A chessboard (64 alternating black and white squares, the same as a checkerboard)

A set of black and white pieces. Each side includes one king, one queen, two bishops, two rooks (or "castles"), two knights, and eight pawns.

A complete chess set will range anywhere from a few dollars at a thrift store to several thousand for collectible sets.

An hour to learn the rules

Anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours to play a game

2torial #0581: Learn2 Play Chess "I've been rooked!" The ancient game of chess, known as the game of kings, has captivated players for hundreds of years. It's one of the most well-known games of the world, spread throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America. If you have always wanted to learn the game, but felt daunted by the rules, relax. Many people think chess is complicated, but it's no more difficult to learn than many card games. Here is a short guide and full listing of the rules. One player takes white and the other player takes black, although chess pieces are occasionally colored differently. A traditional way of determining sides is for one player to hold a black pawn in one fist and a white pawn in the other. The other player then selects a hand and the pawn inside is the color he or she will play. The advantage of selecting white is that white moves first in the game. The board is then set up. Step 1