Introduction To Chess 2025

Chess Fundamentals + Developing Strategy and Skills

What you'll learn

Master Chess Basics: Understand the chessboard, piece movements, rules of play, and game outcomes to establish a clear foundation.

Use Chess Notation: Accurately read, write, and communicate chess moves with standard notation for effective learning and game review.

Think Strategically: Apply the Game Tree method to evaluate moves systematically, plan ahead, and make sound strategic choices.

Learn Patterns: Execute essential checkmates and endgame techniques, including basic mating patterns and pawn endings, to convert advantages into victories.

Improve Through Analysis: Apply fundamental opening principles and analyze games critically to identify mistakes, refine strategies, and enhance performance.

Requirements

No prior knowledge of chess is required. This course is designed for complete beginners.

Learners need an openness to an academic-style course and the ability to pay attention to details.

Access to a computer (preferably), tablet, or smartphone with internet is recommended for practicing on free online chess platforms.

Description

“This course contains the use of artificial intelligence.”Between 2008 and 2013, I actively pursued chess and represented the Iranian youth national team twice (2010 and 2012), with our team finishing third in the Asian blitz section in 2012. That same year, my teammates and I also won the Iranian Premier League. Like most competitive chess players, I participated in and won many individual tournaments. Although I haven’t competed in official tournaments for several years, at the time of creating this course my online play placed me among the top 1% of players worldwide, according to a Lichess profile I created specifically for this course.Having devoted much of my youth to chess and later trained in computational sciences, I now see an opportunity to combine my scientific perspective with my understanding of chess. That’s why I created this Introduction to Chess course: designed specifically for beginners, it provides a clear, solid foundation while showing the game through a computational and scientific lens. No prior chess knowledge is required—just an openness to an academic-style approach and attention to detail.The course is divided into two parts:Part 1 (S1–S5) covers the essential chess rules and notation in just over one hour.Part 2 (S6–end) focuses on improving gameplay and developing strategic thinking in under two hours.

Overview

Section 1: S1: A Quick Tour

Lecture 1 S1: A Quick Tour

Section 2: S2: Coordinates

Lecture 2 S2: Coordinates

Section 3: S3: Chess Pieces

Lecture 3 S3: Chess Pieces (Rook, Bishop and Queen)

Lecture 4 S3: Chess Pieces (Knight)

Lecture 5 S3: Chess Pieces (King)

Lecture 6 S3: Chess Pieces (Pawn)

Section 4: S4: Game Results

Lecture 7 S4: Game Results (Win)

Lecture 8 S4: Game Results (Draw)

Lecture 9 TA1: Practice by Playing Online

Section 5: S5: Chess Notation

Lecture 10 S5: Chess Notation

Lecture 11 TA2: Practice Chess Notation

Section 6: S6: Game Tree

Lecture 12 S6: Game Tree

Section 7: S7: Piece Checkmates

Lecture 13 S7: Piece Checkmates

Lecture 14 TA3: Practice Piece Checkmates

Lecture 15 A1: Two Bishops Checkmate (Optional)

Lecture 16 A2: Knight and Bishop Checkmate (Optional)

Section 8: S8: Endgame

Lecture 17 S8: Endgame

Section 9: S9: Complex Position Evaluation

Lecture 18 S9: Complex Position Evaluation

Section 10: S10: Chess Openings

Lecture 19 S10: Chess Openings

Lecture 20 TA4: Practice Chess Openings

Section 11: S11: Game Analysis

Lecture 21 S11: Game Analysis

Lecture 22 TA5: Practice Game Analysis

Total beginners,Players stuck at beginner or intermediate level,Experienced players seeking a fresh, computational perspective