Quick Question

I finished watching the Learn to Play Chess lesson videos. Should I dive right into a game or should watch the From Beginner to Winner lessons first? I played for a year and a half about twenty years ago so I'm not a true beginner, but I'm back to square one (pardon the pun).

You might find something useful to you here.....browse...

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

I also recommend learning basic theoretical endgames. They helped my confidence a lot when I was getting back into chess. Once you learn the easy checkmates like Q+K vs K or R+K vs K, then you'll move to more technique based endgames like 2B+K vs K (still somewhat easy) or Rook endgames where you are up a pawn. Even knowing that I could win with just an extra pawn (K+p vs K) helped my confidence a lot.

I apologize for the stupid question, why are the bishops of white sometimes in bold black?

Thanks for all the links and great advice, everyone! I'll bookmark the links and check them out soon. I think I'll play my first game today.

Thanks. I'll look into endgames. This week, I've been playing mate-in-one puzzles on the ideachess site, for 15 min a day, and they've helped me remember what checkmate is.

You've got lots of great information on your blog. Thanks!

I started my first game! It's a daily game (seven day per move), but I won't take seven days per move. I just thought it would be a good way to ease into things.

I don't play daily games on chess.com much, but I never heard of this idea. Sounds like a friendly gesture though

I didn't know I could award trophies. That's really neat.

chess.com "trophies" are little pictures (that look more like stamps) that you can write a short message into (if you are friends with that member). Go to their profile and it is near the top-right under "award." It is just a friendly little thing chess.com has.

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5.
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key. Centralized piece control more squares.
3. (King Safety)
4. Connect your rooks. There should be no pieces between your Rooks.

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles (Piece Activity).  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 move: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) 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?"

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.

3. 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”.
4. Double Check your moves.  Before making a move, ask yourself: "Are my pieces safe?"
5. After your opponent moves, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
6. Analyze your games WITHOUT a chess engine, then have someone stronger go over the games, or post them online for review.
7. DO NOT memorize openings. Learn and understand the pawn structure, and piece placement for the opening you wish to learn.
8. Learn Basics Mates:

• K vs. KQ
• K vs. KR
• K vs. KRR

9. Learn Basic King and Pawn endings.

• KP vs. K
• Opposition

10. Have Fun!

play chess.com checkmate coronavirus

Great advice. I'd forgot what a juggling act chess can be. Thanks for the tips!

Hello! I'm looking for the possibility to play online with my grandchildren, but, to explain to them different moments of the game, where the chessboard would be free to move, without alternating white-black. In fact, like a real chessboard placed in the middle, where you move and arrange the pieces at will... Is there a site where this kind of configuration is possible? thanks for your advice!!!!

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Yes . . . as post #2 suggests, just do both. Play and learn. Why wait? Dive right in . . .

Good luck either way!

A Canadian who can't spell Canadian?

Daily chess - that's a good move!

By the way, thanks for the kind comment about my blog.

Good luck!