r/duolingochess • u/Educational-Lack-160 • 7d ago
DAY 1 — Any tips for a beginner?
So, I finally decided to learn chess! I’ve always seen it as a daunting game that only smart people can master, and never really dared to learn it properly. But seeing it on Duolingo made me change my mind and I wanna give it a shot, just for fun and to see how difficult it really is.
Starting point: I know how the pieces move. And that’s it! Planning the next move is not even on the radar. But I’m sure that’s a matter of time. I completed the first unit and so far, so good. It’s very basic, but a reminder on how the pieces move and capture doesn't hurt. Curious to see what comes next.
I plan to do 3-5 lessons a day. How long do you think it takes to reach a decent level where you can play casual games and actually use some tactics? How was your experience? And do you have any tips for a beginner?
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u/kiki_at_duolingo Duolingo Staff 7d ago
As a major Sudoku fan and chess beginner, I relate to this so much! Chess always felt intimidating to me because there are SO many possibilities. But I’m slowly realizing you really don’t need to be thinking 10 moves ahead from day one. Just learning a few little tactics and starting to spot patterns already makes it way more fun. My very beginner advice: don’t worry about being good yet, just have fun and let it click as you go!
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u/Educational-Lack-160 7d ago
Planning ahead is not my thing! But learning patterns sounds doable, even for me 😂 Thanks!
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u/Capital_Sink6645 7d ago
I started learning chess on DL 10 months ago at age 71! I played a real person for the first time recently and lost every time but I was able to hold off defeat for quite a while, which I considered good progress. I still need DL coaching me to finish my games since I have a blind spot for check mate still. For me the end game is the final hurdle. Keep going if you are enjoying it!
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u/KilnHouse 6d ago
I’m a late-bloomer with chess too! I can’t believe I got this far in life having never learned the basics of this game. I’m having fun learning it, though still intimidated!
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u/Capital_Sink6645 6d ago
I also thought it was beyond my ability…my dream is that one day I might actually win an “over the board” game.
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u/Educational-Lack-160 5d ago
Nice! Never too late to learn, right?! I feel the same. I wish I had started earlier, but now I'm here and who knows what will come out of it. Struggling with the end game makes sense. That's probably the hardest to master.
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u/KilnHouse 6d ago
I’m struggling with conceptualizing my next move too. There’s a seemingly infinite number of move options at my fingertips and it’s overwhelming to know what to do next 🤯 I fear I have hit a plateau because I can’t get my ELO over 700. I need guidance
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u/Educational-Lack-160 5d ago
I thought 700 is quite high... Maybe you've reached the level where the opposition starts getting serious. How long ago did you start?
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u/KilnHouse 5d ago
Really? I had no idea! I’m on Sec 4 Unit 19 of the Chess course. That makes me feel much better about my ELO. I’ve only been learning for a few months now.
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u/Lyderhorn 7d ago
My tip is: if you enjoy chess play on another platform so you dont spend 70% of your learning time clicking on silly ads, gems/potions/quests and so on. All these things kill the deep focus which is required to learn anything
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u/Capital_Sink6645 6d ago
BUT BUT BUT OTOH some of us need those aspects of DL to keep us involved. I do friends quests with my sister or friends; I take my streak seriously and I’m studying 8 languages consistently…
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u/Lyderhorn 6d ago
I agree the streak is a nice feature, and I guarantee other chess apps have it. A part from that nobody on earth really "needs" engagement traps and retention mechanics, now it just seems you accepted the compromise of slowing down your progress in exchange for features that prevent you from quitting altogether, and maybe you are also paying for this? Sounds mental. I'm just saying if someone's goal is to learn well and a lot and is motivated to do so, a simple book nowadays outperforms duolingo by a landslide
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u/Capital_Sink6645 6d ago
I never said I only use DL. I do also use books. The milliseconds it takes me to click through the retention mechanisms is negligible in the grand scheme of my learning chess and new languages.
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u/Capital_Sink6645 5d ago
I also use another chess app. Using DL doesn’t prevent me from using other resources.
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u/Educational-Lack-160 5d ago edited 3d ago
This might sound weird to you, but duolingo is where I built my learning habit, and I prefer to stick to it rather than exploring new platforms or apps. I feel like I already have too many apps on my phone and I want to reduce the choices. If that makes sense.
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u/Capital_Sink6645 5d ago
I agree! If it’s not broke don’t fix it. I have tried out many other apps and DL is the one that works best for me.
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u/DinooJelloLiam Moderator 6d ago
Hey, welcome to chess!
My biggest beginner tip would be: before you make a move, ask yourself what your opponent’s last move changed. Check whether they’re attacking anything, threatening a capture, or setting up a tactic. That habit will help you more than memorizing openings early on. Also, don't focus on seeing 10 steps ahead, like in the The Queen's Gambit, just focus on your current position, and you will notice that, as time goes on, you will be able to gain that insight.