How best to learn chess from scratch?

Hi, I'm new to chess.

I know how pieces move and thats about it! 

I need recommendations - How best to learn? 

Thanks

If Sean is a complete newbie, he probably doesn't even know what tactics is...

The tutorials I mentioned do cover that - they familiarize you with the themes all chess tactics bases on. Since you get the idea, keep on sharpening your skills for example by solving problems on websites such as chesstempo.com or chess.emrald.net (both contain thousands of chess puzzles which are all about tactics)

Train train train, and start playing with other people (on the internet - that's the easiest way), and try using what you've learned in actual games.

This is how I started out, and began to improve.

I'd start by reading a few books. Specifically:

Read, in this order, a) Logical Chess Move by Move  http://www.chess.com/eq/chess+books/logical-chess-move-by-move2

b) Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess http://www.chess.com/eq/chess+books/bobby-fischer-teaches-chess2

c) Winning Chess Tactics http://www.chess.com/eq/chess+books/winning-chess-tactics-revised2

And play lots of games! As a beginner, practice is the most important thing. 

True, study a little then play. There's no need to play Live Chess yet, just practice with your friends a little, unless they either don't know how to play or are also newbies, due to the fact that it's possible you both may overlook some rules (assuming you play over-the-board chess). Once you play around 20+ (recommended 35+) games, analyse them, step-by-step, and work out your weaknesses. This is of course, much easier if you play computer chess which keeps track of your games, instead of jotting down every move and having to replay them by hand. In my games, I've realized that I have almost no idea of what to do when my opponent goes for an early Queen attack, so you then study some more on that type of attack.

Also buy Chessmaster: Grandmaster Edition (I think that's what it's called), it is (probably) the best Chess program you can buy today, although I was kinda hoping for an Assassin's Creed set , oh well, can't have everything in life.

First and foremost, learn how to checkmate. This is the object of the game, yet so many people dive into playing without knowing how to do it!

For example, if you have a king and queen (KQ) against a lone king (K) can you force a checkmate? Also, rook and king vs. king (KR v. K).

Also, familiarize yourself with basic checkmating patterns. For example, the Scholar's mate is not something that is worth trying to play against an opponent, but seeing it at least teaches you one basic checkmate. (You can look it up, it is a game ending in 4 moves!) It also shows you how two pieces can work together.

Once you know something about checkmate, play games! During your games try to pay attention on every move what pieces can be captured. Learn the value of the pieces and figure what are favorable and unfavorable trades. In beginner play there are often pieces that can simply be captured for free, look out for that! Learn to take the pieces your opponent leaves for free and don't leave any of yours for free.

Learn basic endgames (KQ v. K and KR v. K are endgames!). If you are doing well with keeping your opponent from taking your pieces, you will find yourself with more pieces. This is good, but you need to know how to use it. Either by setting up checkmate or winning the endgame (queening a pawn, for example).

Sean -- I recently began studying seriously and have done some thinking about how to learn the game. If you want to get serious about chess, you should decide whether you would do better with a book or a computer program. For me, starting with the program was better. Pick one, and my suggestion would also be either the latest or second-latest version of Chessmaster. Don't just jump in and start playing against the computer. You can, but don't be surprised if it whips up on you. Dive into the tutorials and drills. They have enough to keep you busy for several months if you work on it.

If you prefer learning from a book, Yasser Seirawan's Play Winning Chess is one I used and it is very good.

I don't think it is all that helpful to get thrown advice on what endings to study or studying tactics versus something else. For someone starting from scratch, you need a solid, well designed approach to bring you up to a level where you can grasp the game and further study will help you. Hence, I suggest Chessmaster or Seirwan's book because they are a systematic well thought out approach.

Once you have mastered the basics, then the advice of tactics, endgames, and so forth is good. But first, you should master the basics so you can build on that foundation. Building on sand is wasted effort. 

 The books are "the right ones" but shouldn't Logical chess come second after Bobby Teaches?

 I had exactly the same experience when given a hollow, plastic chess set at the age of eight, by my Grandmother. My version of the rules was somewhat different; one could capture the King (a win was achieved by taking every one of the opponents pieces) and bishops moved on diagonals somewhat akin to a knight's move i.e. it could move through an occupied diagonal, as long as the target square was unoccupied. Unlike Ricardo, I recommended a beginner's book to begin with (almost anything by Fred Reinfeld would be an appropriate place to start). Books are concentrated wisdom and indispensable for quick reference when learning. Whichever method you choose, I wish you good luck and leave you the following watchword.... perseverance!

 Hmm... good point. For someone who knows the rules and nothing else, you're right - it should be (b) then (a) then (c).

I just copied my post from a previous thread where I gave the same advice to someone else.