When I see a good move to make, pause, and look for a better one.
Post your chess mantras here.
Sort:
When you are ahead by a piece, use that piece.
Also, refute any you don't think are sound!
...
Always check.
If you can threaten a superior piece, do it!
Castle as soon as possible.
a knight on the edge beats meat and two veg.
awachana wrote:
Always check.
No, please, don't
Rooks behind passed pawns, friends or enemies.
Always place your pieces on the lines between squares, so you can j'adoube it after your opponent moves.
never eat a jam sandwich during play, it attracts wasps.
So many pedestrians so little time.
My chess mantras 1. Don't ever panic. 2. Think. 3. It's still not over yet!.
Always check no matter what
I have to be patient. Can't force something when nothing is there. Often my opponent is not making mistakes so I should simply build on my own position rather than trying to push too hard, overstretch and collapse.
The nature of chess is such that I might have to grind in a completely equal position for 100 moves.
This simple realisation had me gain a lot of Elo in a very short time.
1. Play as white.
2. Control the center, gain spacial advantage and the bishops pair.
3. Now I can offer a draw. :)
It's better to be a human being,than a human doing.
A knight on the rim is dim.
Also, if I can check, I almost always do so. Perhaps if I am capturing I won't. Is this a flaw?
awachana wrote:
A knight on the rim is dim.
Also, if I can check, I almost always do so. Perhaps if I am capturing I won't. Is this a flaw?
Check in itself is not a goal. What is the point of checking if it doesn't accomplish anything? Then you're just wasting a move on doing nothing while your opponent moves on towards his goal.
Might be I am wrong regarding the example I used, because it does pin the knight, but it seems to me that all white is doing in this example is waste a move, because black is going to move his knight there on that move regardless. Did the check then accomplish anything at all? Do you even want your best bishop on that square or are you going to have to move it again soon? Game explorer has black winning 100% of the time with this.
Edit: might be this even lets black get rid of his worst piece and one of white's best if he blocks with the bishop instead.
I am nice.
Post the words that frequently go through your head as you win a chess game. I will start. With three.
1. Exchange when you are ahead.
2. To take is a mistake.
3. Control the middle.
By the by, I very much suck at chess. So, I need your advice. What is your advice? What are those frequent thoughts you think as you go on to win a chess match?