Understanding 3 check

3 check is the simplest variant, but you have to be very sharp to win these games. I will go over a few of my favorite strategys for this variant. This first one can be used if the king's knight is not moved into play early on.

Notice that by moving the queen's knight to the center disables your opponents knight and opens up the kingside for a unstoppable attack. The whole game black was struggling to find room to properly develop pieces. This next one is a basic variation of the previous strategy.

This isn't a very reliable strategy, however it is very basic and easy to use. The main goal is to again block the king's knight, and it just keeps your knights deeper in your territory. The next strategy is one for facing advanced players to gain space early, an essential part of chess.

Your best bet to use this is in games with limited time, so you can last long. Knowing how to proceed from this relatively advanced position is crucial to success. This last topic is knowing how to castle well. Have a look:

In this position white can castle to either side depending on blacks following move. White has just sacrificed a knight to prevent the king from castling, and was winning in pieces since having no checks. Black, however, has two checks but will find it hard to win. White has a clear advantage in this game. Stay tuned for more variant advice!