There are thousands of chess-related sites out there in web-land. Below we describe some of our favourites. Note that each of the links on this page will open a new browser window.

Internet chess

There are a lot of places on the internet where you can play chess. Each of the sites differs in the type of interface it uses, and in the variety and quality of players playing there.

  • My personal favourite place to play is at FICS (Free Internet Chess Server) - see www.freechess.org. As the name suggests it is completely free and there are always a large number of players present on-line to play. FICS also includes free automated lectures on aspects of chess (opening theory, tactics, endgame strategy etc.). To play on FICS you will need to download and install a piece of client software - the most popular is WinBoard, available free at www.tim-mann.org/xboard.html.
  • The true 'home' of internet chess is the Internet Chess Club (www.chessclub.com), but their service is subscription based (US $49 per year). However, for that money you get numerous facilities and the chance to share cyber-space and maybe even play a game against some of the strongest players on the planet, including Kasparov, Shirov, Kramnik and Judit Polgar.

Coaching materials

  • The site of the Exeter Chess Club includes a large number of excellent coaching handouts on all aspects of the game. (www.ex.ac.uk/~dregis/DR/handouts.html). This would be an excellent starting place if you are trying to improve your play - it's free, so you aren't forced to invest in (notoriously expensive) chess-books.
  • This site and most others use algebraic notation for game listings. The USCF site includes a simple explanation of the notation (www.uschess.org/beginners/read/). Algebraic is the official notation of the World Chess governing body FIDE and is worth learning and using to record your own games. All modern chess books are published in algebraic notation; the old descriptive notation (P-K4, N-KB3 etc.) has now all but disappeared.

Official sites

  • The BCF (British Chess Federation) has a site at www.bcf.org.uk. The site includes a directory of chess clubs and local leagues (see http://www.bcf.org.uk/clubsetc.htm), so if you are looking for a club, and Burton is not local to you, this may be the place to start.
  • The governing body of World Chess, FIDE, has a site at www.fide.com. The site includes a very comprehensive set of worldwide chess links.

Computer chess

  • The chess software of choice for the professional is made by ChessBase (www.chessbase.com). Their catalogue of products includes the superb Fritz chess-playing software and (for the true chess nut) the wonderful but pricey chess database software ChessBase.
  • The most popular 'commercial' chess-playing program for PCs is the Chessmaster series (www.chessmaster.com). It may look pretty, but in my opinion it's not a patch on Fritz . . . .

Miscellaneous chess sites

  • The site of Barnet Chess Club at www.gtryfon.demon.co.uk/bcc/ includes a superb collection of information on all aspects of chess; it is clearly a labour of love for someone.

Other sites (non-chess)