I loved Reddit for what it is, but nothing made me back out of a post faster than seeing the top 3 parent threads as a regurgitation of the same inside jokes, pun-chains, and so on.
Just a simple call-reaponse meme. AnarchyChess ended spreading everywhere. Probably because chess took off with middle and high schoolers during 2020 lockdown.
I mean, adults, too. I’m 28 and I picked up chess again when Queen’s Gambit came out. I had always known how to play but I never knew how to play.
I still don’t. But that’s besides the point.
I still don’t
Then Google en passant xD
I’m in the same boat - I know how to play (horsey moves in an L, bishop goes diagonally etc), but i don’t know how to play (“ah i see you used the classic Cyberpunk Windmill opener, most people respond with either the Frenchman’s Dehumidifier or the Blue Baboon but imma take inspiration from the Smith-Wesson match and try a variation of the Cardboard Cockroach”)
Lol yeah I took enough interest in the post few years to learn some of the more common openings, probably 2 for each color. If you have any interest in chess, I can’t recommend Gotham Chess on YouTube enough. He is hilarious and informative, the perfect combo of teacher and entertainer. Not even just if you want to learn chess but he makes watching chess fun, his recaps of tournaments are fantastic for beginner chess players.
You could argue that knowing (almost) anything with a name to it isnt really knowing “how” to play, its literally a memorization of the best moves to a certain point in the game. When you move outside of those named movesets is when you really need to know how to play the game.
Knowing how to play is as basic as simply knowing how the pieces move, and then moving into things like undefended pieces, discovered checks, double checks, forking, threats, sacrifices, and then even higher level stuff like “gaining a tempo”, endgame combo’s, and yes even the rarely executed windmill haha.
Which is to say… dont get too caught up in the names of stuff if you are just playing for fun, just focus on the mechanics and tactics
Me too, kind of. I’d always played chess on and off my whole life, but after watching queen’s gambit with my bff I found out she’s actually pretty into chess, which prompted me to get more into it too.
If you haven’t, you should check out Gotham Chess on YouTube. I can’t recommend him enough. He is hilarious and informative, the perfect combo of teacher and entertainer. Not even just if you want to learn chess but he makes watching chess fun, his recaps of tournaments are fantastic for beginner chess players.
