How to use the Guitar Chord Diagrams

Here are typical Guitar Chord Diagrams
(Below is my favourite guitar chord)

B add 11.

The chord diagram below is of the guitar finger board. Shown as if the guitar were sitting on a stand pointing up. There are six lines that relate to the guitar strings. The left line in the diagram is the Low E string, on a right handed guitar. The right line is the High E String. 

The circled numbers are you fingers.
1 being your index finger. 2 being your middle finger.
3 your ring finger and 4 is your little finger. 

B add 11  - Refers to the name of the chord.

B - meaning that the guitar chord is based in the scale of B.

add 11- means that you add the eleventh note of the 'B' scale.
Remember that there are twelve notes to a normal scale.

The 7th on the side of the diagram refers to the 7th fret on the guitar. Starting from the head end of the string. Usually it's the third dot down on the guitar fret board.

The little circles above the strings on the guitar chord diagram. (o) Mean that you play the string with no fingers touching it in any way. You can also refer to it as OPEN STRING (o).

There are x's (x) as well above the strings on other chord diagrams. On this chord diagram it means that the strings are not to be played. The reason for this is to make it easier to play. Sometimes it is too difficult be able to finger a note on that string relative to the scale of the chord. Also any note within reach may sound wrong.
So it's easier to not play any notes on that string at all.

There are other guitar chord diagrams with extra symbols throughout this website.
They include diagrams of Barre Chords. (pronounced - bar chords). Where your index finger creates a bar across more than one string.
If you play chords higher up the guitar fretboard it may be easier to use a CAPO.

There are many designs and materials used. Find one that your comfortable with. If you have a friend that uses one, try it.

 I recommend the above G7th because of it's design. It's easy of use and great for fast changes. (no this is not a paid advert)

There are many accessories available to compliment your guitar. Capos are only one. But a capo can be the difference between being able to play the song or not.

Just imagine a song in some funky key that you don't know the chords to. Well, if you chuck on a capo those hard chords just became super easy.

Think of Bbminor7th (B Flat minor 7th)

I'm sure it would be better if it were transposed with a capo. It's just an easier way.

You could use the Transposer and the easier Guitar chord diagrams untill you get better and more confident.