Strategy Tips

• Most important is king safety! Does your king need more protection? Is your opponent's king safe? Can they be attacked successfully?    The object of the chess is to checkmate the opponent's king; keep your's safe! Castle into safety behind a wall of pawns, and keep your pawns, and keep your pawns in front of your king unmoved if possible--they're strongest that way.
• Control the center or attack your opponent's grip on it. Remember "King of the Mountain", where each player tries to occupy and keep control of the top of a hill? The center is the "high ground" of the chess board! To travel around the board, pieces must pass through the center.
• Make sure your pieces guard or defend one another, even if they are not immediately attacked. Try to guard your pieces with chessmen of equal or less value.
• If possible, trade a piece for a more valuable one. Soon your army will be more powerful than your opponent's. Be careful what you trade for.
• What is my opponent threatening?Ask yourself this each time your opponent for having a game plan of his of her own! If you see threats coming, you can usually avoid them.

From the authors of the book,"Winning Chess tactics & stategies"

• Ted Nottingham
• Al Lawrence
• Bob Wade