Réti Opening Chess Moves

February 22nd, 2012

There are many opening chess moves, with most of them starting with the movement of one of white’s pawns. Since white always moves first and the only other piece that can move on opening is the knight, the variations can be somewhat limited. A beginning player must be very careful when bringing out their strong pieces too early unless they have a reason or strategy. But in the Réti opening, the strategy is clear. By moving the knight at g1, followed by moving the pawn at g2, the bishop at f1 can be moved out of the way and allow the king to castle very early in the game. Protection is the key and being able to castle as early as possible gives him a strong position.

opening chess moves

By castling, the king moves two squares either left or right (in this case right by the squares vacated by the knight at g1 and the bishop at f1) and the rook moves to the square beside him on his opposite side in this case to f1. This builds a nice layer of protection around the king by having three pawns, a knight and a rook at the ready to protect him. With white’s king protected early, white can go on the offensive to get to the duty of capturing the black king.

Knights are very tricky in the ‘L’ movements (two squares up or back and one square left or right or vice versa) they are allowed to make and sometimes can capture a piece the opponent feels is protected. Care must be used that the strategy does not backfire by letting the opponent’s knight return the favor. With their movements being the same, their capture strategies are also the same. Beginners must learn to look at every piece before they move.

Sometimes it is intimidating for beginners to study the opening moves, the strategies, and attacks. They prefer to play their pieces in their own way, which is one way to learn. The problem is that most beginners look at each single piece and plan for that piece only instead of building an attack force out of their army. By studying the classic chess moves that have been used grandmaster against grandmaster for hundreds of years, a new student can begin to see the patterns and develop a chess mindset much earlier than attempting to learn piece by piece on their own.

Although chess is a game that requires thought, it is not a game for intellectuals only as some people believe. Most people can master the idea behind the strategies even if they don’t remember that the opening chess moves were called the Réti Opening.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in opening chess moves | No Comments »

Using Books As A Chess Teacher

February 8th, 2012

Chess is one of those foggy areas in life that most people have whether they have ever had a chess teacher or not. They view it as a game for only intellectuals or for Mr. Spock or Albert Einstein. They picture young kids with horn rimmed glasses and pale white skin leaning over a board for hours wondering what the next critical move will be.

chess teacher

The thing is, it does not have to be that way. Chess can be an enjoyable endeavor for people of all ages and all walks of life. It can be two granddads out in the park or two college kids at a coffee shop. It can be fun and interesting and not a cold dead game that should be buried with the croquet set.

Computers play the game well because there are calculations it can make to derive what would be the best logical outcome, and websites to tell a person more than they will ever need to know about capturing the opponent’s king in 4 moves or less.

A good warm, good hearted book can do the same things. It can show with pictures and diagrams all of the pieces, how they are placed on the board, how each piece moves and if it has any special moves like the pawns or the king do, what the basic rules are, what the best strategies are for capturing the opponent’s pieces without losing your own, and do it in a humorous way to keep your attention through the entire thing.

Perhaps a person would be a little self-conscious carrying one of those huge For Dummies books or the bright orange Complete Idiots Guide, but those are great books to tell you what you need to know to be playing and having fun in no time.

You can even amaze your friends with the history of the game, or who were the last 100 grandmasters awarded that title. Some of the greatest thoughts ever imagined may have rattled through their head while they were playing chess in the park with a friend.

Chess may seem like it is hard to learn, but it isn’t. Just a little discipline about the way the pieces move and you are off on the adventure of your life. Even if you aren’t Ron Weasley riding the beautiful knight from Harry Potter, you can be your own hero. You can find a chess teacher who shares your views and then you will love the game too.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in chess teacher | No Comments »

Opening Chess Moves And Original Counters

January 28th, 2012

All chess players know the significance of opening chess moves in a game.  Creating a scenario where an opponent is immediately on the defensive in the opening will provide you with the opportunity to focus on a solid offensive strategy early on.  There are many opening moves and variations to calculate but knowing how to counter an opening will give you an edge.  Here are examples of openings and unique ways to counter your opponent.  The surprise method will catch them off guard and force a change in their initial strategy.

opening chess moves

English Opening Variation

This is a variation of the well known English opening which will focus on the kings’ knight.  Assuming your opponent is white and begins the game, they will begin by moving the knight (G1) on the kings’ side.  The ultimate pursuit will be to take the pawn (F7) directly in front of the bishop on the kings’ side.  This tactic only takes 3 moves.  If this opening is allowed to be followed through and the knight is in place, the king will be forced to take the knight.  The outcome is a king who is unable to castle and is now vulnerable to attack.

Possible Counters

Due to the quick procession of this opening game, it is important to quickly react.  One possible counter requires moving the king side pawn in front of the bishop to (F6) which is one space forward.  By utilizing this pawn, the spaces in diagonal relation (G5 and E5) will be protected from the opponents’ knight.  While this will keep you in a defensive game; setting up for castling on the queens’ side will ensure the best protection.

Another less conventional counter would be to allow the king to take the knight and begin advancing towards the opposing pawns.  This immediate threat to your opponent will cause a focus on attacking your king.  As long as he is well protected you can bring out other pieces to run the show and control the center of the board.  Your opponent will have expected you to waste a turn by retreating your king and will be most likely thrown off balance from this counter technique.

Opening With the Queens’ Pawn

This is a rather common opening so having a counter to aide your offense will give you an upper hand when you see this begin.  Here, the queens’ pawn will begin the game by moving into (D4) which is two squares up.  Then the (E3) square will be occupied in the next move by the pawn in front of their king.  Generally they will begin taking out their bishop and knight in subsequent moves if you don’t counter right away.  This allows their king to castle.

Queens’ Pawn Counter Ideas

Countering this offense is fairly simple.  While it may not prevent the castle, it will give your opponent a threat to focus their next moves.  In the meantime you control the diagonal.  To do this, bring the bishop on the queens’ side in front of the knight (after moving the pawn).  This move will create a pin wherein the (B7) knights’ pawn square and rook are threatened.  This may prevent a castle but if not will allow you to sacrifice your bishop by taking the (B7) pawn and will tear down the wall protecting the king.  The opponent will be immediately thrown into defense mode as he scrambles to protect a now exposed king.

Bishop on Kings Side Opens

Similar to the previous counter for the Queens’ pawn opening, an opponent may choose to begin their game with this strategy.  They will advance the bishop (B7) and control the diagonal line to the knights’ pawn.  This will threaten both the pawn and your rook if not countered.

Countering

The goal would be to advance your knight such that it ends up at the (G5) square.  Utilizing your pawns as back up support, bring them (the G2 and H2 pawns) to the squares (G3 and H4).  The pin will no longer be applicable as you have forced your opponent to take defensive action.  If the opponents king has already castled you may still take the rooks’ pawn (H7) which will break down the barrier surrounding the king.  The king will most likely take the knight but the sacrifice in the long run still gives you an upper hand as the king will now be completely exposed.

There are a great number of chess moves and variations as well as counters.  Simply learning a few new counters to openings will bring you to a more advanced level in this highly strategic game.  Confusing your opponent with strategies that involve unexpected moves and sacrifices will throw them off balance just enough to give you an upper hand in your game play.  Knowing your adversary and what their opening chess moves imply will give you the advantage every time.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in opening chess moves | No Comments »

Chess Tricks Stabbed By The Skewers

January 25th, 2012

Learning as many chess tricks as possible to keep in their bag is a player’s best defense. Learning to set up moves as the player and learning how to spot those same moves being set up by the opponent is one of the keys to being a successful chess master.

chess tricks

A quick look at this board would lead a player to believe that black should be more powerful because having the queen is stronger material-wise than having a bishop. But allowing the queen to be on a diagonal with the bishop (and the king) is the ultimate downfall. In this scenario the black queen will be skewered when the king moves, and the king must move to get out of check. Allowing a situation where a bishop can take the queen especially on an open board is a hard lesson to learn.

Some people may believe that learning to play chess is all about the player learning how to move their own pieces. That is very important but the real challenge is to make the opponent move their pieces into vulnerable positions because they have no other choice. Pinning and skewering are both very powerful because the positioning ties a move to two pieces not just one. Something will happen to both when one is moved or the movements of both pieces are restricted to keep from losing material.

Making the king move to sacrifice the queen is the ultimate downfall of the king in this scenario. Although the players can run around the board for a while to prolong the agony, once a player is down to only a king and the opponent has two pieces, inevitably the opponent will be able to force the king into a corner where he cannot move thus ending the game.

A player must survey the board at EVERY move to think about how all of the pieces will be affected by each move and how the player can offer a piece as a trap for the opponent. Beginners often fall for taking the “good move” that captures the other player’s piece but at the same time lose a piece of more value. Nothing hurts worse than taking a pawn with a rook only to have a bishop come along and swoop the rook away.

Never let the knights go unnoticed because they can move about in such erratic ways that they may be threatening a piece that seems totally unrelated to their position until it is too late. Learning chess tricks is about learning the moves and about manipulating the opponent’s moves as well.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in chess tricks | No Comments »

A Parent Chess Teacher

January 14th, 2012

The best chess teacher for children is undoubtedly the parent.  Chess takes patience and a nurtured guidance which is developed over time.  Children are able to learn the beginning concepts of the game at an early age and by the age of eight or nine years old are able to truly expound upon the early education.  Chess is a game which involves strategy, memory and is fantastic for academic development.

chess teacher

Regardless of whether you have played or not, chess basics are easy to learn.  There is an exceeding amount of instructional information both online and in book form.  Toy stores offer a teaching board game version which contains diagrams for optimal learning.  Parents can take advantage of the family time and learn with their children.

When chess is introduced initially, it is beneficial to begin with a few simple game components rather than trying to explain all the facets at once.  Learning the board set up and only a few pieces at a time will instill more confidence in a child.  Start with only the pawns as playing pieces.  Animate the experience of playing with the pawns in simple game format.  Teach your young child how to move one space and attack at a diagonal.  To make it fun, give your pieces names and personalities.  Your child will enjoy exploring this imaginative role play.  Every child knows bedtime stories involving courageous knights and kings.  Create battle scenarios while introducing the movements of other pieces.  One great method for teaching the actions of major pieces is to begin with the rooks.  Young children will understand their simple straight line movements and can easily comprehend the general directions a rook can go.  From there bring in other pieces until they have mastered them all.

Chess is a highly cerebral game and your childs critical thinking skills will be activated every time you play.  On top of that, the benefit from memorization, strategic analysis and mathematical principals will enhance your Childs brain activity.  According to research, children who play chess perform well both academically and socially.  Imagine a game which helps your children think before they act.

A parent’s involvement in a chess education holds much greater precedence than any other teacher.  In teaching them early you can build their confidence and insure they learn from a positive and uplifting experience.  Your child will always cherish the fond memories they have had with you as their first chess teacher.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in chess teacher | No Comments »

Chess Setup Of Pawns Kings And Queens

January 11th, 2012

Chess setup is half way home with the rooks, knights, and bishops in terms of powerful individual pieces. But the pawns, king, and queen are still the most important of the pieces. There are more pawns to help with strategy, the queen is the ultimate protector piece although there is only one, and the king is the piece to be protected at all costs by all of the other pieces combined.

chess setup

The queen usually has a pointed crown and can sometimes be larger, smaller, or the same size as the king. She sits beside a bishop on the square of her own color, placing the white queen at “d1” and the black queen at “d8”. She is allowed to move vertically and horizontally along the files and ranks like the rook and can move diagonally like the bishops. She can move multiple squares if needed until she encounters the other player’s piece (capture), the edge of the board, or one of her own pieces (stop). She is the most powerful protector of all, but also must be protected herself. She is not the most powerful piece however, for that is the king.

The king generally has a rounded crown sometimes with a top decoration that can be larger, smaller, or the same size as the queen depending on the set being used. He sits between his queen and a bishop on the opposite color. White king sits at “e1” and black king at “e8”. He is only allowed to move one square at a time in any direction but is not allowed to place himself in a position to be taken by the opponent on the next move (check). If he is in check by the opponent he must move out of check if possible. All other pieces are in charge of protecting him, and if he cannot move without being captured the game is over (checkmate).

There are eight pawns per side placed on the squares in front of the other pieces. For the white this is “a2-h2” and for the black this is “a7-h7”. They are the only pieces who capture differently than they move which is part of their strategy even though they are considered to be the weakest pieces. They are allowed to move one square forward only, except on their first move which they can move one or two squares. They capture on the diagonal in a one square direction. They should not be underestimated because the movement in one direction and the capture in another can sneak up on other pieces.

The chess setup is complete and it is time to learn the opening moves.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in chess setup | No Comments »

Chess Tricks Played Offensively

December 31st, 2011

There is an abundance of offensive plays and chess tricks available to choose from.  The offensive strategies below will help you improve your overall game play.

chess tricks

First Offensive Approach

When you first begin a game of chess, offense starts with an opening move or a series of openings.  The goal is to quickly gain control while your opponent scrambles to defend their position.  

If you are a confident player, one terrific trick is to bring your queen out early.  This is a very bold move and will immediately throw your opponent into a protective frenzy.  If possible advance your queen toward their knights’ pawn on the king side or g7.  Once the bishop moves out you can make the move.  This will cause your opponent to move their pawn, therefore wasting moves as they counter to protect against your threat.  Keep in mind; however, bringing your queen out early is risky business.  You will have to be ever watchful and be sure to protect her at all costs.  If you are playing a savvy chess opponent, they may try to pull a Scholars Mate.  This is a tactic where checkmate is delivered quickly because of a queen advancing early.

Strategic Outposts

Controlling areas on the board are central in good chess play.  A strategic outpost is a key square, often in enemy territory in which you occupy.  It is advisable to try not to use pawns in guarding these outposts as they do not have sufficient range to defend.  A knight would be a good candidate for this trick.  By having and holding a key square, you insure a distraction and also an advantageous position in the enemies ranks.

Board Center

The entire game of chess is focused not solely on mating the king but also in dominating the four squares in the center of the board.  Ironically, it wasn’t until modern day that this theory was realized and chess champions around the world began to focus foremost on board position.  In the past it was thought that control and occupation of the center were the same.

A Trade for a Trade

Trading pieces is all part of the game.  If you are wary of swapping pieces in chess you will not stand up to a more advanced player.  After all it is not how many pieces you have left that will ultimately win the game.  In fact, check mate can occur with as few pieces as the queen and one pawn if necessary.  A solid player will often sacrifice or trade a queen for a queen, so long as it puts them into a more advantageous position.  Consequentially, your trade could throw an opponent off just enough to give you a tactical advantage.  A sacrifice may also be necessary at times.  For example, giving up a knight for a pawn which is part of your opponents’ defensive structure may create a situation that allows you to waltz right into their territory.  Grandmaster Mikhail Tal, who became a chess champion in 1960, was known for his notorious sacrifices in order to beat his opponents.  Don’t confuse a trade for an exchange, however.  An exchange specifically refers to a rook being swapped for a bishop or knight.

A player can completely dominate a game and have an upper hand with merely a few simple moves.  Using chess tricks developed by Grandmasters around the world will give you a highly offensive game and increase your chess status or rating exponentially.

 

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in chess tricks | No Comments »

Simple Steps For Basic Chess Setup

December 17th, 2011

chess setup can be described in two ways, either setting up the initial board or setting up for board placement.  These are simple steps in helping a beginning chess player learn how both steps work.

chess setup

Chess Board and Pieces

First begin with the correct placement of your chess board.  There are two players in chess who will be sitting across from each other.  Place the board such that the light squares on the corners will be on each player’s right side.  

Now it’s time to place your pieces on the board.  The best way to choose who is which color is to hide a black and white pawn in each hand behind your back and have a player choose a hand.  Remember, white always goes first and will be one move ahead of black.  You can begin the set up with the rooks.  These are the pieces which look like castles.  They will go on the outside corners on either side of the back row.  The next pieces placed are knights.  All main pieces go on the back row and pawns (smaller pieces) will go in front.  The knights are next to the castles and look like horses.  Beside the knight will reside your bishops.  The bishops have a tall pointed top.  Your most powerful piece is the queen.  It is important to remember the queen goes in the middle on her own color.  For example if you are white, your queen will go beside a bishop on the white square and visa versa if you are black.  The king will occupy the final square on the back row.  The next row directly in front of the back is reserved for your pawns.  They are the smaller pieces designed to be your foot soldiers.  Once in place you are ready to enter into game play.

Board Position Setup

There are thousands of possibilities when choosing which piece to move where.  Your ultimate objective, of course, is check mate, where you trap the opponents’ king such that he cannot move without being captured.  Many books and online portals are dedicated to opening moves such as: The Queens’ Gambit or The French Defense.  Regardless of which you choose, try and maintain a protective structure with your pawns.  To do this, you can create what is called a pawn chain in your opening moves which serve three purposes.  The first is to open the playing field so your major pieces can move.  The second is to protect those big guns from being captured as well as protect the king from a direct threat.  The third is so they protect themselves. Never underestimate the value of your pawns and remember that dynamite comes in small packages.

When setting up your board position, there are a couple of pawn rules to know.  On a pawns first move you may choose to move the pawn forward two spaces or one.  Once a pawn has moved they cannot go back and can only move one space on consecutive turns.  If you are seeking an offensive game, you may move a pawn two spaces.  For cautious defense you may choose only one space initially.  Second, pawns only attack diagonally.  Knowing this will help you ensure you protect your pawns with other pawns.  Finally for more advanced players, look up En Passant, French for “in passing”.  This is a special pawn move allowing a pawn to capture another pawn as it passes without taking the immediate conquered square.

Learning how to navigate the board and your opening moves will quickly advance your novice status as a chess player.  The basic understanding of chess set up is much simpler than the complexities involved in playing this incredible strategic game.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in chess setup | No Comments »