Hello from a consummate loser!

Hope I'm not breaking any unwritten rules by posting an introduction thread.

I'm a chess beginner (for all of 15 years!) who really wants to improve her game, and I figured that, as with most subjects, the best way to learn is to get involved with a community.   So, here I am!

I've muddled along for most of my chess playing career on knowing the rules, and very basic things like use forks and pins, open files are good for rooks, aim to control the center.  I'm vaguely aware of a magical land of opening books, pawn structure, forcing moves and so on, but it's a strange and scary place full of odd symbols and odder modes of thought that makes my brain hurt.

hello and welcome!

 its a great website here and a great community too. i try to study some chess theory but i find the easiest and most fun way to get better is to play!

In fact, i can give you a game if you like (i'm pretty much a beginner too!) 

welcome welcome! there are LOTS of things on chess.com to help you out. check out www.chess.com/sitemap.html to see all of the great tools we have built. of particular interest to you might be Chess Mentor, our flagship teaching tool where you get highly-detailed lessons from Grandmasters and excellent teachers.

good luck! the more you participate, then better you will get. submit your games, ask questions, etc.