A set of black and white pieces. A complete chess set will range anywhere from a few dollars at a thrift store to several thousand for collectible sets. The ancient game of chess, known as the game of kings, has captivated players for hundreds of years. It's one of the most well-known games of the world, spread throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America. If you have always wanted to learn the game, but felt daunted by the rules, relax.
Many people think chess is complicated, but it's no more difficult to learn than many card games.
Here is a short guide and full listing of the rules. One player takes white and the other player takes black, although chess pieces are occasionally colored differently. A traditional way of determining sides is for one player to hold a black pawn in one fist and a white pawn in the other. The other player then selects a hand and the pawn inside is the color he or she will play. The advantage of selecting white is that white moves first in the game.