New to chess.

When I was younger I had a brief stint where I wanted to learn chess and learned the basics, but since nobody I knew played it, I was kind of stuck playing a basic chess game my computer had and fizzled out. I stopped playing for quite a few years but I recently found myself playing a casual match against a friend and remembered how much fun I’d thought it was, and it inspired me to learn again.

As it stands I know some of the basics, started watching a handful of chess youtubers and have tried some of the activities here which has helped a bit. However I’ve only really been brave enough to take on computers so far.

Does anyone have tips on how to make the switch from computer to human opponent? As well as any recommendations for what openings/book moves it’s essential for a beginner to know?

General Ideas.

1. Stop playing blitz, and bullet.  Play longer time controls of at least G45, or longer.  
2. Follow Opening Principles:

• Control the center.
• Develop minor pieces toward the center.
• Castle.
• Connect your rooks.

1. Study tactics...tactics...tactics.  One of my favorite quotes is this: "Until you reach Master, your first name is tactics, your middle name is tactics, and your last name is tactics”.
2. Double Check your moves.  Before making a move, ask yourself: "Are my pieces safe?"
3. After your opponent moves, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
4. Analyze your games WITHOUT a chess engine, then have someone stronger go over the games, or post them online for review.
5. DO NOT memorize openings. Learn and understand the pawn structure, and piece placement for the opening you wish to learn.
6. Learn Basics Mates:

• K vs. KQ
• K vs. KR
• K vs. KRR

1. Learn Basic King and Pawn endings.

• KP vs. K
• Opposition

1. Have Fun!

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key
3. Castle
4. Connect your rooks

Tactics...tactics...tactics...

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles. Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)

2. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
3. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
4. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
5. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

 

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

 

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

I was the same when I first started chess. When I first got serious about chess, it took me a few days before I could build up the nerve to face human opponents. My advice is to just start playing against humans. When I did, I got clobbered for a few days, and you probably will too, but that’s ok, it gets better once you’re at the rating similarly skilled players are at. You’ll learn so much more playing humans; computers play unpredictably and inhumanly, which makes them less instructive.

As for things you need to know, I’d recommend learning the most common traps, like the scholar’s mate and the fried liver. Since you just started, you probably won’t need to know a ton of theory yet, and it’s probably not worth the effort until your opponents more reliably play the opening correctly.

Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a respected  chess coach and chess YouTuber based in California: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5SPSG_sWSYPjqJYMNwL_Q

 

I have helped beginners get better. Tell yourself that playing against a human is okay so you have a peace of mind!  You just need more time to adjust to playing a human.    

 

-Consider all checks and captures on your side and also your opponent’s side. Always as, “If I move here, where is my opponent going to move?”

I hope that this helps.  

Daily chess can be a good way to ease yourself into playing people. You wont have to worry about the time pressure.

Chess Opening Recommendations…

You might give the Vienna Game & Gambit a try.  This is an aggressive opening which is very popular at the amateur level, and playable even by advanced players.
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-the-vienna-game-gambit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVxENCPcCjU

For beginner-intermediate players I also suggest to check out GothamChess (IM Levy Rozman) on YouTube for recommendations and quick tutorials on openings....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFod-ozimmM&t=103s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdyik5UwBtM
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gothamchess+openings

For more opening suggestions check out the chess openings tier lists videos by GM Hikaru Nakamura and IM Levy Rozman...
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chess+opening+tier+list
In the tier lists chess openings are categorized and rated in terms of their appropriateness vis-a-vis player skill level - i.e., beginner vs intermediate vs GM’s, etc. Note that in some of the videos (particularly the one for beginner openings) they frequently refer to some openings as "garbage" or "bad" (an unfortunate choice of terms). However, these qualifiers are meant to convey how appropriate the specific opening is for the level of player being discussed, in terms of, for example, how much so-called "theory" (i.e., documented variations) the opening encompasses, or how much emphasis the opening places on positional versus tactical skills in order to play it well.
So, an opening they refer to as "garbage" for a beginner may in fact be appropriate for higher rated players who typically know more of the theory for particular openings and have a more highly developed understanding of positional concepts. For each of the openings discussed be sure, also, to pay attention to whether the evaluation is from White’s or Black’s perspective...

Finally, several articles on suggested openings and other articles on chess topics that may be of interest to the improving chess amateur in my blog....

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

Good advice here, Vic! Welcome and good luck! 🤠

Um sorry, *Viv ☺️