People around the world have played chess for nearly 1500 years, but one of the fastest-growing groups of players is younger children -- who begin playing as early as five or six years old. Chess is easy to learn, entertaining to play, and portable enough to be played anywhere -- from the cafeteria at school to the back of the school bus.Kids love chess because it's fun, but they also love the competition, the intellectual challenge, and the change to improve their game as they learn. Parents love the fact that chess can help kids develop their creative problem-solving skills, improves their concentration, become more self-confident, and learn to be a good sport.Chess for Kids is a total package for kids eight and over that gives them everything they need to start playing -- a colorful, custom-designed chessboard with a magnetic closure that also serves as a carrying case, a complete set of chess pieces (sealed in a plastic pouch), and a beautifully-illustrated instruction booklet that teaches them the basics with stories and characters that make learning the game as much fun as playing it.