Play the best game you can by exploiting any opening you see from your opponent. Piece by piece, you will employ attack and defense strategies to set your pieces into the best positions across the little black and white squares across the board.
Follow the rules, use good tactics, and play strong strategy, and when the endgame arrives, you will win.
But how can you use strategy in your first pawn, find the best means of attack with your queen, keep the other player off guard with an exceptional position of your bishop, or show strong defense of the king with a well placed rook? Well, you first need some good strategies to help you learn to play the game before you can exploit the openings of the other player.
Chess can really become a full-time occupation, or at least one that occupies your free time, no matter your level. Once you set your mind to it, you will have those black and white squares in your centre of focus. Players will find themselves in their own king's or queen's gambit!
Don't fear though, unlike the show, you will be free to play when you want, and won't likely get stuck in a square inside your mind.
So, to help yourself improve strategy move by move, consider using books, videos, and interactive training methods online and in-person to help yourself level up.
The adventure of learning chess is so engaging not just because the game challenges players to stretch their logic and strategy, but because studying your opponent reveals a lot about human behaviour.
The player opposite you may seem to have a strategy and preference for certain pieces, but don't be fooled, as they may be watching how you play just as intently.
You might think they have a preference for a pawn, rook, bishop, queen attack, while they keep the other pawn line and rook and knight or bishop as defense... But free movements from square to square across the board does permit some pieces to move backwards. Knowing these rules intimately can be one of the best tactics in stopping your opponent from exploiting your openings.
In order to be able to keep yourself playing game after game, as well as knowing how to learn from each game, set, or match (tennis term, yes, but in a tournament you may hear it referred to like this), have a look into some of the best books, video, and interactive resources for beginners and high level chess aficionados alike.
The Best Books for Learning About Chess
You might think opening a book to learn about tactics and improve strategy would be outdated, but far from it - the online domain is entirely complementary to paper based learning
Obviously the dichotomy isn't this black and white, and a combination of resources would keep a player's focus centre, but it's worth mentioning that books are still a great resource in your own king's gambit/queen's gambit.
So which are the good books to read in order to dominate the board?
There are a bunch of texts out there that help you exploit your opponent's openings in no time, that will help you understand the role of all of the squares on the board and get more enjoyment out of your games.
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The Best Chess Books for Beginners
You might not focus so much on being able to win as beginners, but even though it's good to have fun while playing, focusing on trying to win will help you learn and improve your strategy. A couple of clearly written books to achieve this end are:
- Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess: When your teacher is one of the best chess players in the world, you will probably sit up and listen. This book is enjoyable to read because it is clearly articulated for those who don't have any background in the game. It draws on strategy examples from the master himself, and further illustrates examples with famous games from throughout history, breaking down strategy and moves of the players.
- Chess 5334 Problems: Some of the problems presented here are hypothetical, and others are based on real games that have occurred. If you tend to get distracted easily when reading, then this is a great choice, since the engaging games referred to feel very real thanks to the way they're contextualised in the text, and can make you feel as though you're the one actually making the moves.
Books for When You Want to Improve Your Game
So what should you do when you're achieving end game too quickly and win with ease without having to try? What about when you feel like the rules are getting away from you despite having played for years? Well, apart from varying up opponents and training more with real-life and online players, some books may be of assistance to you:
- Winning Chess Tactics: The series Winning Chess is world-famous for the way that it brings your attention to dynamic, and real-time chess developments whilst challenging your brain to apply strategy yourself, and then explaining the best course of action. There are hundreds of examples here for those who feel comfortable with the rules but want to know how to make more dazzling moves for a stunning endgame.
- Logical Chess: Move by Move: The name here says it all: the step by step explanations show you exactly how to achieve the best from your playing, giving tips at each turn for how to comport yourself and watch your opponent. The 33 master matches shown here in detail are for the more advanced player who really wants to show finesse in their playing whilst also playing a straightforward game they can keep up with themselves.
Now that the paper side of things is covered, let's see what kind of internet resources can complement these.
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Highly Rated Websites for Chess Learners
Since current affairs and practicing techniques have moved online, the chess world has been revolutionised. What used to be confined to public libraries, parks, and the basements of the chess world boffinry is now accessible to all, and with the pandemic making people try new kinds of indoor activities, it's no surprise that these are taking off even further.
The fact that there are places to exchange tips with other enthusiastic internet users and engage in simulations of famous games, as well as play virtual games yourself against computers and real people, makes the whole process of enjoying chess so much more lively. It's no surprise that The Queen's Gambit has put it on people's radar either...
Check out these great sites:
- Chess.com: What's in a name? Well, this one really says it all, doesn't it? It's the cornucopia of online chess resources, where you are likely to find someone, maybe even the perfect opponent, amongst the 50 million global users. Here you can swap tips, discuss previous games, enter into forums and blogs about famous matches, train yourself with timed moves, and play against virtual and human players who will break down your moves for you.
- Lichess.org: This website is slightly further under the radar than some others, but that shouldn't strike it off entirely from your list of sites to check out. The smaller community here makes it easier to connect with more people on a personal level, and there is the added bonus here of being able to solve puzzles, watch videos, and chat with others directly.
- Superprof: Even though we are not a chess website per se, we connect chess lovers together. The teacher and the pupil joining forces to get the most out of the game can be a great outlet for your chess interest and skills that you may not be able to find to such an extent with people in your local area.
Even though this list is not exhaustive, it's a fantastic place to start on your journey and has ample resources to set you on the right path.
Recommended YouTube Channels for Learning About Chess
Learning with visual stimuli has been proven to show results for generations, but learning with video is what is making us independent learners and more curious about the world around us.
No wonder generation Z's favourite website is Youtube then!
For those that are curious about chess, have a look at these winning channels for some enlightening ideas:
- Agadmator: The more than 1 million subscribers to this channel will attest to the high visual quality and enticing explanations of moves made in real-time by the narrator. Each move is broken down step by step and summarised in such a way that makes it easier for players to put these into practice and become winners.
- John Bartholomew: These videos are so popular because of the way that the content addresses each level of viewer: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The videos are also high quality, and the 170,000 subscribers are a strong demonstration of the quality.
Learning by watching is one of the most efficient ways of acquiring new information, and chess is no exception.
We've no doubt that the resources presented here today will be of benefit to any chess enthusiast who is keen to further their skills in their own free time.
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