Tips to become a better Chess Player

This article is all about chess strategies for beginners that will ensure a progressive journey from beginner to chess expert. Read through the tips and strategies that will guide you through a wonderful chess game.

An Eye on the Opponent’s Move

You should keep a sharp eye on your opponent’s move which includes the very beginning step of the game.

• You should question why was that particular move chosen?
• What threats you have from that move?
• What plans he must be having in mind?

Tracking your opponent’s move is among the best chess basic opening principles. It is important to track these questions and answer them before you make your next move.

Keep a Plan

Planning is one of the most important tips to become a better chess player. You must start your game with a plan that is effective for all your pieces to work together and prepare the forces. If you have a well-developed plan the game becomes much easier and all your pieces can be placed in your planned positions to strike a proper attack and maintain a planned defense. An effective plan would be taking control on all the squares in a particular area which marks a definite winning technique.

Knowing the Value of all your Pieces

If you are consider sacrificing some of your pieces to battle your opponent it is important to understand the worth of each piece that you are giving up. It can affect your game and also add to your loss. Hence think atleast a few steps ahead before you give up any of your piece.

• Pawn is the least valuable piece in the game but its slow move can turn a game around.
• Bishops are speedier and knights can hop which adds to the chess tricks to win fast.
• A rook also moves quickly and queen is the most powerful.
• King is the most prized piece and it must always be protected.

Develop your game

Time is an important factor that decides the game. Every player has to choose his move and should have a control on time. You have to prepare your forces and move your knights, rooks, bishops and queen within the time to set up a fight. Any delay in move can cost you the match. Keeping a stop-watch, while practicing your game is one of the best ways to improve chess skills. It helps you to think fast and play your moves keeping an eye on the time taken.

Make the Best Move

• You have to make the best move keeping in mind the consequences of your move.
• You have to try to improve the position and consider of your pawn or rook or bishop is safe.
• Your move should be a threat for the opponent as well as it should also serve as a defense for your own.
• You have to constantly improve the position of your pieces and make the moves that suit both your attack and defense.

Control your Game

Sometime the opponent may lay traps by sacrificing their pieces to tempt you for a wrong move. You have to understand the move and understand the motive behind the player’s wrong move. An intention wrong move definitely means you have to watch out. Chess styles or your game flow should never be predictable. Instead of just moving your pieces try to make a different move from the expected and take a chance to play something unusual just to confuse your opponent.

Control on Center

Your pieces must progress on the board and move towards the center. You can place a knight on the center square while another in either corner. This helps to have a control on the center of the board. This guards your pieces and also marks the beginning of an attack. It becomes easier to move any piece from the center to any corner of the board. This is a useful chess tip to win a game. If you have pieces on the center and corner you can easily launch an attack and move faster across the board.

Safety of King

The primary objective of the game is to protect your king. You can go for castling in the game but at an early stage keeping your pawns advanced before the king. This ensures protection of the king and act as bodyguards. Castling is a defense playing styles of the game.

Trade Pieces

Trading pieces is enviable in the game of chess that makes it more engaging. The best time when you can trade pieces is when you capture opponent’s pieces worth more than yours. This marks winning moves. You will get many chances where you can trade your pieces but you do it only when there’s gain in the process. Like trading a pawn for a knight but vice versa can doom you game unless you have a well-planned strategy.

Think and Plan the Endgame

All the above moves mark the preparation and middle game of chess. Every move right from the beginning plans the end of your game. Towards the end of your game you will be left with fewer pieces and hence exert full pressure on the left pieces and keep them safe. Plan your attacks and avoid trading at the end of the game. You goal is checkmate and keep your powerful pieces in position to battle the last. Endgame is the most awaited part of any chess playing guides. It is the most crucial part of any chess game.

Be Alert Always

A chess game can be extensive and for long hours. You cannot afford to sit back and relax but be alert always to judge your opponent’s moves and stay steady in the battle. Apart from all these steps, rules and regulations must also be taken care of. You cannot afford to get disqualified and hence knowing the basic game rules is of utmost importance.