Chess Strategies
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Return to the basics with the Modern Defense, and you will get a defense that works against virtually every opening move by White. The Modern Defense is a simple, robust, dynamic chess opening leading to exciting games. We got so enamored with openings and caught up in all the glitz and glamor of intricate variations, but at their essence, openings are about reaching a playable middlegame.
The endgame is a fascinating phase of a chess game. There are all sorts of strategies to help you navigate them with success. Learning these endgame concepts can become an exciting voyage of discovery; the best part is that you will likely be on this journey for your entire chess career.
Looking for an opening, you can play for many years? Then the Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack is for you! This chess opening is easy to learn as a beginner but strong enough to challenge players rated 2000 Elo. Positionally sound with easy-to-learn plans, you can feel confident playing the Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack after a weekend of opening study.
Many gambits have traps to help you win early if your opponent is not paying attention. Although these gambits work best at the beginner or club level, they can earn you a victory at higher levels. The best traps in chess gambits are the ones where your opponents play natural moves and get into trouble. Even if your opponent plays well, all of these gambits will leave you with an equal position.
You might find it helpful to follow GM Simon Williams’ advice to think of the pawn structure in chess as the skeleton of your position and the pieces as the organs. Pawns are much less fluid than pieces and often find themselves in fixed positions since they cannot move backward. Understanding the pawn structure in chess will help you find the best squares for your pieces. You will also know which exchanges are favorable to you.
How Each of the Chess Piece Moves When learning how the chess pieces move, we will continue working through the pieces from the outside in - rooks, knights, bishops, queen, and king. Every piece in chess has a unique way of moving. The king and pawn also have special moves only they can perform. Pawn - except for its first move, the pawn moves one square forward. On its first move, the pawn can move two squares forward. Be careful when advancing your pawn two squares because it can become a victim of the en passant rule. The en passant rule states that if a pawn advances two squares past an opponent’s pawn on the fifth rank, the opponent may capture it as if it had moved one square.
Every chess player learns their chess pieces' value early. This value system is one of the fundamentals we must know if we are to avoid losing material. When you know that a rook is worth five points and a bishop three points, you won’t exchange a rook for a bishop without considering other factors. The chess pieces’ value is the foundation of our play as beginners. In light of this, getting a firm grasp on the chess pieces’ value is essential. More important is getting a genuine value for the chess pieces. There are times when their value increases and, at other times, diminishes. The knowledge of your chess pieces’ value must get used wisely.
Do not let the term beginner fool you because these strategic motifs apply at all levels. Beginner chess strategy forms the foundation you build upon for the rest of your chess career.
