How to play melody and chords together?

[garrott]

I am quite new to keyboard. I got a book which shows melody lines on treble clef and chords written on the top. This may be a stupid question, but I am not sure whether I am supposed to play chords with left hand. Or is it only meant for an accompanying player on guitar or another keyboard? Please let me know.

 

[jakeofcanadia]

Chords are usually played in the mid low range with the left hand. However, Experience players will play usually the root (and octave) of that chord with the left hand (in jazz, usually the root and the seventh, but you'll get to that later) and integrate the rest of the chord into the right hand. For instance, if the chord was an A with a B in the melody you might play an A octave in the left hand and then the C#, E and B above middle C with the right hand. The A, C# and E make up the A chord, and because the B is the melody, making it the highest note helps to bring it out above the other notes.