Studying Chess

I'm just beginning in chess and I want to know the correct order in which I have to study (tactics, endgames, ...) and the order of some books to read.

Thanks

Basic tactics, very basic endgames (learn how to mate with just a queen, and then two rooks, then just one rook, etc.), and practice. Learning is important, but it's worthless in chess without experience to go with it.

Thanks for your aswers.

Study your own games, figure out why you lost when you lose. Much more important than, say, endgames.

I've always been confused by this, why endgames first?

Can someone explain the logic behind this?

I can't see nobody mentioned the endgame first

Basically you need to know what you need on the board. Every level has different needs. Usually it starts with a little basic endgame (like checkmate motiffs), a little opening principle, and a buch of (basic) tactics. Knowing the basics will help you understand the more advanced knowledges (and skills).

Read the most basic books, but only the recommended ones. The more you can absorb (because the book is not too advanced for you), the better. Find knowledge that you can right away implement on the board.

You can't win unless you checkmate the opposing king.  This happens through tactics, or through endgames.

Capablanca did.

You can't study the middle-game without knowing what type of endings to shoot for or avoid.  You can't study the openings without knowing what type of a middle-game to aim for.  The endings you can study without knowing anything about the opening or middle-game.  It is also easier to learn how to coordinate a few pieces than to coordinate a  whole army.

If you meant outside of this thread, yes you're right. And because capablanca was in master level, you should know that many people cannot put his feet in somebody elses' shoes. What I mean is, there will be a tendency that he was speaking "for his level". And if so then he was right.

There is a level around 2000 where it is critical imo for a chess player to be able to generate a plan, or to see the game as a whole from the start to the finish. You should be able to play your middlegame based on your understanding of the possible endgame, and you play your opening based on your understanding of the possible middlegame, hence endgame. This logic dictates that you should know the endgame first.

That is why I believe, Caro-Kann can be anybody's special ticket to fly to a higher level in chess (I hope you get the underlying reason).

1st) Study the chess board with no pieces on it visualize the squares and their color get to know each square and it's relationship to the neighboring squares surrounding them most beginners who are learning chess never master this or make an effort to improve at it every day Emmanuel Lasker said in his manual that people understimate it's enormous importance and value and he's right.

2nd) When you're ready to begin studying with start with the endgame why? it's easier for someone new to chess to learn what to do with a few pieces than 32 pieces. It's essential build a solid base of the right endgame knowledge so that you can study the middlegame and then openings in direct relation to the endgame. 

3rd) Solve as many checkmates and tactics problems every day in your mind time allows don't set up problems up any on a chess board or move any pieces on a computer screen in order to become good at tactics and master combinations you must learn the art of calculation. With practice and time you'll find solving in you're head quicker and more practical than doing it the slower way.........

4th) Play over grandmaster games the best ones have notes that explain the moves my favourite book is 500 master games of chess by Tartakower and Dumont the games are from the older masters like Steinitz there are a ton of lessons packed in the book on every phase of the game tactics, endgames, openings if you soak up the lessons like a sponge you're game can improve considerably.

5th) When you're ready play and practice a lot against people who can really challenge you and give you a game studying, learning from you're mistake and practice will over time bring it all together. Keep notes during you're games especially moves that you don't understand so you can come back to them later.

Good luck and have fun learning chess!

I think they mean basic mates first. If you don't know how to mate with a lone queen or two rooks against a lone king, it's going to be hard to win in general.

Once you know how to win with a lone queen, you can go on to learn to trade everything down and promote a pawn, and from then on I think tactics and the middlegame come first.

1. Learn how to checkmate the opponent ( Rook + King vs King and you're good, since you can use this with a queen or two rooks, too).

2. Learn how to get more material than your opponent ( Tactics ). This is going to take a lot of time, but will make you a much better player.

3. Play a lot of games with a long ( or at least not short ) time control. Anything over 15 10 is good.

But most importantly: Don't do stupid stuff!!

More experienced will do this intuitively, but when you're a beginner, you really need to take the time to see if you have any undefended pieces or if you're missing something obvious. Until you can do this in a few seconds, this is the only thing you should think about when making a move.

Javikel, I send you a link where you 'll find all the answer to your question. It help me a lot to understand chess!

tarrasch also said you should study the game backwards as well(endgame, then middlegame, then opening).  It does make sense.  If you can't end the game then why does it matter what "advantage" u get out of the opening(assuming u know what ur advantage is).  How do u know what ur advantage out of the opening is when u don't even understand a basic middlegame plan.  How do u understand a middlegame plan when u don't know what a beneficial endgame is?

Did you receive a link?

=1026_1

 The middlegame is about what u said and creating a more sound pawn structure(which is pretty important in the endgame), creating better pieces(which can possibly be more effective by trading down into an endgame ie french where black has the terrible bishop and white has the knight which is stronger.)and much more.  You much simplified just to make it accomodate ur point. 

The middlegame NEVER is not related to the endgame.  Rarely, if ever, do you blindly go for mate(if you are a good player).  You go for an attack and with the good attacks you win material or a positional advantage which is often converted in an endgame(against good players).  Sure occasionally you will get a monstrous attack that mates.  But, that is generally playing against players much weaker than you and you don't have to dorry about studying for those games because you will win because you are the better player not because of your understanding of the relation between middlegames and endgames or understanding of the opening(or whatever you THINK is the reason you are winning).