How to Learn Chess at 50: Getting Started

Chess has been experiencing a surge in popularity lately, with people of all ages taking up the sport to relax, sharpen their minds, and avoid doom-scrolling. Popular shows like The Queen’s Gambit have shed new light on chess, portraying it as an exciting and dramatic pursuit. Famous chess icons have been in the news (sometimes for dubious reasons), and awareness of the sport's broad reach is growing. So, if all this coverage has got you wondering how to learn chess, especially if you're older. Here is how to do it!

No time like the present to hop on the chess bandwagon! Welcome to the beginning of my personal chess journey. My name is Rebecka Ratcliffe. While I've been on the periphery of chess for about a decade, I have never considered myself a competent player. I know the rules, and I’ve even taught kids at our small elementary school chess club. I don’t play regularly, however, nor do I play well. The kids quickly surpassed me.

I’ve never been embarrassed about being a novice, but I did feel like I was missing out on something great. This series is my honest, light-hearted attempt at becoming the chess player I may or may not be destined to be.

How Did I Not Learn Chess?

You may be wondering how I managed to stay a rank beginner despite my proximity to chess for the last ten years. Fair question.

The first time I really played chess was in middle school, at the very loosely organized school chess club. We went to a room during lunch and played chess. I don’t remember any instruction, but the teacher in charge was very enthusiastic and supportive. Eventually, I simply drifted away and into my primary interest, band.

I didn’t really think about chess as a hobby again until around 2018, when I began making friends who are journalists, specifically chess journalists. Their chess skills varied, from very competitively successful to muddling through. My curiosity was piqued. While my understanding of the personalities in chess grew, my knowledge of the game didn’t change much.

The next time I didn’t learn to play chess was when we started a chess club. My husband and I agreed to start a club for our tiny elementary school in Oregon. With a total student body of 230 students, we chose to focus on being a safe place for kids to play together, accompanied by a side of chess education. All were welcome. My husband is a much better player than I am, so he handled the technical questions. I managed the logistics and big feelings. Around the time I started to feel the need to improve my own skills, then COVID-19 hit, and our chess club was closed for two years.

Last, and most disappointing, I haven’t learned chess by osmosis. After all these years of being around chess, I logged into Lichess.org to see how much I’d picked up along the way. I lost incredibly quickly. It was embarrassing. I logged right back out.

Why Now?

I’ve been writing about and researching the benefits of chess for kids for some time now, and it’s sparked my curiosity. The main advantage children have over adults is neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to form new pathways and establish patterns of recognition. As we age, our brains become less capable of doing this, and learning a new skill may become more challenging. Fortunately, the relationship between chess and cognitive function is still a positive one!

As for me, middle-age has brought some occasional forgetfulness and brain fog (though my two teenagers use up a large share of my brain capacity). Where I used to be able to remember a list of six items at the store easily, now it’s three or four. I use my calendar religiously, or I forget appointments until the last minute (or beyond). While our busy family life has its inevitable stresses, I can also admit that being a woman of a certain age is a factor. The senior chess players I know are all sharp as tacks. Is chess their secret?

Scientists are asking the same question. One interesting area of study is whether chess can stave off or lessen the effects of dementia. The answer seems to be a qualified yes. Playing strategy games like chess or backgammon have been shown to strengthen the synaptic and processing functions. Speed of processing training, a type of cognitive exercise, can reduce the risk of developing dementia by as much as 30%.[1] While I don't have dementia, that’s all good news for the future.

How Will I Learn Chess?

Books

Books have always been my go-to learning medium. I’ve learned how to tie knots, apply makeup, cook gumbo, and sew quilts from books. Given the huge library of chess books available, this will be no different.

I have had my hands on a lot of books in my capacity as a writer, and I already have a few favorites. One of the titles I’ll use is “Learn Chess the Right Way” by Susan Polgar. Starting with Book One: Must-Know Checkmates, I’ll work through the exercises and puzzles to establish a solid foundation in common patterns and basic chess principles. These books are often thought of as children's books, but they’ll work just as well for me.

Another book I’ll add to my library is “Chess for the Gifted and Busy” by Lev Alburt and Al Lawrence. While I don’t claim to be especially “gifted,” I am very, very busy. This comprehensive course is meant for adults who want to fit their chess learning into the time they have. I can’t wait to dig in.

Software and Online Applications

Along with books, there are several chess learning programs available online. I don’t want to buy stand-alone software, so I’ll look at online options.

Chessable is set up for self-taught learners, with scientifically spaced repetition intervals to help you retain the information. While signing up is free, much of the content requires a fee that can get expensive if you want the video. Signing up for a Pro Membership at a monthly rate gives you access to more content, but I don’t think I’m ready for that.

Lichess.org is 100% free, open-source chess software that most people think of as primarily for playing chess online. There are also learning tools to help you practice the basics. The interface is fairly intuitive. It’s not as robust as other platforms, but it’s darn good for free.

Chess.com is the world’s largest chess site, with over 100 million members worldwide. Chess.com offers a suite of self-paced learning courses covering a wide range of topics. Like Chessable, a significant portion of the content is available only with a paid monthly membership. At around half the cost, however, it’s a better deal for a beginner unsure of the future of their chess hobby.

For my purposes, I’ll sign up for a monthly membership at Chess.com and a free membership at Lichess.org. If I get really serious about this in the future, I’ll look at Chessable again.

YouTube

If you’ve ever looked up a video to do small repairs or build something, you know YouTube can be a great teacher. I searched for relevant videos using “learning chess as an adult” and “learning chess after 50,” and the results were a mix of explanations for why adult learners aren’t good at chess and beginner tutorials. A search for “beginner chess tutorials” and found a lot of “tips” videos.

I confess, I’m not part of the YouTube generation. If you like to watch videos and don’t mind spending 15 minutes without knowing if it’ll be helpful or not, then YouTube will provide a lot of chess content for you. I don’t have the time or patience to sift through long lists of (possibly) relevant videos. I'll give YouTube a miss unless I have something specific I’m looking for.

Chess Teacher

Finding a chess teacher is a good option if you enjoy learning from someone and have the time and resources. While this is the most expensive option on the list, a chess teacher can help motivate and guide you to reach your goals. Your state US Chess affiliate can connect you with someone you can work with in person or online.

I will not be looking for a chess teacher, at least not in the near term. One, I’m such a beginner that I could use almost any method and improve. Two, the aforementioned teenagers require most of our time and resources, so regular lessons are not feasible for me.

What Are My Chess Goals?

I know it’s popular to chase ratings when you set out to improve your chess, but I don’t think that’s going to work for me. One, I don’t currently have a rating, so it’s hard to gauge what a reasonable increase might be. Two, I’m not that interested in having a high rating. I want to play chess for my own enjoyment without the pressure and possibility of “failing” to meet a number.

Because I’m introverted, I’ve chosen self-teaching for my chess journey. Others may want to join a club immediately to receive the help and guidance of more experienced players. For my end goal, I’d like to take a step outside my comfort zone and either attend a local club meeting or sign up for a small tournament. It depends on how confident I am in my chess skills! One way or another, I’ll sit down across the board from a live human and play.

First Steps:

Now that I have my goal set and my methods chosen, the only thing left to do is start. Starting now, I’ll be spending a minimum of 15 minutes a day, every day, on a chess-related activity.

In our next installment, I’ll give you an update on how it’s going, what’s working, and what isn’t working as well. I’ll attempt a few games online and report back on the results. Come along and see how learning chess after 50 works out!

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[1] Edwards JD, Xu H, Clark DO, Guey LT, Ross LA, Unverzagt FW (2017) Speed of processing training results in lower risk of dementia. Alzheimers Dement (N Y) 3, 603-611.