Simple Plans: Lesson 1
One of the simplest plans in chess is to improve your pieces.
- Knights belong on outposts (central squares that cannot be attacked by the opponent's pawns).
- Rooks belong on open files.
- Bishops belong on long, open diagonals.
- All pieces like to target weak pawns (pawns that cannot be defended by another pawn).
Puzzle #1
Improve your knight.
Hint: Look for the outpost.
Puzzle #2
Improve your bishop.
Hint: Look for the open diagonal.
Puzzle #3
Improve your rooks and aim at a weak pawn.
Hint: Double your rooks on the same file as the weak pawn.
Puzzle #4
Attack the weak pawn again.
Hint: Use the pin.
Puzzle #5
Improve the queen.
Hint: Aim all of your pieces at the same target/weak pawn.
