tactics.
How To Become Good in Chess
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Tactics -Tactics - Tactics - Review of annotated games (for example: "Logical Chess Move by Move") and then some Tactics
thank you. but can someone give me a background of what chess tactics are? i heard there is also what's called 'strategy' but i'd like to start with tactics for now. thanks.
erikido23 wrote:
Oh yes, definitely, here is where all you need to get going!
Strategy in a thinking game? Preposterous!
Miangela418 wrote:
thank you. but can someone give me a background of what chess tactics are? i heard there is also what's called 'strategy' but i'd like to start with tactics for now. thanks.
Strategy involves long-term thinking about your overall plan for the game. It is often determined by the opening you choose, as different openings are conducive with different strategies. The ultimate goal of any chess strategy is the checkmate the opponent's king (obviously). It involves putting your pawns and minor and major pieces on squares that make them most dangerous. For example your knights on c3 and f3, putting your bishops on the longest white and black diagonals, controlling the center squares, etc.
Tactics are short combinations of moves that gain you some sort of advantage. Sometimes the combinations gain you an extra piece or somehow weaken your opponents pawn structure. Examples of tactics might be a fork (attacking two pieces at the same time), a pin (attacking two pieces in a line where the second piece is more valuable than the first piece; thus the first piece is pinned down), and a skewer (where the more valuable piece is in front of a less valuable piece; the opponent is forced to move the more valuable piece and you gain the lesser piece as a result). Tactics are especially important in the middle game because they will help you gain some advantage that will then sharpen your strategy to a point. If you get good a tactics then the openings and strategy will take care of themselves because you will often go into the endgame with a very clear material advantage. The tactics trainer on this site is very helpful in developing your ability to recognize these types of move combinations that will gain you advantage. At first it can be frustrating but practicing every day, even if it's only the three free moves a day, will improve your rating several hundred points in time. The important thing about tactics trainer is not to cheat. Don't worry about the time at first or getting the rating points. Just stare at each puzzle until you figure out what to do. If you get moves wrong don't look at the solution. Keep trying different solutions till you figure out the right one.
Aaron
Miangela418 wrote:
my pleasant greeting to you all. i want to improve my chess skill but i do not know where to start. thank you very much.
Your post does not specify your present level of skill.
A general suggestion is to view chess as a very complicated puzzle. The starting position of the pieces is the most complicated puzzle. The endgame, with most pieces and pawns off the board, is a less complicated puzzle. An example, learning the basic queening technique for K + P vs. K. Another is learning the technique of basic checkmates(K + Q vs. K, K + R vs. K, K + 2B vs. K, K + B + N vs. K) teaches you about handling the power of the pieces and the well established techniques for checkmating the lone King.
Learning the opening principles is also a good idea.
1. Control the center (two pawn moves e4 and d4) it gives your pieces access to all four corners of the board
2. Development (N moves usually first Nc3 and Nf3) (B moves depends on position)
3. Castle (0-0 or 0-0-0) to safety
4. Queen safety {do not expose your Queen to attacks by minor pieces(Bs & Ns) in the opening}
5. Rooks (think of them as long range artillery) get them to open files(vertical rows of squares that have no pawns on any of those squares and lead directly into your opponents position. The ultimate goal of controlling an open file is to get your R to the 7th rank and then operate laterally along that rank attacking to gain material or checkmate your opponents king.
Learning about tactics is also a very good idea. Practice will make it much easier for you to spot (N forks, pins, etc.) in your own games. There are 3 advantages in chess (Time, Space and Material.) Tactics are a special form of exploiting one or more of these advantages in your games.
Have fun
Well, the main thing to improve in chess is to practice! Practice lower as well as higher rated players! Practice all sorts of things like tactics (tricks), moves, variations and so on... ;)
what is the difference between tactic and technique?
dean_sam wrote:
what is the difference between tactic and technique?
you shouldnt think about the word technique since its not a term in chess:) you can have good technique in tactics, in endgame, in strategy and so on but technique is not a separate term in itself.
tigergutt wrote:
dean_sam wrote:
what is the difference between tactic and technique?
you shouldnt think about the word technique since its not a term in chess:) you can have good technique in tactics, in endgame, in strategy and so on but technique is not a separate term in itself.
Well this makes no sense to me. "Technique" is sure talked about constantly in chess books, by chess masters, and actually is a seperate term "in-itself". The term is used in many sports, arts, etc., and is not divorced from the realm of chess by any means. Masters use the word to refer to one's ability to "close the deal", for example, when a position shows advantage of purpose, i.e., a win, or a draw.
Tactics is where to start. Not so much as to learn how to win material, but to avoid getting blown out early in the game. This can be very discouraging for a beginner. You *must* become proficient at instantaneously spotting one and two move combinations, especially those offered up by your opponent.
Playing stronger opponents is always good, but not too much stronger as you may not grasp how they are outplaying you. You must go over your games (especially your losses) and try to understand where you went wrong to see if there are any patterns in these games that can be corrected.
After you start surviving longer into the game you can then start to address opening theory, middlegame strategy, and endgame technique.
Be patient and stick with it! You'll be endlessly rewarded by the greatest game in the world.
Once you know the rules, try learning the following:
1) Tactics are the priority in chess training- learning pins, forks, etc. but learning how to recognize and execute combinations will raise your rating the most. Use tactic workbooks and websites (e.g. chessproblems.com) and practice everyday.
2) fundamental strategy and positional concepts: "My System" and "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy" will provide a solid classical and modern base for strategic chess
3) play games (mostly non-blitz, but occasionally fast chess is beneficial) online or at tournaments-ALWAYS review your games (therefore always notate) by yourself and then with an engine
4) Endgames: books like "Silmans complete endgame course" will provide basically all the info necessary on endgames throughout your chess career
5)build an solid understanding of opening goals and strategies; ONLY then should you delve deep into variations and building a specific repertoire for Black and White
6) once solid opening, middlegame, and endgame strategies, concepts, and tactics are understood and you can recognize them OTB (on the board), then begin reviewing GM games of your openings ( and some of other openings). You should see similar endgame and middlegame positions arising from the various games you review. NOTE: review these games as you would your own: first just with your analysis, then thru an engine
It's a combination of understanding many of the standard openings/defences including the standard variations and also tactic solving to get use to various situations. Of course, concentration and a positive mind set is also key to getting good.
my pleasant greeting to you all. i want to improve my chess skill but i do not know where to start. thank you very much.