The Idea of Chess
Concepts of Chess as I Learn
Subject to edits
Basics opening principles
Piece Value
Queen 9, Rook 5, Bishop 3.1, Knight 3, Pawn 1
Before each move check both white and black for:
1. king safety,
2. queen safety,
3. Look for checks
4. Look for captures
5. Look for attacks
• Knight forks
• Bishop and rook skewers and pins
• Discovered attacks
• Pawn forks
Opening Order
Develop pieces in this order as play allows:
One or two pawns with Knight support, then Bishops, Queen if necessary for Castle, Castle, Rooks.
Do not trade pieces without getting a material advantage.
The Positional Development
Go for the center
Don't push pawns the on castle side
Advancing a pawn weakens the squares on either side.
Keep at least one more pawn than the opponent.
Avoid isolated pawns and double pawns when trading pawns.
Method of Development
Control a square before setting a piece on it.
Use pawns to take space and block attacks.
Use the knights and bishops to support pawns.
Use the Queen and Rooks to support knights and bishops.
Allow opponent to capture first, if a piece may be developed by recapture.
Attack opponents higher value pieces with developing moves to force the opponent to repeat moves or make backward moves.
Tactical Ideas
Defend and attack with the same move.
Use multiple pieces to attack a weakness in the opponent's position.
Coordinate pieces to attack on the same squares.
Removing the defender of a piece leaves it vulnerable to attack
Line up Queen, Rooks, and Bishops on the same diagonals and files as the King or Queen.
Use a Rook to control open and half open files.
Use a Rook battery on a file to take the 7 rank.
Defend Pass Pawns to force better trades or promote.
End Games
Keep King and other pieces on opposite color squares when Knights can attack.
Get the pawns on the opposite color of opponents Bishop.
Cut off the opponent's King from their pawns using a Rook.
Use King to defend Pawns.
Bring out King after Opponents Queen has been captured.
Push Pawns together with King to promote.
Calculate opposition before opponents king can blockade a pawn.
If you can't checkmate play for a draw.
Over all Play
No hard and fast rules fall back to principles when nothing is better.
Develop a system to open the game for both black and white.
Assess and counter threats as they develop.
After each move ask what is my opponent trying to do.
Pick top three moves and pick the best one after weighing pros and cons of each.
Before making a move, look for a better move.
The Human Side of it
Its not a bad move until your opponent sees it, Keep your game face.
Everyone Blunders stay cool and wait for your chance.
All Mates are not equal some are hard to see make sure your opponent sees it before you resign.
The Queen is not the only piece.
