Chess

Two players, a board with sixty-four black and white squares and an army ready to move. Chess brings a medieval battlefield to your own table. Every piece moves in its own way: one slides straight ahead, another jumps in an arc, and the queen goes wherever she likes. On your turn you move a piece, attack, defend or quietly build a stronger position. The goal sounds simple, but it is full of surprises: trap your opponent's king so it has nowhere left to go. That is called checkmate. Sometimes a player resigns because the end is in sight, sometimes the game ends in a draw. Whatever happens, every game is different and you keep learning a little more about your opponent's moves. Chess is played all over the world, at the kitchen table at home, in clubs and at big tournaments. You will pick up the game quickly, but you can enjoy it for the rest of your life. A game that has been around for centuries and still brings people together for a tense match.