5 Important "NOT" in Chess

What in any case can not be done in chess?

Have you ever made a move without thinking? Do you have problems concentrating on the board while playing? If you answered "yes" to both of these questions, then we recommend reading this article. Today we will talk about 5 things that should never be done in chess.

1. Don't make impulsive moves
When you think about a move, you immediately make it - instead of taking a break for analysis. It may even "work" several times. But sooner or later you will make a mistake. If you don't have a "double check" in your decision-making algorithm, you are almost guaranteed to make a mistake. By the way, this often happens with the best chess players. And after making a mistake, you almost immediately realize this and start staring at your opponent in the hope that he will not notice the winning continuation. Unfortunately, in most cases he finds it.

But there is also good news. If you are able to see a gross error immediately after the move is made, then you will be able to calculate it before your hand touches the piece. Just take 10-20 seconds to evaluate the move again before making it. Check for the presence of simple things – such as hanging figures, matte threats, forks and other tactics. And if you think about it like this every move, the number of your mistakes in the games will decrease significantly.

2. Don't think about anything but the game
What do professional chess players like Kasparov, Carlsen, Anand and Kramnik think about while playing? Do they think about football matches, their previous defeats, weekend plans or their favorite TV show? We are sure that it is not. Grandmasters know better than anyone else that they need to concentrate on the game during the tournament.

Amateur players are not so good at controlling their thoughts. If the position is boring and the game is slow, they are easily distracted by thinking about losing in the previous round or even making plans for the weekend.

3. Don't rely on intuition
Intuition is a great thing, but only when it does not fail. And whether she will "set you up" or not is difficult to know in advance. Sometimes intuition can save us time and effort, but accuracy can easily suffer, especially in comparison with the calculated option. So until you reach about 2200 elo, you should forget about intuition and base your chess decisions solely on calculations. Calculate your moves, and you will avoid many troubles.

4. Don't play "at random"
Sometimes players don't rely on intuition or calculations. They simply initiate exchanges and combinations, hoping that it will somehow work in their favor. They just don't want to think about the position - maybe because they are tired, or maybe because they don't have the habit of using their analytical abilities yet.

They just make moves and look "where the curve will take out". If you are one of these players, then we have bad news for you. Playing chess like that is like driving a car with your eyes closed. Maybe the "show will go on" for a while, but eventually you will get into an accident.

Remember that chess is an accurate game, and it favors those who control the situation and use accurate calculations.

5. Don't give up when you lose
This is a problem that many newbies face. Losing a figure, they immediately give up. After all, they have watched grandmasters play, and they know that in grandmaster games, losing a piece is almost always equal to losing.

However, what is a rule at the professional level does not always apply to amateur chess. If you are playing with someone below 2000 elo, there is a high probability that your opponent will "thank" you and make a "retaliatory" mistake. As a result, you will get a chance to return your material and get a draw, and maybe even win the game.