You sound like you would confidently say that you can play chess. Basic moves are easy to learn by very young children.
But if only thing you know are basic moves playing against a player with 1600 ELO you are not going to win without serious training and 1600 is still far below grand master level.
Absolutely. I am quite capable of moving the pieces around a chess board within the confines of the rules. I think you would be hard-pressed to find many who are incapable of that, given exposure to the game. If that isn't easy, what is? I am not all that good at figuring out what moves to make, but that analogs with "what to program", not "programming" as it pertains to the discussion that has been talking place. Nobody has ever suggested "what to program" is easy.