How to Begin Mastering Chess

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Learn the rules.

   This might seem obvious but many people will start playing the game before they fully understand all the rules.
   
   Be sure to come to terms with "en passant"
   
   "castling" and "checkmating". , Don’t stop until checkmating positions have become second nature.
   
   Start with the easier checkmates first, and then progress in difficulty.
   
   Positions where checkmate can be forced:
   King and Rook vs King King and Two Rooks vs King King and Queen vs King King and Two Bishops vs King (advanced) King, Bishop, and Knight vs King (advanced) The book "1001 brilliant ways to checkmate" by Fred Reinfeld helps to see checkmates and will help you to calculate basic variations.
   
   The book starts out easy with queen sacrifices and then has harder checkmates later. , Start by learning forks, skewers, pins, discovered attacks and double attacks.
   
   Learn how to set up these combinations by finding vulnerable pieces to attack or by taking away the defender.
   
   The book "1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations" by Fred Reinfeld helps to train basic combinations and calculation. , Your opening moves set the stage for the rest of your game.
   
   Pay close attention to development, time, central control, space, pawn structure and king safety. , Be careful about entombing pieces that require open space.
   
   Developing these pieces allows them to succeed in any position. , It is recommended that the pawns in front of your king and queen be moved two squares before any other pawns, provided your opponent does not do it first. ,,,, This wastes time and loosens the castled king position.
   
   This also invites your opponent to attack. ,,, Move the bishop first. ,,,,,,,,,, Endgames enable you to understand how the pieces work individually.
   
   They also improve your calculating abilities, as many times endgames can be won out of pure calculating power.
   
   Everything you pick up by studying endgames can be applied to middle-games and even openings; you could, for instance, judge if a certain exchange is good for you by analyzing what kind of endgame could arise from that position.
   
   Basic endgame strategy is that you must ahead in material by at least a rook to mate.
   
   The exception to this rule is that two knights and a king cannot force mate on a lone king.
   
   If you are ahead in material exchange pieces not pawns.
   
   If you are behind in material, exchange pawns not pieces and go for the draw.
   
   If your opponent is left with a knight or bishop advantage and there are no pawns, he cannot force mate. , Play as much as possible, even if you have to play yourself.
   
   Be sure to apply what you have learned. , This allows you to go back over your games to study your mistakes and missed opportunities.
   
   If possible, store an archive of your games in ".pgn" format with attached notes.
   
   Tournament games are especially good because you are likely to face skilled opponents who are willing to analyse the game together with you in the "post-mortem". , Many grandmasters and masters over the past couple hundred years have pumped decades of their lives into researching the game.
   
   You can learn a few things from their games.
   
   If possible go over the record making your own notes.
   
   Then compare that with what others have written. , The chess organizations that run chess tournaments (i.e. the World Chess Federation) rate players based on their performance.
   
   This rating is a very clear indication of a players abilities in tournament settings.
   
   The rating system is broken into class ratings (J-A) and titles (expert, master, international master, grandmaster).
   
   Getting involved in tournament play is a necessary step if one wishes to compare his or her chess strengths with the chess community at large.
2. 2

   Step 2: Study basic checkmates.

3. 3

   Step 3: Study basic combinations and tactics.

4. 4

   Step 4: Learn opening concepts/rules.

5. 5

   Step 5: Allow your pieces to be used to their maximum potential.

6. 6

   Step 6: Control the center.

7. 7

   Step 7: Attack with gain of time whenever possible.

8. 8

   Step 8: Castle early: preferably on the King side.

9. 9

   Step 9: Don’t move your queen out early

10. 10

    Step 10: she is subject to attack.

11. 11

    Step 11: Don’t move the six outside pawns

12. 12

    Step 12: (three pawns on each side).

13. 13

    Step 13: Move knights before bishops because they control the center better and you might not yet know the best squares for the bishops.

14. 14

    Step 14: ) Move your rooks to open files or towards the center because center files can usually be opened to provide them with space.

15. 15

    Step 15: )Don’t move the queen pawn 1 square if it traps the king bishop.

16. 16

    Step 16: Try to control the center.

17. 17

    Step 17: Don’t attack before you complete your development.

18. 18

    Step 18: In Queen Pawn openings

19. 19

    Step 19: don’t trap your queen bishop pawn with the knight.

20. 20

    Step 20: He who takes the knight pawn sleeps in the streets.

21. 21

    Step 21: Don’t go pawn hunting in the opening unless it is a center pawn.

22. 22

    Step 22: Castle because you will or because you must

23. 23

    Step 23: not because you can.

24. 24

    Step 24: Don’t attack too early because a premature attack will fail.

25. 25

    Step 25: Don’t sacrifice a pawn without a clear and adequate reason.

26. 26

    Step 26: Don’t move the same piece twice in the opening because it wastes time.

27. 27

    Step 27: Study endgames.

28. 28

    Step 28: Practice.

29. 29

    Step 29: Record your games.

30. 30

    Step 30: Study classic games.

31. 31

    Step 31: Play Tournaments.

Detailed Guide

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