Chess Advice for New Players
Chess strategy requires patience, planning, and plenty of practice. The more you practice various strategies and tactics, the better you will become at using them — and knowing when the best time is for certain ones to be used. There are countless options for chess strategy, and you could read books upon books in a quest to discover them all, and there is a joy in finding them out. For new players, or players who want to skim the basics, however, here are 11 key chess ideas:
Get your pieces out in the center. There are many ways to win at chess, but most victories are set up by having control of the squares at the center of the board. This is the main "highway" for your most powerful pieces and those of your adversary.
Do not trade unless you know you will benefit. Just because you can take a piece does not mean you need to take it. Consider what pieces are guarding the possible target, and the consequences of moving your attacking piece away from its present location.
Castle early in the game. Over many years of chess play, the special two-part move typically shielding the King behind a rank of pawns and placing the straight-shooting Rook closer to the center files has proved very valuable.
Push your pawns! While pawns do not have the range or power of the back rank pieces, working together in a line of defense they can help control the center of the board, frustrate a Queen's potential power, help box in a King on the run, or even advance to the far side for a promotion.
Use forks to dine on unwary pieces. Placing a knight, bishop, or rook where it can attack two or more valuable pieces simultaneously is a fork. It forces your opponent to choose which piece to move and which piece to lose. It usually gives you momentum and initiative as your opponent has to react to your moves, allowing you to develop your checkmate plans while they defend and scramble to control damage.
Watch for early warning signs of attacks. After an opponent moves, consider the location of their major and minor pieces. Often, a long-distance move across the board may be a set up for a threat the next turn. Sometimes, even a pawn nudge might open the path to a long-range swoop.
Find the best location. Most chess pieces operate best at a distance from their target. Rather than crowding in, look for open, quieter places on the board to put pressure on distant squares, keep your options open, and avoid your opponent's sharp forks.
Knights on the rim are dim. While considering piece location, keeping knights away from the edges of the board ensures the maximum eight possible landing spots for their peculiar jumping motion. A knight in the first or last rank or the left-most or right-most file has only four possible moves; a knight in a corner is reduced to two.
Think ahead! It is fun to play fast, especially in timed games or tournaments, but most of the time slow play is better because it gives you time to consider two and three moves in the future. Even if your opponent does something unexpected and you have to react right away, thinking in two- and three-move combinations allows you to set a goal that may take a little while longer to reach.
Keep track of your moves. Using chess notation and columns to record your opponent's moves and your own ensures you keep your focus on the game. Sometimes you can look back at your notes and replay a good game for yourself (or for your opponent) to see missed opportunities or examples of excellent play. Even if you only use tally marks, at least you will know no one took two turns in a row after a stretch break, lunch, or recess.
Remember, chess is played. It is a fine game of intellectual challenge, analysis, courage, and risk-taking, but ultimately it is meant to draw people together and pass the time, not become a source of frustration, anxiety, or tension.
Do not trade unless you know you will benefit. Just because you can take a piece does not mean you need to take it. Consider what pieces are guarding the possible target, and the consequences of moving your attacking piece away from its present location.
Castle early in the game. Over many years of chess play, the special two-part move typically shielding the King behind a rank of pawns and placing the straight-shooting Rook closer to the center files has proved very valuable.
Push your pawns! While pawns do not have the range or power of the back rank pieces, working together in a line of defense they can help control the center of the board, frustrate a Queen's potential power, help box in a King on the run, or even advance to the far side for a promotion.
Use forks to dine on unwary pieces. Placing a knight, bishop, or rook where it can attack two or more valuable pieces simultaneously is a fork. It forces your opponent to choose which piece to move and which piece to lose. It usually gives you momentum and initiative as your opponent has to react to your moves, allowing you to develop your checkmate plans while they defend and scramble to control damage.
Watch for early warning signs of attacks. After an opponent moves, consider the location of their major and minor pieces. Often, a long-distance move across the board may be a set up for a threat the next turn. Sometimes, even a pawn nudge might open the path to a long-range swoop.
Find the best location. Most chess pieces operate best at a distance from their target. Rather than crowding in, look for open, quieter places on the board to put pressure on distant squares, keep your options open, and avoid your opponent's sharp forks.
Knights on the rim are dim. While considering piece location, keeping knights away from the edges of the board ensures the maximum eight possible landing spots for their peculiar jumping motion. A knight in the first or last rank or the left-most or right-most file has only four possible moves; a knight in a corner is reduced to two.
Think ahead! It is fun to play fast, especially in timed games or tournaments, but most of the time slow play is better because it gives you time to consider two and three moves in the future. Even if your opponent does something unexpected and you have to react right away, thinking in two- and three-move combinations allows you to set a goal that may take a little while longer to reach.
Keep track of your moves. Using chess notation and columns to record your opponent's moves and your own ensures you keep your focus on the game. Sometimes you can look back at your notes and replay a good game for yourself (or for your opponent) to see missed opportunities or examples of excellent play. Even if you only use tally marks, at least you will know no one took two turns in a row after a stretch break, lunch, or recess.
Remember, chess is played. It is a fine game of intellectual challenge, analysis, courage, and risk-taking, but ultimately it is meant to draw people together and pass the time, not become a source of frustration, anxiety, or tension.