Chess is the perfect hobby for those looking for new challenges. As a strategy game, it helps keep the brain active and healthy as players engage in planning, analysis, and problem-solving. In addition to giving your brain a workout, it’s also a great way to socialize and deal with stress and anxiety. Best of all, it can be played just about anywhere and is available all year round. All you need is a board and a partner. 

Although the basics are easy to learn, people have dedicated years to mastering the game. This introductory course will focus on the fundamentals: the rules of the game, how to move and capture pieces, how to achieve checkmate, and basic strategies and tactics to get you up and playing in no time and assist you on your quest to (eventually) becoming a chess master.

Tom Mack is a former elementary school teacher who ran a weekly after-school chess club for 20 years. He now spends his days creating, maintaining, and giving tours of his 3-acre botanical garden in Luray, which allows visitors a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of life while taking in a variety of picturesque gardens, mountain vistas, strolling paths, water features, and al fresco dining. (http://www.birdsongpleasuregarden.info/)