Here you can find information on how to vastly improve your chess game after getting past the fundamentals. I we will touch base on each of the core compenents of the game in order to develop an better understanding of whats actually happening on the board during matches.
It can be difficult to achieve something when you aren't fully aware of the things holding you back. Principals in Chess play a key role in the decision making process of a match. Understanding them will allow you more clarity throughout the game while providing you the opportunity to play stronger moves, ultimately making you a stronger player. Lets go over these principles in order to significantly up your chess game!
Developing your pieces will allow your pieces more activity, in turn providing you more options for your game over your opponent, offensively and defensively.
Controlling the center can allow for more control over the board in turn giving you more options through restricting your opponent's piece mobility while increasing your own.
If possible, try placing pieces in places of the board which give pieces the most activity, this often being the center.
The King is the most important piece of the game, he ultimately decides who wins and loses the game, keep him protected.
Placing Knights in the center of the board can provide strong activity on the board.
While knights on the edge of the board aren’t always the end of the world, it is better to ensure that they are able to be placed on square that gives them more activity rather than the limiting edge.
Always play chess based on the best possible move, if there is an unnecessary flaw or consequence to a plan, don't go through with it, it will most likely be punished.
Constantly make threats at your opponent if possible, most importantly threats that come with secondary benefits such as developing or double attacks such as skewers, mates, and forks.
Now as neglected as it can be, especially in the opening, forced moves for you and your opponent should be prioritized over everything before making a move. Things such as checks, captures, and checkmates are all examples of forcing moves that you should consider before making moves.
Very often if you see find a good move in match there will usually be a better one due to your opponent being at an disadvantage, try to be aware of this and calculate accordingly.
The same principals and rules that you follow apply to your opponent as well. This means that you should always be aware of the options that your opponent possesses, especially on their side of the board. Always avoid tunnel vision when being aware of the board.
When making a move make sure that the plan is sound. Try to avoid playing things such as one move threats or passive weakening moves. This is usually where mistakes are most commonly made, particularly in the opening.
Usually if your opponent makes moves based on principals, it will usually result in the best move. Anything else can result in punishable move which makes it better to focus on the best move for more necessary calculation.
Every move as a reasoning, good and bad and understanding them can help you progress and even gain an advantage throughout a match.
Try to make moves towards an ongoing advantage, identify imbalances and try to control the board with your pieces as much as possible in order to increase your winning odds.
Don’t give up the moment that you lose a piece, keep fighting and make sure to minimize your opponents advantages to maintain a fighting chance through from gaining something in return such as a piece, or activity.
Exchanging pieces while ahead in pawns allows for more potential of a promoted passed pawn in an endgame. Exchanging pawns while down in material will allow for less chance of promotion, ultimately increasing the drawing odds of a match.
There is often always counterplay if your opponent doesn’t play 100% accurately. Try to look for various threats or equalization in order to try and make a comeback within a match.
If you REALLY lose hope on the board try something unorthodox to throw your opponent off and potentially get back into the game.
Don’t make miscalculated sacrifices, this will usually result in a loss of material and potentially the match.
Don’t hesitate to punish a sacrifice if you believe that it doesn’t work.
When attacking, using more than one piece is typically required as the opponent also has many resources to defend with. This can also allow for more control over the opponents move responses giving more opportunity for an advantage.
Aimlessly moving pawns can not only waste moves, they can develop a variety of weaknesses on the board such as overextended pawns, isolated pawns and potential weakening of the kingside.
Blocking in bishops with pieces such as pawns can severely limit their activity within a match ultimately causing them to be ineffective throughout a match.
Opposite colored bishops in an endgame can be difficult to convert into a win due to their poor ability to checkmate and inability to attack each other on opposite colored squares.
Moving the same piece twice can typically result in a waste of moves, allowing your opponent to gain the upperhand by making more impactful moves.
If exchanging pieces will allow you more development without consequence, go for it.
Bringing out your queen too early can result in her being vulnerable, allowing the opponent to gain move tempo’s and even potentially trapping your queen.
Castling can allow for your rooks to get active within the game while simultaneously providing safety for your king.
Keeping rooks on open files will allow you more control over the board and in turn more options.
Rooks behind passed pawns can support a pawn's journey to promotion.
Double passed pawn can support each other which can make stopping them even more difficult than just a singular passed pawn. This usually result in valuable material needing to be exchanged in order to prevent thier promotion.
Rook endgames are very dynamic in turn decreasing the margin of error for both players to extract a win.
A king in the center or an uncastled king can be extremely vulnerable allowing for more checks and even possible checkmate opportunities for an opponent.
Often, if a specific side of the board is being eyed down by an enemy's pieces while you lack proper defense in the area it is most likely a poor idea to try to castle into it.
Try to maintain healthy pawn structures such as a wall of pawns, or an escape square for your king, this can provide better safety for your king.
Placing your pawns on the opposite color of an opponent's bishop can provide them better safety as the opposing bishop cannot attack them.
Trading pieces when under attack can dampen the strength of an opponent's attack. Trading pieces when ahead in material can provide a player with a superior endgame.
Exchanging material while in a cramped position can allow for a more comfortable position, potentially equalizing the overall game.
Try to maintain control over the opponent's position as much as possible, don’t allow for positional equilibrium and try to maintain the advantage as much as possible.
Try working with openings that reason well with you, this can allow for better retention and more overall enjoyment within a match.
Understand the entirety of chess matches as they can always provide you with feedback on how to improve your game.
Optional but try playing openings in blitz to improve opening intuition.
Try studying games and guessing the potential moves to assess calculation and move strength.
When starting off, try learning and sticking with a few openings on both sides of the board. This will provide more options while playing games and more potential winning opportunities.
There is always something to learn from chess matches, won or lost, so try keeping track of games and receive as much feedback as possible to improve playing strength.
Learning from those who are more experienced than oneself can be a golden opportunity for improvement, If seeking growth don’t miss it.
Truthfully when it comes to chess, computers will typically always win due to their consistent calculation and awareness skills. Use them to identify mistakes, understand moves, and even learn openings.
Identify potential opportunities on both sides of the board to develop some form of an advantage, Puzzles are highly recommended.
Doubling or even tripling rooks and queens on an open file can allow for very strong attacks against the opponent.
Don’t overlook things such as hanging pieces, king safety, or things that will cause a potential disadvantage to oneself.
Both player in a chess match are equally capable, and don't neglect an opponent's options while preparing an attack. This can usually lead to mistakes and even a loss.
Discovered attacks, especially in beginner chess can prove to be fatal, don’t miss them and allow a disadvantage.
The entire board is important, maintaining vision over it at all times is crucial for a successful chess match.
Websites such as Lichess.org are great for practicing puzzles and building tactical recognition, do them often!
Openings such as the scandinavian and the english are great for throwing off opponents since they deviate from common principled play.
Most openings are usually played by some studied line / variation, moves that deviate from these studied lines can usually result in mistakes or moves other than the best, making it important to understand where the mistake is in order to capitalize off of it.
Truthfully it can be easy to lose on time if too much time is spent on thinking and making moves. The best option is to identify these weaknesses and try to strengthen through study and consistent play.
Bishops are typically better than knights, especially in the endgame where the board is more open due to their range. However, in closed positions where bishops are made inactive by pawns, knights are superior as they maintain activity on the board.
Always play your best chess regardless of circumstances. Lack of confidence can often result in mistakes being made more frequently.
Very straightforward, always play to win and checkmate that king!
If you can’t win, don’t let your opponent win either, keep on fighting until you can become even with the opponent.