♟️ What You’ll Be Able to Do After This Course
After completing this beginner chess course, students will be able to:
- Set up the chessboard correctly and start games the right way.
- Move every chess piece with confidence using the correct rules.
- Understand check and checkmate and recognize game-ending threats.
- Play complete chess games independently with clear next steps.
- Recognize basic winning ideas and make smarter beginner decisions.
📘 What You Will Learn
This free beginner chess course teaches you how to play chess step by step, starting with the essential chess rules and basic concepts. The lessons are structured to help new players quickly understand the game and build a strong foundation for future chess improvement.
Each video lesson explains one important topic clearly, making it easy for beginners to follow and learn chess at their own pace.
In this course, you will learn:
- How each chess piece moves
- Basic chess rules and piece values
- What check and checkmate mean
- How chess pieces work together in a real game
- The fundamentals needed to start playing chess confidently
For best results, we recommend using a real chessboard while watching the lessons. Practice setting up positions and repeating the moves shown in each video to strengthen understanding and memory.
Watch the lessons in order to progress naturally from basic chess rules to practical gameplay.
After completing the course, you can take our free online chess test to evaluate your understanding and confirm your beginner chess skills.
👥 Who Is This Course For?
- complete beginners learning chess for the first time
- parents teaching chess at home
- kids starting structured chess training
- students preparing for their first full games
📚 Course Lessons
Tip: Start from Lesson 1 and watch in order for the fastest progress.
How the King Moves in Chess | Beginner Guide
2:25
How Pawns Move and Capture in Chess | Beginner Guide
3:07
How the Bishop Moves in Chess | Diagonal Movement Explained
2:03
How the Rook Moves in Chess | Files and Ranks Explained
2:09
How the Knight Moves in Chess | Easy Beginner Guide
3:35
How the Queen Moves in Chess | Complete Beginner Guide
2:21
Chess Piece Values Explained | Beginner Strategy Basics
3:22
What Is Check in Chess? | Beginner Explanation
4:05
What Is Checkmate in Chess? | Beginner Guide
3:35
Chess Notation Explained | How to Record Moves
1:35
How to Set Up a Chessboard | Step-by-Step Guide
0:53
Beginner Chess Test | Check Your Chess Knowledge
4:51
🎯 Final Skill Test
After the lessons, take a short online assessment. It helps us recommend the correct next level and the best learning format.
➡️ Continue Learning
Next course recommendation: Targeting the King | Beginner Checkmate Course
🚀 Your Next Step
Complete the course, then choose the next step — no pressure.
Best For
- Kids ages 5–12
- Complete beginners
- Families who want structure
🏅 Why Parents Trust Chess Heroes Academy
- 15+ years of teaching experience
- 5,000+ students taught worldwide
- Multiple Provincial & National Champions
- 3 Scholastic World Champions trained through our programs
What Parents Say About Our Chess Programs
Thousands of families trust our programs to help beginners learn chess with confidence.
It was very fun. I just had my first lesson there, and it was super fun. I am in level one chess, and I really enjoyed it. I would totally do the rest of the levels there. It was super fun and you sho...
The camp at VCS is an amazing experience for all ages. Whether your child is 5 or 15, there is a variety of opportunities of learning. Completely approve of the camp and believe in its ability to impa...
My kids really love this school。The teacher are very professional, very Patient, very methodical. So that kids can go from not doing anything at first to now very like chess. And now with pandemic, ...
My son started chess classes here from 5 years old. He told me it is a good place to learn chess. Actually, he has made big progress on it. He also said, his coach Uranchmeg is a really awesome tea...
vancouver chess school is a fun and interesting education experience for young chess fan, the teachers and instructors are well knowledge and responsible, the program is well developed ......
I represented team BC at the 2019 Canadian Chess Challenge (CCC), where I won 1st place in the toughest section of the competition. This year, Gyan personally invited me to Captain Team BC at the 2022...
The best chess school in Vancouver....
Vancouver Chess School is an outstanding institution for children’s chess education at any age. I was amazed how VCS team could maintain the tempo during the pandemic and continues to teach chess le...
We have proudly been with Vancouver Chess School since day one and we have always experienced high-quality and productive lessons from all the instructors here. Not only that, but the coaches are alwa...
I represented team BC at the 2021 Canadian Chess Challenge, tying for first place in my section. Gyan and Jeremy at VCS were incredibly professional, organizing countless training sessions for Team BC...
This school has helped me a lot with my chess journey, starting at pawn level, I mean what I say below genuinely. Staff: The backbone of the institution, the staff and coaches are friendly, genuine, ...
Nice coaches and structure arrangement to guide the kids from beginners to experienced chess player. Regular chess competition can promote the interests of the kids to do better. When my boy got highe...
Vancouver Chess School is a very well run and well organized endeavour, and kudos to the dedicated people running it. We'd been looking for chess classes for our son for a while but what made the diff...
My son joined Vancouver Chess School this year and he loves it! I regretted not sending him earlier. The classes are well-structured, the programs are well-organized, and the teachers are all very nic...
The school has a good structure for kids to learn and excel in chess, at the same time also have lots of fun!...
A great chess school. Our kid Leon attended his very first chess tournament in this school three years ago and now won his provincial champion and represent BC to win his first national champion. For ...
My son just completed a chess camp at VCS and had a great experience. He was really pleased with the way the camp was run and noted how enthusiastic Gyan and the other instructors were in maximizing t...
This is an exceptional chess school that helped my child develop an incredible passion in the field of chess. The instructors are all engaging and helpful. There are many camps, tournaments, and other...
The best school to learn chess for any kind of levels!...
Vancouver Chess School has given my 2 kids a fun, intellectual and safe space to hang out with other like-minded children. They have very competent and experienced instructors. Both their in-person (p...
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is this course suitable for complete beginners?
Yes. This course is designed for students with no prior chess experience and teaches the rules step by step.
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What age group is this course best for?
While suitable for beginners of any age, it is especially effective for children ages 5–12 starting chess for the first time.
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Do we need special equipment?
No special equipment is required. A real chessboard is recommended for practice, but you can also learn using an online board.
