chessmigoLearn chess
from zero.
Short lessons with Tito, a coach who shows you each move, does it with you, and only then lets you practise on your own. Made for people who have never played.
Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play Free to start · iPhone, iPad and AndroidAlready know a little? Take the level test →
The pieces
- King
- Queen
- Rook
- Bishop
- Knight
- Pawn
One idea at a time.
You never need to have played before. Every lesson follows the same gentle rhythm, so nothing is asked of you before it has been taught.
Watch
An animated example shows the idea on the board.
Do it together
Tito guides your hand through the first moves.
Practise
Try it yourself in new positions, with few pieces at first.
Apply
Use it in a real game against a character.
A whole course in your pocket.
From your first move to checkmate: how the pieces move, captures, check and mate, forks, pins and endgames.
Beat 12 characters.
Each character has a weakness to punish and a measured Elo. After every game, Tito reviews your moves and turns your mistakes into practice.
Pipo~250
Leaves pieces hanging
Nina~400
Forgets about her king
Bruno~550
Brings his queen out early
Lia~700
Falls for forks
Otto~850
Trades everything
Vera~1000
Solid, waits for your mistake
Kai~1200
Goes after your king
Shadow King~1400
Final boss of the course
Then the League: Iara, Boris, Sensei and The Machine, up to ~2200.
Feels like a game. Teaches like a course.
Start here
Free guides for beginners, with puzzles you can play in your browser.
How to learn chess as a beginner: a 10-minutes-a-day plan
A simple first month for learning chess from zero, step by step, in the order the Chessmigo course teaches it. Ten minutes a day, no memorising openings.
Read the guide →How to stop blundering in chess: the 10-second check
Most beginner games are lost to a piece left undefended. A 10-second check before every move (checks, captures, threats) stops most blunders.
Read the guide →Chess puzzles for beginners: mate in 1, forks, pins and more
Free chess puzzles for beginners you can play on this page: winning a free piece, mate in 1, forks, pins and mate in 2, easiest first.
Read the guide →What is a good chess rating for a beginner?
There is no single good beginner rating, because each site starts you at a different number. Here is how ratings work and what to track instead.
Read the guide →Patterns to practise
Knight fork
A knight fork is a single knight move that attacks two enemy pieces at the same time.
The pin in chess
A pin happens when a bishop, rook or queen attacks a piece that can't move because something more valuable stands behind it.
Back-rank mate
A back-rank mate happens when the king sits on its first row behind its own pawns.
Stalemate
Stalemate happens when the player to move is not in check but has no legal move at all.
Five minutes a day.
The first 2 units are free. Premium unlocks the whole course, with a 7-day free trial.