This article was written by Vitaly Neimer and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Vitaly Neimer is an International Chess Master and Certified Professional Chess Coach with over 15 years of training experience. He has been a part of the United States' Webster SPICE national chess champion team and is also a two-time Israeli national chess champion.
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Chess is the classic example of a game that’s easy to learn and difficult to master. The gap between a new player and a seasoned grandmaster is monumental, but that also means that there’s tons of room to improve your game! As one of the most popular games in the history of humanity, there’s no shortage of resources out there to help you improve. In this article, we’ll break down the tried and true methods that will elevate your game to the next level.
This article is based on an interview with our International chess master and certified professional chess coach, Vitaly Neimer. Check out the full interview here.
Steps
Chess Help
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do you castle in online chess?Community AnswerTo castle, move your king two steps towards the rook. It will automatically move the rook.
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QuestionFor me chess is impossible. For whatever reason, I never win no matter how inept my opponent is. What can I do?Dieyun DingTop AnswererChess is a game where players have to look at the bigger picture. Sometimes, it just isn't worth it to move a single piece that can capture a lot of pieces in the beginning -- in the opening, your only goals are to control the center and defend your king. Employing tactics such as forking and pinning will help you gain material later on -- and never make a move without seeing if the opponent can directly capture, fork or pin one of your pieces after the move. With every move, ask yourself how the move will help you. If every move can do more than one thing for you, it's as good as being able to move twice every turn.
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QuestionShould I sacrifice a rook or a castle to stop an opponent's pawn from promoting or demoting?Community AnswerSince a promoted pawn typically becomes a queen, sacrificing a rook makes sense. (There is no such thing as "demoting.")
Video
Reader Videos
Tips
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Try and keep your ego out of the game. You can normally learn a lot more from losing than crushing an opponent, so seek out players who are better than you!Thanks
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Don't be afraid to experiment with openings and other new ideas. Even if you lose a few games you can learn from your experimentation.Thanks
Warnings
- Do not try to win with the Scholar's mate (the 4-move checkmate). Yes, you might win a few games against beginners, but a good chess player will outplay you. You aren’t learning very much with these cheap wins, anyway.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.chess.com/openings/London-System
- ↑ https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-10-most-common-mistakes-among-chess-beginners
- ↑ https://thechessworld.com/articles/endgame/7-basic-pawn-structure-you-must-know/
- ↑ https://thechessworld.com/articles/endgame/7-basic-pawn-structure-you-must-know/
- ↑ https://thechessworld.com/articles/endgame/7-most-important-endgame-principles/
- ↑ https://www.chess.com/blog/raync910/should-you-join-a-chess-club
- ↑ https://thechessworld.com/articles/training-techniques/10-steps-for-getting-good-at-chess-fast/
- ↑ https://chessklub.com/what-type-of-chess-player-are-you/
About This Article
To become a better chess player, start by developing your bishops and knights, because using too many pawns tends to open up your king to attack. Then, learn which pawn structures are powerful, such as the outside or passed pawn, and which ones are weak, like doubled or isolated pawns. If you’re behind at the end of the game, you can exchange pawns to force a draw. However, if you’re ahead, exchange pieces to draw out your opponent’s pawns and go for the win. For tips on how to find opportunities to practice as a beginning chess player, read on!
Reader Success Stories
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"Very helpful in teaching my grandson to play chess and very good at reminding me of several basic moves and thoughts. Thanks."..." more