I would say first learn the basic checkmates: 2 queens vs king, 2 rooks, 1 queen, 1 rook. Then the rules of 'opposition' in basic pawn endgames.
Then learn opening principles (not to much about specific openings), i.e. controlling the centre and getting your pieces into play. EDIT: Looking at your games, proper development and king safety will help you a lot, but so will thinking about your opponents moves and what squares they are now attacking etc.
Then go through this website: http://www.chesstactics.org/
Actually, firstly make sure you're 100% on the rules, the amount of people who have played for a while without understanding insufficient material, stalemate, en passant, castling etc is surprising.
Hi everyone.
Not sure this is the right place to post this, but perhaps some admins can move it, and hopefully you'll understand.
I'm new to chess. That is to say I'm trying to learn chess. I know the pieces, how they move, but I'm green to knowing when to move the right pieces, how to advance, i.e. to play.
What is the best way to learn? To just play? Any good books, websites, videos apart from Chess.com? Any good chess.com articles apart from the general introduction?
I wonder if learning chess is about learning the moves and he rules, or whether it's actually learning chess-cognition, meaning, learning how to think "chess"; To think of moves ahead, to calculate moves and checks, to inhabit the moves and positions... I mean, it's not checkers, is it?
So where to beging? Continue to play and learn the "rules", or read a book and watch chess-videos? Or go through games and observe the moves?
I had to learn on my own, you see, and I'm in my mid-twenties. If I had learned as a child it would be different, but as it is, I need to learn the rules and the mentality ...
Thanks in advance
VN (AB-TT)