Beginners - Where Do They Start? - Chess Forums

FaronB23

Sep 5, 2016

0

#1

Catchy title, huh?

Anyways - where should a complete beginner start? Say if you had to pick just 5 things a beginner should do or learn. What would they be? I played my first 4 games and I won 2, lost 1, and had 1 draw.

Thanks in advance!

u0110001101101000

Sep 5, 2016

0

#2

Basic mates (two rooks and king vs lone king, K+Q vs long king, K+R vs lone king).

Opening principals (pawn in center, speedy development to influence center, castle to safety.

Basic tactical themes (fork, pin, skewer, discovered attack/check, removing the defender).

Basics of pawn strategy (chain, island, break, majority, minority, doubled, isolated, backward, passed, hole).

Basics of piece strategy (mobility, outposts, open file, half-open file, good/bad bishops).

Consider getting a book like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chess-Player-Fred-Reinfeld/dp/0671768956

ActuallySleepy

Sep 5, 2016

0

#3

Complete beginner needs to leads how the pieces move and special moves ( castling and en passant) then basic opening theory, such as controlling center and developing pieces. Somewhere in there should be the value of pieces, but I think what's been most important to me is end game. Have to know what checkmate is/ looks like to be able to spot a checkmate.

FaronB23

Sep 6, 2016

0

#4

Good info do far. I'll look into the recommended book.

I'm good on end game and I know all the moves BUT what I current lack is opening moves, center, any real organized strategy, etc.

Any good center control references for me? Thanks guys.

FaronB23

Sep 6, 2016

0

#5

So far*

ActuallySleepy

Sep 6, 2016

0

#6

Check out 4 knight game and Ruy Lopez

u0110001101101000

Sep 6, 2016

0

#7

FaronB23 wrote:

Any good center control references for me? Thanks guys.

This site has a good free article:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-principles-of-the-opening

Iron-Patzer

Sep 6, 2016

0

#8

For an absolute beginner, I like The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff (https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Chess-Third/dp/1592573169). Despite it's name, it's actually a very good overall introduction to all of the basics of chess tactics and strategy, and it's written in a conversational style that is easy for a beginner to understand.

thegreat_patzer

Sep 6, 2016

0

#9

5 THINGS A BEGINNER SHOULD DO

Study the Fork, Pin, Skewer, Decoy and Discovered attack. Play 5 tactics per day to earn a tactics rating and achieve a 1200 Tactics Rating.
Look up the Rules of Opening Theory. Write down the rules. Next look up the first several moves of the following openings; Ruy Lopez, Queens Gambit, Scotch Game. observe that each of these openings is described by the major "rules" of opening theory.
In the first three games look over your game and find three improvements. Improvements are Not identifying moves that are bad, but are finding moves that are better.
Read about how Checkmate an opponent when you have a king and a queen and he has a king. do so by "drawing a box"- note particular instances where you might stalemate. and make sure you can do this with your king and his king on any space. you can practice this on the "drill" menu of chess.com
Play a person who is at least 400 rating stronger than you. compare your opinion about different moves with his, and strive to understand how he beat you.

There you have it, Mr. Beginner. The Top #5 things a beginner can do to improve. IMHO.