess is hella fun. It's a good game to play when you need to kill time. Chess is really fun when you're good at it. The more strategy, the faster you win.

I love this game because it takes a lot of thinking. It's not a quick simple game because you have to figure out a strategy to keep one step ahead of you opponent.

The ultimate game of strategy. It's the best because it's simple and can be played anywhere. It's a game that you cannot get tired of. A game that will live forever as the best board game.

This game is great for engaging children in strategic thinking. Many find the game hard or think that it takes a lot of time. My five-year-old taught me how to play after learning in daycare during summer school. It teaches patience, thinking processes and strategies.

I like chess because it's a strategic game. It's almost like war and you have to outwit your opponent. You have limited pieces so you have to protect them and attack. It is a very challenging game where you need time and concentration to defeat your opponent.

This game is awesome. Great for any age. Will keep anyone entertained for hours if they have someone to play with. Chess can also be used to stimulate the mind because it has strong strategical emphasis.

I feel smart when I play this game. Chess combines strategy, with patience, with experience, with the awareness that you are playing a game that has been played in the same way for hundreds of years. When I am rich and famous, one of the few luxury items which I plan to spend big bucks on is a handmade, world-class chess set. I have been looking for the right set for the past ten years or so, but still haven't found THE one. I'll know it when I see it...