The one I see beginners make is making lots of pawn moves in the opening.
10 best 'what NOT to do' tips in Chess
Sort:
Openings:
- Development: To place (develop) the pieces (particularly Bishops and Knights) on useful squares where they will have an optimal impact on the game.
- Control of the Center: Control of the central squares allows pieces to be moved to any part of the board relatively easily, and can also have a cramping effect on the opponent.
- King Safety: Keeping the King safe from dangerous possibilities. A correct timing for castling can often enhance this.
- Pawn structure: Players strive to avoid the creation of pawn weaknesses such as isolated, doubled or backward pawns, and pawn islands – and to force such weaknesses in the opponent's position.
Middlegame:
- Try NOT to mess up your position: Try to keep a nice balance of attack, defence, and structure to optimize oppurtunities when they come your way.
- Tactics: Readily use them if you are given a chance to. Avoid letting your opponent use them on you!
Endgame:
- During the Endgame, Pawns become more important; Endgames often revolve around attempting to promote a Pawn by advancing it to the eighth rank.
- The King, which has to be protected in the middlegame owing to the threat of checkmate, becomes a strong piece in the Endgame. It is often brought to the center of the board where it can protect its own Pawns, attack the Pawns of opposite color, and hinder movement of the opponent's King.
- Zugzwang, a disadvantage because the player has to make a move, is often a factor in endgames but rarely in other stages of the game. For example, the diagram on the right is zugzwang for both sides, as with Black to move he must play 1... Kb7 and let White queen a pawn after 2. Kd7; and with White to move he must allow a draw by 1.Kc6 stalemate or lose his last pawn by any other legal move.
Source: Wikipedia
ADK
Don't bring your queen out early without a good reason. You'll waste time moving it to safety while your opponent continues developing his pieces and gaining space.
1 Look at the game as yourself and you want to win
2 Look at the game as your opponent and he/she wants to win
3 Look at the game as an observer who doesnt care who wins
4 make the move that the three agree is best for you
P.S. it helps if you are a nutcase and if you are not you will be.......
There is massive information on what we should do when playing Chess, opening, middle game, endings etc, etc but not much on what we should avoid doing.
Please help me and let's help us drawing up the very best 10 tips, which I will collate after a couple of weeks?
Thank you!