Chess Strategies

Once you've learned the basic chess rules, the next step is to learn some basic chess strategies. When you know basic chess moves and how to play them under various circumstances, you increase your chance to win the game. Remember: For every strategy, there is a counter strategy.

Knowing and using a few key strategies will improve your chess game.

Piece-Based Strategies

Rook Strategies

• Place Rooks in open rows – This will keep them freed up to control all areas of the chess board.
• Use a Rook for penetration – Move an open Rook into a position where it can capture multiple pieces from the opponent.
• Use a Rook to dominate a Knight – Move the Rook to "surround" a Knight that the opponent has positioned in the corner of the chess board. By positioning the Rook a few squares out into the board from the Knight, the Rook is positioned to attack any move by the Knight.

Knight Strategies

• Place Knights in the center – From the middle of the board, the Knight can move into any of eight squares.
• Place Knights within the opponent's pawns – The pawns will be unable to capture the Knight, but the Knight will be able to control multiple squares on the board.
• Position a Knight to attack two pieces at once – This is called a "Knight Fork."

Bishop Strategies

• Don't position your Pawns on the same colored square as the Bishop – This will keep the Bishop from being trapped behind the Pawns.
• Use a Bishop to dominate a Knight – A Knight can be unable to move if the Bishop is placed three squares away from the Knight.

Pawn Strategies

• Avoid doubling Pawns – Lining up Pawns in front of each other leaves one Pawn defenseless if the second Pawn is captured.
• Attack the last Pawn in a chain – This Pawn is usually the least protected and so a capture is less likely to result in retaliation by your opponent.
• Avoid Pawn moves that leave weakness – As Pawns move forward, they lose control over the square they just left.

Game Progress-Based Strategies

Opening Strategies

The first six or eight moves are called the "opening." This is the time in the game when both sides position their pieces into the locations where they will be able to have the most dominance over the opponent's chess pieces.

There are some basic principles that have been used historically in opening moves:

• Don't move a chess piece more than once during opening play.
• Don't develop only one side of your chess pieces.
• Develop the positioning of each Knight before developing the positioning of each Knight's neighboring Bishop.
• Don't play a piece beyond the 4th row on the first move.
• Avoid moves and capturing pieces which could result in an attack by the opponent.
• Avoid exchanging Bishops for Knights early in the game.
• Avoid premature attacks.

Middlegame Strategies

After both sides have established their opening positions, the full impact of the game is underway. Middlegame strategies center on developing and maintaining a position while looking for weaknesses in the positions of the opponents:

• Have a realistic plan in place which includes piece placement, movement and defense.
• Look for weak spots in the positions of the opponent and quickly take advantage.
• Attack and capture squares into which your opponent would want to move.
• Draw the opponent's attacking pieces away into a square from which it can be captured.

Endgame Strategies

It is possible to have a well-executed middlegame, but to lose the game because of poor endgame technique. Be sure to:

• Promote Pawns to their maximum rank.
• Use the King as an attack piece from the center of the board.
• Use Pawns to quickly capture remaining pieces.

Overall Strategies

Regardless of where you are in any strategy board game including where you are in a chess game - opening, middlegame or endgame – the winning strategy is to know the ability of your opponent and tailor your strategies to meet your opponent's ability level.

Resources for Chess Strategies

• Modern Chess Strategy
• Chess Tactics for Champions
• Fundamental Chess Endings

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