Play, Study, and Have Fun 

To improve at chess you must play, study, and have fun. The Internet is a great source for these three items concerning chess. There are many chess sites out there. So where do you start? Ask your friends where they play online. It is fun to chat and play somebody that you know. Playing chess online can save time and money over playing live with a friend. It gives you that practice that is needed to improve. The more you play and learn from your games the better you will be. Listed below are some of my favorites web sites. Most of the sites you will have to register and create a screen name or handle with a password. If you have problems have an adult help you out. You can also email me with questions. (My email: sambreaux@bellsouth.net) I usually can be found at these sites. If you are ever see me there say “Hi” and play me a game or chat. If you have a favorite site not on the list let me know. I may include it in an upcoming article.

1. Chess.com – www.chess.com Good for beginners and intermediate players. Fun site. Can do daily puzzles, watch videos, and much more. My handle is sambreaux.

2. Chess Kids Academy – www.chesskids.com Good for beginner chess players to learn how to play and learn the basics. Plenty of beginner chess lessons. There are many online lessons, quizzes, and activities.

3. Internet Chess Club – www.chessclub.com Good for intermediate and advanced chess players. My favorite online playing site is the “Internet Chess Club or ICC”.  You can always find somebody challenging to play. You will get a rating and see how fast your skills improve. You can also enter a tournament, watch top players play, receive chess lessons, and many more things. My favorite thing is to listen to an article from one of my favorite chess authors on chess.fm The graphics are great. There will be a wealth of material at your fingertips. The membership fee is $29.95 a year. If you are serious about chess and want to improve your chess this is the place. My handle is lcchess.

4. World Chess Live – www.worldchesslive.com This site has many of the same features as ICC. The advantage is that you can get 6 months free membership as a USCF member. I encourage everybody to be USCF member and to read USCF magazine. After the 6 months free membership the membership fee is $22.99 a year. My handle is sambreaux.

5. Gameknot – www.gameknot.com The graphics are great. You can easily find an opponent to play a quick or slow game. It lacks the features that a paid chess sites has but if you are just looking to play against somebody then this is a good choice. My handle is sambreaux.