Chess Recap: Lessons 1-5 

By: Nathaniel Fernandes 

25 September 2019 
​Opening Strategy 
What to do: 
1. Develop mainly PIECES (i.e. Bishops and Knights) not PAWNS 
➢ If you make too many pawn moves you’ll fall behind on 
development 
2. Develop all your pieces towards the center 4 squares (e4, d4, e5, d5) 
➢ In the center, your pieces will be able to easily reach both the 
kingside and queenside 

3. Castle Early! 
➢ It keeps your king safe and develops your rook 
➢ It’s strategic to castle on the opposite side of your opponent 
because you can attack him (i.e. if they castled kingside, you can 
castle queenside) 
 What NOT to do: 
4. Do NOT move your queen out early 
➢ It will just get attacked and you’ll have to waste moves to move it 
➢ No exceptions to this rule 

5. Do NOT move the same piece multiple times 

➢ This will waste moves, you need to be developing more pieces 
➢ Exceptions: move the piece if it’s being attacked and you can’t 
defend it OR if you can take a piece for free with it 

Middle Game Strategy 

1. When it is your turn, ask 4 questions: 
➢ Why did my opponent make his last move? Is he attacking any of 
my pieces? 
➢ Can I take any of his pieces for free?  
 ➢ (Before you move) If I move my piece here, can he take it for 
free? 
2. Use tactics to win material! 
➢ Including forks, pins, skewers, and discovered attacks. 
➢ Look for “free” material your opponent gives you 
3. Attack his king! 
➢ But do NOT make unnecessary sacrifices when you attack. 
Tactics Recap: 
❖ Fork:  
➢ When one piece attacks two 
➢ Every Piece can fork 

 
❖ Pin:  
➢ When a Bishop, Rook, or Queen prevents the opponent’s pieces 
from moving 
➢ After you pin their piece, ​PILE ON THE PIN!! B ​ ring all your pieces 
to attack that piece and eventually it will fall. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
❖ Skewer: 
➢ The opposite of a pin: where the more valuable piece is in front 
and must move… then you take the less valuable piece behind it. 
➢ Only long-range pieces can skewer (Bishop, Rook, Queen) 

 
❖ Discovered Attack: 
➢ When you move a piece to “uncover” an attack against 2 pieces. 
➢ Like a fork because you make 2 threats and the opponent can’t 
stop both. 
➢ Unlike a fork because it is with 2 pieces, not 1. 

 
 
 
 
 Endgame Strategy 
1. Activate your king (move it into battle)! 
a. Your king is one of the only pieces left! You must use it. 
b. Plus it’s safe once all the heavy pieces are gone (queen & rook). 
c. BEWARE: ONLY bring your king out in the endgame!!!!! 
2. Try to turn your pawns into new pieces by getting them to the 8th rank 
a. Having a new Queen will help you win! 
3. Remember to use the checkmates we taught you! 
Checkmating Recap 
❖ Staircase Method: King + 2 rooks/queens vs. King 
➢ Trap his king on the back rank with one rook and mate 
him with the other! 
➢ Each move, take away one more rank from the enemy 
king. 
➢ It should looks like your rooks are walking up the board 
➢ BEWARE: don’t let your rook get captured but swing it to 
the other side of the board! 

❖ The Box: King + Queen vs. King 

➢ Use your king and queen to push the enemy king to the 
side of the board, thereby making the “box” he is in 
smaller and smaller. 
 ➢ As soon as the king is on the side of the board, use your 
queen to cut him off from moving away from the side. 
➢ Deliver the “kiss of death” 
➢ BEWARE: Do NOT stalemate him. 

 
❖ The Box 2: King + Rook vs. King 
➢ Similar to above, but make sure your king protects your 
rook! 
➢ You may need to make a waiting move to deliver mate. 
❖ Queening the pawn (King + pawn vs. King): 
➢ You want your king in front of your pawn, shepherding it 
down the board. 
➢ If your king can touch the queening square, you’ll most 
likely queen 
➢ Have the opposition so you can force their king to step to 
the side. 
➢ BEWARE: Do NOT let your king get too far away from the 
pawn, otherwise the other king can take it. 
❖ Defending against “Queening the pawn” (King vs. King + pawn) 
➢ Always keep your king in front of your opponents, trying 
to block him from coming forward (Image 1) 
➢ If you have to move back, ALWAYS move directly back! 
(Image 2) 

 
Miscellaneous Recap 
❖ Square of the Pawn:  
➢ Draw a square from your pawn to the queening square 
and horizontally. 
➢ If the enemy king is in the square, he’ll catch you (and 
vice versa)! 

 
❖ Opposition: 
➢ You have the opposition when your two kings face off 
and THEY have the move.