Chess
Chess
The further from centre, the more strongly this hobby leans that way. Your quiz answers are scored against exactly these fifteen.
- RestfulPhysical
- IndoorsOutdoors
- SolitarySocial
- PracticalCreative
- InstinctiveTechnical
- Hands-offHands-on
- RelaxedCompetitive
- CautiousDaring
- Quick winsPatient
- PrivatePerformer
- MinimalistCollector
- Just do itStudious
- Low-kitGear-heavy
- AnalogDigital
- ObjectsLiving things
Playing chess online or over the board, and studying openings, tactics and endgames to improve.
~$48Cost to start
SteepDifficulty
Mostly indoorsWhere
1 setup step, ~$48 all in. Nothing to buy until you say so.
Is it you?
Nobody has scored this against your answers yet. $48 to find out whether it sticks.
The path16 quests
ASetting up1 thing to sort, in any order
- Make a free account on Lichess
Then the quests
- Play your first ten games online
- Win a game without hanging a single piece
- Checkmate a bare king with only a rook
More on Chess
Everything else we have written about it. Free to read, no account needed.
Guides2
Chess Opening Principles for Beginners (Your First 10 Moves)You do not need to memorize openings to play a good opening. You need a handful of principles that guide your first ten moves. Here they are, and why they win games.How to Teach a Board Game So People Actually Want to Play AgainOwning great games is the easy part. Getting people to sit down, learn one, and enjoy it enough to come back is the actual skill, and it lives almost entirely in how you teach. A good teach is short, runs in the right order, and holds a surprising amount back. Here is exactly how to run one, whatever game is on the table.
What to buy2
Best Beginner Chess Sets (2026): 3 Real PicksA tournament-style set is the right first chess set: standard-size Staunton pieces, weighted so they don't tip, on a board with 2.25 inch squares. Skip the decorative themed sets for now. The one real decision is vinyl (cheap, portable, what clubs actually use) versus wood (nicer to own, costs more). Everything below is a set people genuinely buy and play on.Best Chess Clock (2026): Delay, Increment and Why It MattersA chess clock changes the game more than any other piece of equipment, because it turns thinking time into a resource you can run out of. The part beginners rarely have explained is that not all timed chess is the same: delay and increment are different rules that produce very different endgames, and the clock you buy determines which ones you can play.
From the blog33
Solo Hobbies: 25 Activities You Can Do Completely AloneNot every hobby needs a partner, a club, or a schedule synced to other people. Solo hobbies give you something to look forward to that belongs entirely to you: on your own time, at your own pace. The best ones reward deep individual attention and improve meaningfully with practice.Indoor Hobbies: 25 Activities Worth Starting at HomeThe best indoor hobbies give you something to do with your hands and your mind without relying on good weather, a partner's schedule, or leaving the house. This list covers the full range: creative, craft, intellectual, and physical, with a focus on what actually keeps people engaged long-term.Hobbies for Seniors and Retirees: 20 Activities Worth StartingRetirement is one of the best times to start a hobby: more time, fewer obligations, and the perspective to invest in something for its own sake. The best hobbies for seniors offer mental engagement, physical activity appropriate to any fitness level, and ideally a social dimension.Free Hobbies: 25 Activities That Cost Literally Nothing to StartMost "cheap hobbies" lists assume you'll spend $50–100 to get going. These don't, every hobby on this list can be started today with what you already own, or with free public resources. Some stay free forever; others have optional upgrades if you go deep.
Read the blogLearn it with a course
UdemyRecommended course
Chess Openings For Beginners and Club Players
Start on UdemyAffiliate link
Same shape of evening, different thing to hold at the end. Or follow a tag sideways.
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