12956 Players currently online!
Man vs. Machine - good luck!
Turn-based games at any time!
Vote for the best move to win!
Do you have what it takes?
Sharpen your tactical vision!
Get advice and game insights!
Learn from top players & pros!
View millions of master games!
Your virtual chess coach!
Perfect your opening moves!
Test your skills vs. computer!
Find the right private coach!
Can you solve it each day?
Bring it all together!
Beginners, start here!
Make friends & play team games!
News from the world of chess!
Search all Chess.com members!
Find local clubs & events!
Who's the best of your friends?
Read what members are saying!
nonowho
I'm usually a well rounded player but I'm bad at two things
1.) I play too fast
2.) I'm bad at judgement I don't know if it is worth it to trade pieces
Could you please give me sugestions
TheGrobe
1.) Slow down
2.) Slow down
Honestly, though, #2 can be a real challenge. Understanding good vs. bad minor pieces, and when you're able to trade down to an advantageous, even won, endgame would be a good place to start I think. Sillman's "How to Reassess Your Chess" gets into some of these assessments in a fair amount of detail if you're looking or reading material on the subject.
thanks!
Cystem_Phailure
Regarding trading pieces, I really liked these columns by Dan Heisman (from his monthly Novice Nook column). They all have to do with evaluating when exchanges of pieces are and are not advisable. In order that they were written:
A Counting Primer (April 2002)The Most Important Tactic (December 2003)Is It Safe? (June 2006)The Two Types of Counting Problems (April 2007)Counting Material (December 2010)
The first one is a must-see, as it introduces the basic ideas of what needs to be considered when examining whether to initiate an exchange or a series of exchanges. However, it also has an error in the first diagram on page three, and Heisman has the correct diagram here.
The full archive of Heisman's Novice Nook columns, presently chronologically and also grouped by subject, can be accessed here.
waffllemaster
Wow, I linked to those articles cystem_Phailure. Heisman has some excellent stuff. That should be required reading, linked on the main page or something.
blagy
Honestly, I don't know what to say, but for N vs. B, general rule: The Knight is superior in closed positions, the Bishop is superior in open positions.
goldendog
Shhhhhhhh...
It really depends on what kinds of bishops they are. Episcopal, Catholic, etc.
Yes, in a tightly locked up position, a Bishop can be really constrained and not worth very much for quite a few moves into the future. In that situation, giving up a Bishop to get the other person's Knight may well be advantageous, rather than just an even exchange. But you need to be able to use the swap to quick advantage, because if the game lasts to the point where the board is much less populated, the other fellow's surviving Bishop pair will become more and more important and powerful against you.
Estragon
My old coach had a simple but effective method to help with moving too fast: sit on your hands! Literally - tuck your hands under your butt so you can't just grab a piece (or the mouse), and when you want to move, remember why you are sitting on your hands and look again!
As to exchanging, there is one rule: does it bring you advantage?
Unless you gain something positive by initiating the exchange, don't do it - leave it for the opponent and improve the position of another piece or pawn instead. If allowing the opponent to make the exchange is bad for you, you must decide whether to exchange yourself or retreat and avoid it. Which to do? Use the same method - which benefits your position the most or harms it the least?
Heisman has some excellent stuff.
I really like the Novice Nook column. It's too basic for better players (hence the name of the column), but for me it's usually just the right depth-- reinforcing some things I know but don't always keep in mind, introducing tips and concepts that are new to me, and discussing ideas and lines at a level of detail that nicely matches what I'm willing to work to follow closely, as least as far as chess is concerned.
FM Borislav Ivanov Disqualified
by MJ4H a few minutes ago
5/23/2013 - The Long Road Home
by elig5428 a few minutes ago
need help determining a winning strategy
by Shakaali 3 minutes ago
What happened to the fun???
by Reb 4 minutes ago
Sicilian Dragon with Queenside Castle
by PVTogh 5 minutes ago
Is there any chance that a 1300 rated player can beat a 2700 rated player?
by ClavierCavalier 10 minutes ago
Please join.
by Chessislife2013 12 minutes ago
What is your favorite variant?
by SacredMountain 12 minutes ago
Siamese chess
by SacredMountain 14 minutes ago
ratings
by elig5428 20 minutes ago