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A Collection of Chess Wisdom
Why Didn't Somebody Tell Me These Things?
Collected & Organized by Kelly Atkins
"Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the
endgame like a machine."
Rudolf Spielmann
In General:
When you see a good move, sit on your hands and see if you can find a better
one. – Siegbert Tarrasch
There are exceptions to every general principle and law in chess. Knowing
when you can violate them is one of the hallmarks of a strong player.
Memory should never be a substitute for thought.
Even when a move seems forced, it is worth taking a few moments to see if
there might be a better alternative.
If a move is absolutely forced, don't waste time calculating it. Make the
move and calculate the ramifications on your opponent's time.
Given the choice of two moves, if you calculate that the first move is
clearly losing, and the other is vague and complex, the second move should
be played without prolonged calculation. You can calculate the consequences
on your opponent's time.
Don't play a game or even a move if you don't feel like trying your best.
Attack pinned pieces with pieces worth less than them; never take a pinned
piece unless it leads to some sort of tactic or advantage, or you cannot
maintain the pin.
Putting out your hand when you offer a draw is presumptuous; always put it
out after the draw is agreed upon, not before.
Rooks need open and semi-open files. Don't let your opponent control open
files with his Rooks.
When capturing with pawns, it is correct most of the time to capture toward
the center. If the result is doubled pawns, this is correct even a higher
percentage of the time.
If you worry about your opponent's rating or play to the level of your
competition, then don't look at his rating until after the game.
If something is happening on your board that is strange or you don't
understand, stop the clock and get the tournament director.
In a Swiss tournament, the most important rounds are the first and the last.
In chess, if you learn to consistently (each move) do the little things:
take your time, count the material effect of your move, and check for basic
tactics, you will soon find that these are not so little!
Move every piece once before you move every piece twice unless there is a
clear reason to do so.
In the opening, if you can drive a Knight out of the center by attacking it
with a pawn, it is usually correct to do so.
If you get way ahead in material, it is more important to use all your
pieces, kill your opponent's counterplay, and safeguard your King, than it
is to try and get further ahead.
Having the 'Bishop Pair' - two Bishops when your opponent does not - is
worth about half a pawn.
Don't put your Knight in front of your c-pawn in double d-pawn openings.
Don't move your f-pawn until you have castled or your opponent's Queen is
off the board.
Don't pin the opponent's King's Knight to the Queen before the opponent has
castled.
Develop the Bishop on the side you wish to castle before the other Bishop.
When looking for tactics - for either player - look for Checks, Captures,
and Threats, in that order - for both players.
Stay flexible. Always be ready to transform one type of advantage to
another, or to switch from tactical to positional play.
Be especially careful after you've made a mistake. It often happens that one
mistake soon leads to another. The realization that something has gone wrong
can be a big distraction and lead to a loss of concentration.
Never, ever assume that your opponent has no threats, even in the most
lopsided positions.
Bold, imaginative play, presenting your opponent all sorts of continuous
problems, is likely to be well rewarded.
Short-term solutions to long-term problems on the chessboard rarely succeed.
Presenting your opponent with practical difficulties in over the board play,
is just as important as obtaining an objective advantage.
Concentrate. Keep your attention on the board. Don’t let your mind wander
and don’t you wander either. Don’t leave the board unless necessary.
Use your time to think of specifics and to find the best move. Use your
opponent’s time to think in generalities and of future possibilities. Always
make sure you use your opponent’s time productively.
Play to win in as few moves as necessary. Don’t waste time gobbling up your
opponent’s pawns when you’re well ahead. Go for the safest and most
efficient mate.
If you blunder, don’t resign. Sit back and figure out how to give your
opponent trouble. Go down fighting.
Respect all opponents, but fear none.
What distinguishes masters and experts from intermediates and novices, is
their specialized ability to think effectively about chess positions.
Until you reach at least master level, playing as error-free as possible is
MUCH more effective and important than playing brilliantly, and will win a
lot more games for you. One critical error will usually cost you more than a
dozen brilliant moves will gain for you. Remember, the first step to
mastery, is the elimination of errors.
To improve your chess game, combine STUDY AND PLAY; study and play, study
and play, study and play…
As you improve, you will learn the value of – and develop skill in
exploiting – first pieces, then pawns, and finally squares.
Always play "touch-move" and never take back a move. It is against the rules
of chess and is detrimental to your improvement.
Avoid having a favorite piece.
Learn chess notation, then record and review your games.
Review all your games. This is how you learn to find & eradicate the
mistakes from your play.
Play stronger players frequently, and learn from them. After a loss, ask
them to go over the game and point out your mistakes. Playing stronger
players strengthens your chess.
Remain calm and alert throughout a chess game. Take mental breaks to ease
the tension.
Focus on playing your best, rather than on winning. The wins will follow.
Enjoy your wins and learn from your losses. Learn at least one lesson from
each loss. You will learn more from one loss than a dozen wins. Defeats are
the greatest teachers.
After losing a game, especially against a much stronger player, ask them to
review the game with you and show you where you went wrong.
Record each move carefully. The only exception is when you are in time
trouble. In that case, at least try to check off each move as it is played.
Write down each move before you actually play it on the board, and each of
your opponent’s moves before you make your response, even obvious ones.
Always play touch-move, and call it if your opponent touches a piece. Do not
hold a piece in your hand while thinking.
Focus on the game in front of you, not the one next to you. Good
concentration is one of the keys to success in chess.
Don’t talk to your opponent and don’t allow him to talk to you.
Don’t play chess between rounds of a tournament. This saps your mental
energy. Go for a walk instead.
Don’t eat a heavy meal before playing. Keep your energy level up by snacking
on healthy items like fruit or fruit juice. Avoid junk food or anything with
too much sugar.
If you blunder, don’t immediately resign, and don’t play as if you’re going
to lose. Fight on as if the fate of the world depends on it. Quite often
after you make a blunder, your opponent will relax and let his guard down,
and then make an even bigger blunder himself. If you blunder, take a few
minutes to compose yourself and get your head back into the game. Instead of
playing aimlessly, as if the game is hopelessly lost, take a few minutes to
evaluate the position and figure out a strategy to maximize your chances.
Present your opponent with as many problems and difficulties as possible,
and make him earn the win. There’s always a best course of action, even when
lost. Make sure you find it.
Expect to win, whenever the opportunity arises – opening, middlegame, or
endgame. Win by attack or win by attrition, but win. Remember that checkmate
is the goal.
To find the best moves, and avoid becoming intimidated or overconfident,
play the position on the board, not the opponent.
Stay calm, relaxed, and focused during each game. Tension and panic rout
logical thought.
When even or ahead, play hard. When behind, play harder.
Use time wisely. Think and plan on your opponent’s time during the game.
Avoid time trouble. When in time trouble, try to think and play calmly.
Do not relax and become overconfident and careless when ahead. Apply the
“killer instinct” throughout the game.
Keep the normal value of the pieces in mind (queen=9, rook=5, bishop=3+,
knight=3, and pawn=1), but remember that these values vary according to the
position, mobility, and potential of the pieces. Whether attacking or
defending, count the number and consider the values of both attackers and
defenders on a target piece, pawn or square before exchanging or occupying,
to insure against losing material.
Superior force usually wins, so stay even or ahead in material throughout
the game (except for gambits, combinations or sacrifices to force checkmate
or a winning endgame).
Chess is not Solitaire. Sound chess begins with respect for your opponent’s
ideas, moves, threats, plans and ability.
Determine the purpose of each move by your opponent. Ask yourself, “What is
the THREAT?” and “What has CHANGED in the position?” after each of your
opponent’s moves. Concentrate on offense and attacking, but recognize and
answer all threats.
To win a game of chess, you must first not lose it. Avoid mistakes, such as
leaving pieces en prise (unguarded) or exposing your king. Before each of
your moves, ask yourself, “DOES THIS MOVE IMPROVE MY POSITION?” and “IS THIS
MOVE SAFE?” Avoiding mistakes is the beginning of improvement in chess.
THINK before you move!
Don’t play the first good move you see. Look around for an even better one.
The two most common (and often fatal) mistakes in chess are moving too fast
and overlooking opponent’s threats. Sit on your hands until ready to move.
If your opponent is in time trouble, don’t rush your moves. Take some time
to find surprising moves that force your opponent to think.
Don’t play a move you know is unsound unless you’re busted. In that case,
you have nothing to lose, so look for a sucker punch.
Don’t be afraid of higher rated opponents. They have more to lose than you
do. Have some fun and go for the kill.
Take no prisoners. Draw only if you must. If offered a draw, make sure you
understand what it will mean if you accept it. In general, don’t accept a
draw unless you’re losing.
If you touch a piece and your opponent calls you on it, put the piece back
on the board and search for the best move for it. Don’t hold the piece in
your hand while thinking.
Be aggressive, but play soundly. Don’t take unnecessary chances.
Make sure EVERY move has a purpose.
If you know your opponent’s style, take advantage of it. But in the final
analysis, play the board, not the person.
Don’t check needlessly. Check only when it accomplishes something useful.
Answer all threats, but do so while trying to improve your position and/or
posing a counter-threat.
Never play a risky move, hoping the opponent won’t see it, unless you’re
already lost and have nothing to lose.
The goal in chess is to play the best move in every position.
Winning at chess basically consists of creating and exploiting opponent’s
weaknesses.
Understanding, not memory, is the essential key to chess success. The chess
player who understands why will consistently defeat the player who only
knows how. Play by sound general principles adapted to the specific
requirements (offensive opportunities and defensive necessities) in each
position.
In many cases, it is better to allow an enemy piece to occupy a square and
then drive it away, as opposed to preventing him from coming there in the
first place. This way, you gain a tempo instead of losing one. That’s a
difference of two tempi.
If your opponent has a well-posted piece, drive it away or exchange it.
If your opponent controls more space, advance pawns to gain space yourself.
If your opponent has greater elasticity in his position, loosen your own
position, strive for more freedom or flexibility (perhaps by exchanging one
or more pieces), then look for your own least active piece or pieces and
develop a plan to make it or them active.
If your opponent controls the center, challenge it with pawns.
The surest way to consistently win chess games is to anticipate & nullify
your opponent’s plans, and to create no weaknesses in your position for your
opponent to attack. This has been one of the major keys to Karpov's success.
Think and play prophyllactically.
Play slowly. Haste and carelessness are greater enemies than your opponent.
Accuracy, not speed, is essential in chess. Be patient. The reward for speed
is a legacy of lost games.
Be serious while playing. Don’t talk to your opponent during the game. If he
or she talks to you, complain. You can socialize after the game, not during
it.
Chess is a creative process. Its purpose is to find the truth. To discover
the truth, you must work hard, be uncompromising, and be brave.
Play as if the future of humanity depends on your efforts. It does.
Don’t play automatic moves. Make sure you understand the opening before
playing it.
There must be no reasoning from the past moves, only the present position.
Logically, the previous moves in a game should not affect one’s play in the
slightest, as each move creates a new position.
A player can get by with a minimum of book knowledge; simply avoid finesse.
Play moves that cannot lead to trouble.
Players usually make their worst oversights in dead won games or in dead
lost games. It is surprising how often a mate in one is overlooked when
one’s position is already hopeless or when you are winning easily.
The best practical rule for a winning game: destroy your opponent's
counter-chances. It may be slower, but it’s surer.
When your opponent is short on time, try to continually present him with
problems that will require a lot of time to analyze.
Never take a risk for material when you already have a win.
The chief factor in chess skill is the storing of patterns in the mind, and
the recognition of such patterns in actual play.
When a move can wait, it is almost always best to let it wait. However, it
is nearly always wrong to postpone a must move if you can safely play it at
once.
When forced to choose among moves, play the most necessary one first.
The closer to the time trouble your opponent is, the more tactical your game
should be. This way you will pose the most unpleasant problems for your
opponent. He or she is much more prone to miscalculate in such a situation.
While a stockpile of principles, guidelines, rules, and basic positions can
be very useful in any chess player's arsenal, one should never forget that
there is no substitute for analysis. A general idea or guideline is not the
end, but the means to an end.
General principles can be a good guide, but there is no substitute for sound
analysis based on concrete variations.
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