No Stress Chess is the easy way to learn how to play chess without the frustrations of remembering how pieces move. If you have ever wanted to learn the historic game of chess or want to find a good way to teach your son or daughter how to play, then No Stress Chess is your answer.
Box Contents
- Instructions
- 2-Sided gameboard. Once side is for playing the game with a deck of cards, and the other side is for playing with a standard chessboard.
- 32 Chess pieces (16 black, 16 ivory)
- Plastic try for cards
- One deck of action cards, 56 cards
How to Play No Stress Chess
The initial board setup is the same as regular chess. After that, nothing is the same. Players use the illustrated cards to move their pieces. The cards contain the piece they are to move and details on how the piece moves. If you can't move that piece, you "save" the card and are able to move that piece on a subsequent turn if you like.
One major difference of No Stress Chess from regular chess is that if you place someone in check, he may not be able to move the King depending on what cards he has. Similarly, you may not be able to capture the King if you don't have the correct card. Part of the stress is keeping your King safe if it is in check, but with No Stress Chess, you can still concentrate on other parts of the game.
Levels
There are four levels to the game:
- Level One introduces players to the game. Not the chess game, but to the No Stress Chess version of chess.
- Level Two has players being dealt three cards to work with at each turn.
- Level Three is the same as Level Two, but with five cards.
- Level Four is the advanced game where castling, checking, en passant and pawn promotion are all allowed.
There are also variations of the game that utilize the deck of cards for a normal game of chess.
Negatives
The game is 99% chance since you have to draw cards from a shuffled deck. Most of the strategy comes from figuring out if you want to complete the action as listed on the card or letting it go. Basically it comes down to if there's a move you want to make or know would be a good move, you must have that card.
- Many people have complained of a hard transition from No Stress Chess to a normal game. Weak moves are played (more at random than anything) because those are the kinds of moves that seem to be played during a game of No Stress Chess.
- There are not too many opportunities to play No Stress Chess except for family and friends.
- There is no large community online like regular chess.
Positives
- Anyone can learn chess. The moves are the same, so once you learn the moves for No Stress Chess, then you know the moves for regular chess.
- There are many variations of the game. Not only are there three levels to play, you can even play a regular game of chess with the cards.
- Chess is a great game to learn for improving mental stamina and patience.
- This version is a great game for families to get together and learn chess, while progressing at equal levels. Helping each other improve and learn the game is a fun way for the whole household to enjoy chess.
