♟️ From Beginner to Better: Quick Chess Tips

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My apologies then sir. Thanks for your advice.

Strategize some new approach how to call out me, I am ready 😅😝

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Here is some advice I wish I had been given.

When you make a decision, stick with it. Don't hop around all over the place. You'll end up with superficial knowledge of many things instead of actual knowledge of some specific things.

Try to understand why moves are played and when. For example, in the Sicilian: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 (Black wants to play Nf6 here, but white replies 3. e5!, hence 2.... d6 prepares it.) Why does black want to play 2.... Nf6? Well, it develops a kingside piece and fights for the center. But, more SPECIFICALLY, it forces white to defend his e4 pawn with Nc3, PREVENTING white from playing a quick c4 and setting up a nice Maróczy Bind.

Pick one opening you like for white. Something sound (more or less) and continue to play it until you get the hang of it. As a beginner, avoid complicated openings and gambits, these are time wasters (Why should white part with material? He already has the initiative. Black is a tempo down, is a material deficit in addition to this a good choice?). Do a search for "Old Man Chess Openings" these are easy to learn, play and remember. You are less likely to get knocked out early, which is discouraging. For example:

King's Indian Attack (1.e4/Nf3/g3): A system-based opening (often played against the French or Sicilian) that relies on a specific setup, not memorization.

Colle System (1.d4, 2.Nf3, 3.e3): A very simple, effective setup for white.

The idea is to get out of the opening ALIVE and have a game to play.

For black it is trickier, pick something to play against 1. e4 and d4.

Ideally, an "Opening System" that can be used against both of these is a great place to start. For example: 1.... d6 (Leading to a Pirc/KID), 1.... e6 (Leading to a French/Dutch) or even 1.... c6 (Leading to a Caro-Kann/Slav). These are tried and tested openings that will serve you well for the entire time you play chess. Why not learn them from the start?

Learn how to make your own decisions and trust your judgement.

The idea is to make economical choices and use of time. Chess is complex and can become a huge, expensive, time waster if you lack a thought-out approach.

Learn some of the basic mates as soon as possible (this will pay off with points). I suggest KQ vs K, KR vs K at the least.

Practice tactics by solving combinations. At first, concentrate on: Mates, Pins and Double Attacks. These are huge point gainers! Start with easy ones and work your way up. When solving puzzles, don't start calculating immediately. Instead, do a quick assessment by identifying 1. Checks 2. Captures 3. Undefended Pieces and 4. Threats (In this order), then begin to look closer. This will be difficult and time consuming initially but gets easier and faster with practice. This method builds great thinking habits and will eventually become an unconscious activity every time you look at a chess position. Tactics books (that have been computer verified) are a good investment. They don't require a computer/Internet, they will never become obsolete and they are something you actually own. Tactics books organized by theme (Pins, Forks, etc.) are great at training pattern recognition and are much more useful than a random collection of puzzles. After enough practice you will begin to "smell" tactics.

Another exercise to train thinking is simple but very useful. Use positions from real games and do a material assessment for white and black. Start by counting each sides pieces to determine if material is equal or not. If not, who has more and what is it? (Q, R, B, N). Then do the same for the pawns. With practice this also becomes an unconscious activity and a "Quick and Dirty" way to tell which side is better.

As you improve, you'll discover your preferences and adapt.

Most important! PLAY AND HAVE FUN! If chess starts to feel like "Work or a Job", take a break.

If you find that chess is something you are serious about and wish to continue improving, an effective approach is to learn some endgames. These teach more than you would expect, such as, how powerful the pieces really are and pay off with points, but don't go overboard.

1. Elementary pawn endings. Basic rook endings. Leave the rest for the future.

2. Specific positions? Quality beats quantity. In other words, you are better off MASTERING fewer important positions than trying to memorize as many as possible. Two great books are:

Pawn Endings by Cvetkov (~1985) and Practical Rook Endings by Mednis (~1982).

These are short, concise books that cover what you need to know. Don't worry about them being "Pre-Computer" era, these endings were solved long ago.

It's possible their Copyrights have expired. If so, you can download a pdf of them for free.

If you still wish to continue your chess study, it's time to get into the middlegame. This is where you learn how to "Play Chess" so to speak. This is a large topic with different opinions. However, it is CRITICAL to learn how to properly evaluate a chess position. This understanding will reveal how to continue in almost any position. This is where the real work begins. Yes, this takes hard work.

The late IM Jeremy Silman's "How To Reassess Your Chess (4th Edition)" is an excellent place to start. Don't listen to any of the criticism. This is one of the best chess books ever written. Follow this up with Silman's "How To Reassess Your Chess Workbook", to practice your new skills.

"Evaluate Like A Grandmaster (2022)" by GM Eugene Perelshteyn & FM Nate Solon. Is a short and sweet follow-up. This book is well worth its price.

A great way to continue is to learn some common plans and maneuvers. "100 Chess Master Trade Secrets (2013)" by GM Andrew Soltis covers these topics nicely. This fantastic book is worth careful study.

For further study if you choose to continue: "Pawn Structure Chess (2013)" is another terrific book by GM Andrew Soltis. This book is much shorter (concise), than its competitors and has engaging annotations.

Remember: The BEST chess book is the one you actually read!

This may seem like a disjointed process, but at some point things will begin to "Come Together" and "Click".

As you have probably realized from this detailed post, there are no shortcuts to chess mastery. FM's, IM's and GM's have dedicated great portions of their lives to chess and every "Become a GM in 7 Days!" Youtube video is a belittling, insult to professional chess players and tricks people into believing this is possible.

Useful to know: When an engine evaluates a position as equal (=), this does not mean the game is a draw. It means "With chances for both sides", "An even game", "A fair fight".

Just because a position is evaluated as equal doesn't mean "Lifeless and dull", there can be plenty of play, and tactics.

Good Luck!

Hello i am Леон

Helo

Hellllllllo

Thank guys

Is 100 elo good?

Control the center and castle as soon as possible.