in turn, taught it to their soldiers.
The soldiers then brought it to the common people.
The new game of “chess” captured the hearts of the entire kingdom. It quickly spread to other kingdoms, and then to other countries.
In time, chess was being played all over the world.
And all the kings, and all their armies, and all the common folk grew stronger and wiser from the lessons they learned playing this simple game.
Why Chess?
Welcome to the game of kings.
In this book, you’ll learn how to play chess – the greatest game ever invented. But you won’t just learn to play. You’ll get all the tools you need to become a successful, winning player
Why should you learn to play chess? The answer is simple. Chess is a great skill builder for life! Start playing and you’ll find yourself growing and developing in ways you never imagined.
You will gain:
Self-confidence
The ability to set goals and carry them out
Clearer thinking
Common sense
Planning skills
Concentration
Patience
And that’s just the beginning of a long list! In this book, I’ll demonstrate how you can apply your chess skills to your daily life.
Meet Your Teacher
My name is Orrin C. Hudson. For the past 13 years, I’ve been teaching children how to play chess. I believe every child can be a winner at chess and at life. My students have won many championships. Some of my fifth- and sixth-grade students have challenged and beaten college students.
My older brother Eric taught me how to play chess in 1979. I loved the game from the start, and was determined to get better at it. As I improved, I began to beat my brother.
Mr. James Edge, a teacher of mine, saw the potential in me to be a winner. He took me under his wing and helped me improve my game. It was through his encouragement that I became the champion I am today.
As your chess teacher, I will bring out the champion in you.
I have beaten college professors, local chess stars, and won the championship of the Birmingham, Alabama citywide chess tournament, back to back in 1999 and 2000.
Since then, I have interviewed, played and beaten chess masters from all over the world.
Chess is my life. Chess is life. And I want to bring it into yours.
My Goal
Several years ago, I started an organization called Be Someone. It is my desire to help young people find their inner strengths and inspire them to be the best they can be.
I believe that to Be Someone is within reach of any person. Each of us has the seed, but it will grow only if we give it the proper care and water.
Playing chess can be an experience where we learn, live, laugh, love, study, work, play and weep together, while rejoicing through it all. In doing so, we build a vision of the kind of world we want to live in.
Although 26 percent of the world’s population is youth, 100 percent of our youth is our future. You are our future, and you hold the key to how successful our society will become.
You don’t have to be a young person to learn from this book, though. While I focus most of my teaching on children, this book could be useful to everyone. It’s never too late to learn to play chess, or to improve your game.
And just like the king who wanted a solution to his problem – who wanted to strengthen his mind and his abilities – you too can grow through chess and arm yourself with the skills you’ll need to live a successful life.
Chess is Easy
You might think chess is a difficult game. You might have seen long, complicated books about it. You might have heard about grand masters going up against sophisticated chess computers.
Don’t worry. You don’t need to be a genius to play. You’ll be surprised to learn that chess is easier than you think.
Yes, there is a lot to learn, and always a deeper level to take your study. But the real beauty of the game is how simple it is to learn the basics.
I once taught a 4-year-old girl to play. She picked it up easily and was beating kids twice her age in no time.
Anyone can learn. And anyone can win, with the right attitude and the right knowledge.
Chess is Cool
On the surface, chess might look boring. It might seem like there’s an invisible wall between you and the people who play it. But start playing and you’ll see right away how exciting it is.
Chess is a battle – It’s a war between two minds!
Chess is a sport – Although chess is not a physical sport, it is a sport, nevertheless. It can be as lively and entertaining as any football or basketball game. The excitement stems from its rich strategy, tactics, imagination and human struggle.
Chess is a culture – People react to chess as they do to sports, TV shows and movies. Chess fans follow their favorite teams, discuss players’ personalities, argue rules, recite statistics and compare the ratings and rankings of players.
Chess lets you be creative – You will do all sorts of creative things as you seek solutions to chess problems.
Chess is a great way to socialize – It’s a friendly, competitive activity, where no one gets hurt. Instead of two bodies slamming into each other (like football), a meeting of two minds takes place. Chess helps develop great social skills. You’ll meet a lot of people and make new friends. It gives players and spectators a sense of belonging.
You can play anywhere, anytime – You can play against your family, your friends or in a chess club. You can even play over the Internet or against a computer. You don’t need expensive equipment. You don’t need to travel to a special place. You don’t even need a coach or team.
All you need is a board, chess pieces and an opponent.
Chess Will Help You Succeed in School
The benefits of chess have been scientifically tested and documented. Chess is connected academically, socially and intellectually to a person’s development.
In my 25 years of experience with the game, I have witnessed something amazing: Many students who learn to play chess perform better in class.
I have been stunned to see children who had trouble concentrating on a task for more than 20 minutes pick up the game quickly. They were later able to perform a task that lasted up to an hour and a half.
Studies show that there definitely is a connection between playing the game and increased studying skills.
Not only will chess strengthen your character by bestowing you with all sorts of useful life skills, you’ll become smarter and more attentive as you learn and improve!
Don’t be surprised if your test scores soar as you become a better chess player. In fact, you can expect it.
And even if you already are a strong student, know that every brain needs exercise. Chess is an all-around mental workout!
Chess Opens Your Mind
Chess uses many different parts of your brain to awaken sleeping mental powers.
You could find yourself demonstrating new skills, thinking in different ways and finding better ways to approach problems.
Chess can open the floodgates in your mind and allow power to pour from