Chess Introduction

This article is an introduction into Chess principles during the different stages of the game.

The Opening

The opening is considered complete, when the rooks are connected.

10 Rules for the Opening

1. Develop: Use all pieces for your game
2. Develop: Improve position by expanding it
3. Develop: Bring out minor pieces
4. Control the center by attacking it
5. Never move a piece twice within first 10 moves
6. Castle the King early, meaning within first 10 moves if not within first 7 moves
7. Don't bring out the Queen before all minor pieces are developed and the King is castled.
8. Develop pieces with a purpose
9. Think about your opponents moves and threads
10. Connect the rooks

These are not necessarily the best moves, but these are solid principles to achieve a good position without memorizing openings.

Hints

Avoid moves that lead to the opponent develop its pieces in or improve its position

0 - 1000 ELO Opening Principles

• Develop knights before bishops
• With knight on f8 there is no mate, with knight on f1 there is no fun
• For the first move as black just mirror what the opponent is doing
• Do not block your d- and e-pawns in the opening by placing a piece in front of them, because this would limit your use of your bishops (if they were not moved otherwise)

Tactics in the Opening

Scandinavian Defense

1. e4, d4
2. Play exd5

The Middlegame

0 - 1000 ELO

Did opponent create any weaknesses?

ist? there a check mate?

Defend, improve your position, attack free pieces

Do a blunder check before each move: Check King, Queen, Knights, Bishops, Rooks

Defending

Don't forget en passant (as defender as well as attacker)

Improving position

Wehere are weak positions of the opponent near his king?

Attacking

Only attack, if you come out on top. Do you have more attackers than the opponent has defenders?

If there is a defender, maybe you are able to take the defender or make him move?

Find all potential moves and go through all options and try to find out, which looks the best.

When you are ahead in terms of pieces taken trading pieces is good, because it brings you closer to the end game.

You can only do meaningful attacks, when you have enough pieces

Hints

Avoid double isolated pawns, if possible

Pawns cannot move backwards, so moving them introduces weaknesses. Backwards pawn on a pawn chain is the weakest pawn

Rooks are endgame pieces. In the middlegame a knight and a bishop are more valuable than a rook and a pawn

Wihen opponent attacks with a bishop on b3/b7 or g3/g7 Tage with the edge pawn towards the center. This keeps the pawns together.

1000 - 1800 ELO

• Don't trade pieces or Queens if you are behind.

The Endgame

Checkmate Patterns

Notable Tactical Positions

Position Pawn, Bishop or Queen opposite to the opponents knight in order to limit his moves.

Prevent being taken by knight immediately by moving to diagonal location with 1 square between. This way the opposing knight needs three moves to take your piece

A Fianchettoed bishop cannot easily be attacked by a rook or a knight, only by the same squared bishop

Calculating Moves

Step 1: Evaluate

1. King Safety
2. Material
3. Piece activity
4. Pawn structure

Step 2: Find Candidate Moves

Which moves seem to be good moves or playable at all?

Look for CCA:

• Checks
• Captures
• Attacks

Step 3: Calculate

For each candidate move again calculate CCA:

• Checks
• Captures
• Attacks

"When you see a good move, look for a better one" - Emanuel Lasker