It had been going so well. But you knew one day he’d ask the dreaded question.

“Do you play chess?”

Your stomach dropped. You began to sweat. And despite your best efforts to eek out a “No thanks,” all that surfaced was “Sure! Sounds fun.”

About as fun as a bleeding hernia.

Luckily there’s a new kind of chess for those who get all cold and clammy trying to remember how those blasted little rooks and castles move around the board. It’s called No Stress Chess, it’s from Winning Moves Games, and it comes with illustrated cards that explain how and where to move each piece.

Start by playing the training-wheels version, in which moves are determined by the instructions on the cards. When you’ve got the hang of it, try using only a small hand of cards. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to play an unaided game.

And thoroughly prepared for the next time he pops the question.

Available online at winning-moves.com.