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Chess is not a game that works for everyone.  Some people are not able to strategize or remember all the moves.  Some people simply find it boring.  If you are a chess lover unlucky enough to find yourself without an ample supply of opponents, don’t fret.  There are plenty of options out there for the lonely chess player.

Online Chess

There are many websites devoted solely to online chess playing.  These websites offer round the clock options for players of all skills and locations.  With millions of players worldwide, you will always be able to find a willing opponent.  In addition, you can visit with other players via chats and forums, and can compete in tournaments.  For more information about online chess, and for a list of suggested websites, see the article on Online Chess.

Chess Against the Computer

Many sites also offer chess games that you play against a computer.  Sites such as Yahoo offer computer based chess games, and some computers even come with a chess game in the startup menu.  These computer games can be adjusted for easy to difficult play.  The quality of the games may differ from site to site, and truly advanced players may not find these games challenging after a while.

Electronic Chess Boards

If you are more traditional and prefer your chess pieces to be tangible, you may want to invest in an electronic chess board.   An electronic chess board looks very much like a traditional chess board, except they contain circuits and a small computer.  The circuits respond to the position of the pieces on the board, and the computer calculates moves from that information.  The program works very much like a computer game you play on your actual PC, but you have actual pieces to move.  Of course, you will have to move the computer’s pieces.  There are generally light or voice systems that tell you which move the computer is making.

These games range from about $50 all the way up to a couple hundred dollars. The difference in price has to do just as much with the design and technology of the board as it does with the difficulty of the programming.   When shopping for an electronic chess board, you should pay attention to the features offered.  Choose a game with the option and features you need, not the most stylish looking board out there.  You may find that the lower priced games work just fine.

Chess Video Games

Of course, you can always purchase a chess game for your video game console.  Since you can play chess easily online, many people do not opt to purchase chess games for their Nintendo or PlayStation.  But, for the true chess lover, these options do exist.  In fact, Nintendo recently released Wii Chess for its most current game console, although the game is currently only available in Europe.