CHESS STRATEGY

FOR BEGINNERS
 
Winning Strategies to Conquer your
Friends
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By Magnus Templar
ble of Contents
 

Introduction
Chapter 1: Tactics
Piece Evaluation
Pins
Forks
Skewers
Discovered Attacks
Overloading the Defender
Zugzwang
Zwischenzug
Chapter 2: Positional Strategy
Dark or Light Squares
Good or Bad Bishops
Pawns
Chapter 3: Technical Strategy
Playing When Ahead
Playing from Behind
Effective Sacrifices or Compensation
Chapter 4: Strategic Planning
Chapter 5: Basic Mating Patterns
Back Rank Mate
Box Mate
Corner Mate
Dovetail Mate
Epaulette Mate
Smothered Mate
Chapter 6: Where to Look Next?
Conclusion
Summary
  
CHESS FOR STRATEGY:
Winning Strategies to Conquer your Friends
Copyright © 2018 by Magnus Templar
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form including photocopy,
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 Introduction
 
Congratulations on downloading “Chess Strategy for Beginners,” and thank
you for doing so.
 
The focus of this book is on the fundamental tactics and strategies you need
to know to improve your game. The first chapter of this book is all about
tactics. Learn to spot, use, and defence against tactics such as pins, forks,
skewers, discovered attacks, overloading the defender, zugzwang, and
zwischenzug. In the next chapter, we introduce key strategic principles such
as controlling the light and dark squares, what makes a good and bad
bishop, how to play from behind versus how to play when ahead, the role of
pawns and pawn structure, how to spot effective sacrifices, and many more.
The reader will also have a chance to learn valuable skills like creating a
strong plan.
 
To learn more about the opening of the game as well as many of the
positions discussed in this book, be sure to also check out the other book in
this series: Chess Openings for Beginners.
 
 Chapter 1: Tactics
 
First, let's talk about what tactics are in chess. A tactic can be described as a
tool which you can use to accomplish certain goals. Using these tools
effectively is what makes for a strong level play in chess. Being able to spot
tactics, and defend against them when used by your opponent, is a critical
skill in becoming a better chess player.
 
Piece Evaluation
 
Just in case you didn't already know, let's cover the standard values of the
pieces, which is helpful in determining how some tactics are actually
effective.
Pawns are usually worth 1 point
Knights are usually worth about 3 points
Bishops are usually worth about 3 points
Rooks are usually worth about 5 points
And a Queen is usually worth about 9 points.
If you were curious about why the pieces are usually worth a certain
amount instead of always being worth that much, let us consider the most
extreme case, the lowly pawn.  
A white pawn on its starting rank, 2, is worth 1 point for sure. But a passed
pawn on the 5th or 6th rank will be worth close to 3 points because it needs
to have a piece watch over it to stop it from promoting. A pawn on the 7th
rank is worth nearly as much as a queen, as it is so close to promotion,
maybe 8 points.
These points don't add up to win you the game in a literal sense, but they
help a chess player understand which player is ahead when evaluating the
position, as we will cover later on. For now, just understand the basic
values, and any special circumstances we visit in this book will be covered
and explained.
Now let's start with the most basic tactic, a pin.
 
Pins
 
A pin happens whenever an attacking piece leaves a defending piece in a
situation where if it were to move, it would expose another valuable piece
behind to attack. (Typically a King or Queen). Let's take a look at an
example:
 

 
Now, I understand there is a whole lot going on in this picture so let's focus
our attention on just the black bishop on g4, the white knight on f3, and the
white rook on d1.
The black bishop is pinning the white knight against the rook because if the
knight were to move, say to e5, it would expose the rook to an attack from
the black bishop.
When it comes to pinned pieces, there is a general rule that is good to know
and follow.
 
  
That rule is: attack the pinned piece. Since the pinned piece can't move,
we are sure to win in any ensuing exchange. Unfortunately, for Black in our
example, they don't have a good option to attack the pinned knight at this
moment.
Pins can happen at all stages of the game, as you see in this example all
black has to do is play 3...d6 and 4...Bg4 and already, we have reached a
pin with the black bishop pinning the white knight to the queen.
Even if white alleviates the pin with a move like Be2 the pin is still
effective by forcing White to develop their piece into a less ideal square
(instead of saying c4).  
During your own chess matches, be sure to watch out for opportunities to
use this tactic for yourself, and think ahead if you sense that your opponent
might be trying to use this tactic on you. Look for ways to play proactively
against these types of situations by altering your move order slightly, but
still aiming to accomplish the same overall structure or game plan.
Next up let's take a look at forks.
Forks
 
A fork happens when an attacking piece attacks two or more pieces
simultaneously. Interestingly, any piece can deliver a fork in chess,
including pawns, and the king! Let's take a look at particularly nasty one
now:
 

 
This is the knight's specialty. The knight just loves to hunt for royalty and
finds the mark here after Ne2+ forking the King and Queen. After White is
forced to play Kh1, the queen is cut down with Nxg3+.
 
Notice how in this example, the pawn on h2 is actually pinned to the king,
and cannot recapture the knight on g3! If instead, White foolishly
recaptures with fxg3 then Black wins immediately with Rxf1#.
 
 
In this next example, the fork was delivered by a lowly pawn and to great
effect! Black is forced to move the king to h5, and white captures the rook
with hxf6.
 
When planning your next move, look out for these maneuvers and try to
think creatively. Sometimes, you can lure your opponent into forks by
trying to force a piece to move to a certain square where a fork is possible.
This is one of the creative parts of chess where you have to learn to make
opportunities happen.
 
If you get caught in a particularly nasty fork, learn from it. I mean, literally,
learn from it. Look at what your opponent did to place you in a position for
a fork, and how they managed to mask their intentions.  
 
Chess is a mind game as well as a board game, and learning these subtle
nuances can help you to read the table better in the future.
 
Next, let's look at Skewers, and I am not referring to Shish kebab.
 
Skewers
 
In chess, a skewer is very similar to a pin, except the high-value target is
the one being attacked, and when it moves, it exposes a vulnerable target
behind it. One of the reasons why a skewer is named as a distinct tactic,
instead of being lumped in together with pins, is that a skewer tends to have
more impact, as the high-value target has little choice but to move and
expose the vulnerable target behind. Let's take a look at an example now.
 

 
In the example on the right, white can deliver a skewer with the move Re1.
The Rook is attacking black's King, and when he moves to any legal square,
the black rook on e8 is exposed and white captures it.
 
A skewer has a similar tactical feel to pins, but with a few key differences
to note. First, a skewer is more forceful than a pin, since you are attacking a
high-value target with a lesser value piece. Secondly, skewers tend to be a
more common tactic in the late game. Rooks are really great at delivering
skewers, and they tend to work best with a lot of open space, like the end-
game.
 
  
In our second example on the left, white to move, we can see white has a
devastating attack that starts with the skewer Rh8+. Notice how the king
can't capture the rook as it is defended by white's second rook on h1. The
rook certainly could now take the black rook on c8 for free after the king
moves to the only legal square, g7, but white can do better.
 
Rh1h7+ (rook on h1 to h7). Black moves to the only legal square Kf6.
Finally Qxf7#, and the black king has run out of places to hide. In this
example, although white found a skewer and had a free rook they could
take, always look and see if you can do better. Often times in chess, you
will find a really good move and your first instinct will be to just play it.
But take a moment, and keep looking. So, often the moment you take your
hand off your piece you will notice an even better move, and you'll kick
yourself for playing hastily.
 
Next up let's take a look at Discovered Attacks.
 
Discovered Attacks
 
You might also hear this move is called a ‘double strike’ but ‘discovered
attack’ is the most common term used today.
 

 
Taking a look at our first example, Black making a move, we notice a
relationship between the two queens and Black's bishop on the c file. The
white queen is not protected and we control the only piece blocking it from
being attacked by our own queen.
Black can use this fact to win a piece after Bxg2+! White is in check and
has to move, so it will capture on g2, Kxg2, and black wins will win very
easily after the next move Qxc8 winning queen for a bishop.
 
Let's take a look at another example:
 
  
Here, it looks for a moment like White's king is caught in the crossfire
between a rook and a queen, but can turn this game on its head after a
spectacular double discovered attack with the move Kc3+!!
 
Suddenly, it is both of Black's royalty that comes under siege after this
stunning move. Black plays Ke7 trying to get to safety. Now, what should
White play next?  
 
If you said Rxa4, while that is a really good move, it isn't the best move.
White should play Qc5+ first, drawing the king further out into the open.
Black is forced to play Kf6, now running into the middle of the board,
never a good sign. And this would be the appropriate time to play Rxa4,
winning the Queen.
 
While White certainly could have won had they played Rxa4 right away,
the king is in a much more precarious position because of a little patience to
play the best possible move.
 
Next up is, ‘Overloading the Defender,’ a mouthful but very useful!
Overloading the Defender
 
This tactic can also go by the name 'Deflection,' or overworking the
defender but both these names are used interchangeably. If one piece is
trying to do more than one job, it is overloaded. You can take advantage of
this by forcing the overloaded piece into making a move to defend one of
its posts, and leaving the other open to attack. Let's take a look at an
example:
 

 
In this position, while the white knight on d1 does cover both the white
bishop and the other white knight, but importantly, it can't cover them both
at the same time.
 
Black can take advantage of the fact that white has overloaded their knight
with Rxf2, Nxf2, Rxb2, and black has won two pieces for a rook. Black
could have taken the other piece and they would have ended up with a
similar position, and either way a rook is a lot better than a bishop or a
knight in the late game.
 
On to the second example which is a bit of a different one!
 
  
The overloaded piece in this example is the rook on c1. Can you see why?
 
The rook is obviously protecting its buddy on c6 the other white rook, but
did you notice that the rook is also guarding the e1 square? This one is a bit
trickier, so if you didn't get it that's okay.
 
See, if black plays Rxc6 and white decides to recapture with Rxc6, black
has the winning move Re1#. Black is caught in a back rank mate.
 
This pattern of three pawns and a king being mated on the last rank is very
common, and can be done by rooks or a queen; it's called a back rank
mate.
 
Next, we will take a look at ‘Zugzwang.’ No, I didn't just sneeze, it's a real
word. Let’s take a look!
 
 
Zugzwang
 
Zugzwang is probably not going to be a word familiar to you unless you're
German. It means “compulsion to move”. The concept is that there can
arise moments in chess where if a player were to move, it would be
detrimental to their position. Unfortunately for that player, the rules of chess
do not allow you to simply pass your turn. You must move a piece, even if
doing so would be detrimental to you. If you legally cannot move, the game
is instead a stalemate or a draw.
 
This situation happens very often in the King and Pawn vs. King end-game
situation.
 
Let's take a look at an example:
 

 
Here if Black were to make a move they are in zugzwang, because they
will no longer be able to take the opposition from White. We will cover
what that means in detail, but for now, just know that in order to draw a
game from these kinds of positions, the defending king needs to be able to
stay in line with the attacking king.  
 
If it were White playing, for example, White could move to either side, and
Black could keep the opposition and the game would be a draw. The end-
game is a whole other area for you to study to master your chess game, and
too extensive to cover in any significant detail here.
 
 
In this second example, it doesn't actually matter whose turn it is, both
players are in mutual zugzwang. If it’s Black that will play, they're forced to
abandon their pawn and White will go on to win easily or vice versa, if
White were to play instead.
 
Setting up these positions on purpose can be quite difficult in practice,
except in the case of the end-game as mentioned. Do keep an eye out
though, as this can arise in other moments as well, and recognizing a
moment to impose zugzwang is a sure way to gain an advantage in your
games.
 
Next up another German word, ‘Zwischenzug,’ which means ‘Intermediate
Move’, and we don't mean skill level.
 
Zwischenzug
 
This is definitely a high-level tactic, as it requires great vision and depth in
your situational awareness. Zwischenzug happens when instead of the
expected move (typically a recapture during an exchange), an in-between
move is played instead that alters the exchange in some way, usually to
their benefit.
 

 
Let's take a look at an example from the incredibly famous game T.
Lichtenhein v. Paul Morphy in 1857, New York:
 
In this example, Morphy has the black pieces, and after White's last move,
Bxe4 just lost his knight. The expected move is dxe4 to complete the
exchange. However, this expected exchange would weaken Black's pawn
structure significantly. Instead, Morphy plays the move Qh4!
 
When this move was played it shocked the people who saw it, and it was
talked about heavily in the newspapers of their day.
 
Morphy's idea is that his bishop is already attacking the weak f2 square for
white, which is only defended by the King. After the move, Qh4 Black has
added another attacker against the f2 square, which will also attack the
undefended e4 bishop. If White simply tries to save their bishop with the
move Bf3, White can win immediately with Qxf2# supported by the bishop
on c5. Brilliant move by Morphy.
 

 
Here is another example, White to move:
 
White sees an opportunity to capture the pawn on d5, so he or she plays the
move Nxd5. Black is okay with this exchange, thinking that the exchange
would continue: Qxd2, Rxd2, Nxd5, and Black would be up material, queen
and knight, for queen and pawn. White, however, has other ideas. After
Black’s move Qxd2 white plays the unexpected zwischenzug
 
Nxe7+! After Black is forced to play Kh8, it is White who comes out ahead
now after Rxd2, Black's queen, knight, and pawn, for white's queen.
 
When evaluating a potential exchange, try to look at the entire board for a
zwischenzug you might have missed!
 
 Chapter 2: Positional Strategy
 
Chess is largely a game of position. The arrangement of the different pieces
on the board leads to unique characteristics that must be considered to play
effectively. In this chapter, we will explore some of these fundamental ideas
to help you better understand the underlying strategies at play.
 
Dark or Light Squares
 
If you have been playing chess for some time, or studied the openings in
chess, you may have heard discussion about dark or light square
weaknesses that one side is trying to capitalize on. What is going on when
they say that, and what kind of moves are being discussed to take advantage
of these positional elements? Generally, the strengths and weaknesses of a
given position are determined by the pawn structure. When a pawn chain is
formed, and a player is controlling the majority of one color with their
pawns, they're said to have ‘color dominance.’ However, it is important to
note that having dominance in one color usually leaves a weakness in the
other color squares.
 

Let's take a look at a position with this element in mind:

Starting with black, we can see that black has a very strong pawn chain on
the light squares: b7, c6, d5, e6, f7. Pawns on a light square also attack light
squares, so it could be said in this position that Black has light square
dominance. Notice, however, that black also has a dark square weakness. If
black were to lose their dark-squared bishop in an exchange, suddenly they
would find themselves very weak on the dark squares.
This brings up an important point. Bishops are the most important piece
when considering dark or light squares. Let's take a look at the position
from white's point of view now.
White has great dark-square dominance on the king-side, but that's also a
problem. See how white's undeveloped bishop on f1 has left the door wide
open for black to slice into the back ranks with their bishop on f5? Also,
note how white's bishop on c1 is trapped behind that dark color pawn wall.
This is called a ‘bad bishop’ and we will talk about that more in the next
section.
 
Let's see another example:
 

 
In this extreme example, we see light square dominance by Black and dark
square dominance for White. Notice how Black has a bishop trapped by
their own pawns, and critically here, is unable to target most of White’s
pawns (the g and h pawns will be moved to dark squares in future moves
most likely). This is a huge deal for the end-game.  
Compare that to White's spectacular knight, who can maneuver to target
any pawn black controls, as well as find a meaningful outpost on Black’s
weak e5 square.
There is a saying in chess that high-level players adapt in their gameplay:
Take the space left behind. In this example, that is exactly what White has
done by placing their knight on the e5 square. It can never be driven away
by a pawn, and only the black queen can attack it while it is cutting deep
into Black's position. causing real problems.
 
Here are some key takeaways:
The most important part of determining light and dark color
control is pawn structure.
If you plan to use a color dominance strategy, maintaining your
weak color bishop is vital to your defense.
Focusing on a certain color square can overwhelm your
opponent by creating instability in the position that you can take
advantage of.
In the end-game, locking pawns onto squares opposite of your
opponent's bishop is a great way to use this strategy to keep
yourself safe, and make their bishop a “bad-bishop”.
In closed positions with a strong focus on squares of a particular
color, the knight can, oftentimes, find a great outpost in the weak
squares your opponent leaves behind.
Find a meaningful way for an otherwise bad bishop to contribute. If you
plan to lock in your pawns, try to free or trade-off that bishop before closing
off the pawn chain.
 
Good or Bad Bishops
 
When we start talking about the quality of bishops, the most important
factor to consider once again is the pawn structure. If you haven't gathered
it yet, pawns are probably the most intricate and important element to sound
chess play. Because they can never retreat, moving a pawn is a commitment
that must be considered in the context during the entire length of the game.
An early pawn move as a simple deflection of an annoying bishop in the
opening moves can prove to be the fatal flaw in a defense during the late
stages of the game.  
Bringing the focus back on bishops, there are two major considerations to
start off with. What kind of scope does the bishop have? What kind of
targets can the bishop find with that scope? A bishop trapped behind its
pawns has no scope, so it can’t find targets, making it a bad bishop. A
bishop with a full range of the board but no targets on its color is also a bad
bishop.
Let's go back to our example position from light and dark squares for a
moment:
 

 
In this position, White has an idea to try and get a better quality of their
pieces that they've started to put into motion. Take a moment and see if you
can notice a way for White to improve their control of the light squares and
solve their issue with their bad bishop (bishop on c1 is the bad bishop!) in
this position, White to play.
White should play cxd5, attacking Black's pawn structure to regain control
of the light squares. Now should Black recapture with the c pawn or e pawn
or the knight?
If Black plays cxd5, we can develop our white bishop with tempo using
Bb5+, forcing one of the knights to pin itself to the king, probably Nd7, to
develop a new piece. Now, white can continue adding the pressure with
Qa4.
If Black instead tries exd5, we have this nifty idea to use e4. If Black tries
dxe4 to attack our knight, we play the move Ne5. That knight is in an
incredible position, and so powerful Black might be tempted to trade a
bishop for a knight. If they do, they will be sorry, as we just opened a space
for our dark bishop to get into the game, and with such a dark square
weakness, the bishop will be able to cause serious problems for Black.
Finally, what if black tries Nxd5 instead? It’s a real blunder after the fork,
e4! Supported by our knight on c3. Whoops...
 
Pawns
 
Very large and weighty tomes have been written solely on the topic of
pawns. Francois-André Danican Philidor known for the Philidor Defence
was once famously quoted as having said: “Pawns are the soul of chess.”
Indeed, among grandmasters of chess, games are frequently decided by a
single pawn difference in material.
 
Because pawns cannot retreat, they are actually the most complex piece in
the game! Pawns are not just eight individual soldiers that have pretty lousy
attacking potential, that one day hopes to get promoted to the good life.
Instead, to start thinking about pawns properly, they must be considered
together as a formation. These patterns that emerge from chess pawn
structure become the defining characteristic for the tone of the game. 
 
When central pawns are exchanged early on, it becomes what's known as an
open position, with more space for pieces to navigate the battlefield. If
instead they stay locked tight, possibly with the threat of an exchange
looming for many turns, this is a closed position, which has a whole other
character to it, requiring tactical depth, and a constant analysis of a potential
exchange in positions with central pawn tension.
 
Going back to the T. Lichtenhein v. P. Morphy game from the zwischenzug
discussion, if you remember I said that if Morphy recaptured with his pawn
it would mess-up his pawn structure significantly.
 
Why? Let's look at the position again:
 
 
If you remember, Morphy has the black pieces. Well, Black already has
three pawn islands, and doubled pawns on the c file. Not good compared
to White's position, with 2 pawn islands, and the ability to defend the
advanced e5 pawn with a move like f4 in the late game.
 
If Morphy recaptures the bishop with dxe4, he would in fact now have four
pawn islands. White's pawn on e5 blocks Black’s pawn on f5 from creating
a pawn chain, because of the possibility of capturing the f file pawn en
passant (f7, exf6 ep.).
 
What this means for Black is that there would be four points of weakness to
defend, compared to White's two. A crippling weakness during the late
game phase. If you wish to know why this is, simply remove all the pieces
except the rooks and the king from this position and take a look.
 
White's pawns can maneuver to create supporting chains so the rook will
have to maneuver trying to find the backward pawn and finally start taking
the pawn chain down. For Black, on the other hand, the a pawn, the
doubled pawns, and the quasi-isolated pawn that would be on e4, are all
easy pickings for a rook and need protection or they will fall.
 
To play correctly, every time you play a pawn, ask yourself why you are
making that pawn move, and if it could be accomplished by another move
that does not permanently alter your pawn structure. Obviously, you do not
need to spend 5 minutes of clock time deciding if 1. e4 is a sound move
because there is a lot of theory behind those opening pawn moves that you
can study to understand the reasons behind them.  
 
However, during later stages of the game when your opponent is making a
play and you are tempted to make a quick pawn move to deflect or respond,
these are the moments to ask yourself if there is another way of
accomplishing this same task that would leave yourself in a better position
in terms of pawn structure.
 
It's not right or wrong for you to play with pawns trying to control the light
squares for example, but understand what that means for your position
when you commit yourself to that line of play. Don't make that choice if
you've already traded away your dark-square bishop, or you will have
introduced a key weakness in your position due to your pawn structure
choice.
 
Sometimes, you will see an opportunity for an even trade in terms of
material, but it could seriously mess up your opponent's pawn structure, say
doubling their pawns because the only defender of that piece is a pawn on
the 7th rank. This is often a really good opportunity to gain a tangible
advantage for an otherwise even trade.
 
If all else remained equal but your opponent had doubled pawns, that's a
key defensive weakness for you to focus on, which is something your
opponent will have to worry about.
 
In higher level chess, the winning player usually achieves this by
accumulating a number of small advantages throughout the game, that when
effectively put together can result in a victory.  
 
The exceptions to this are usually spectacular, such as the exchange
sacrifice we will take a look at later in this book.
 
 
 Chapter 3: Technical Strategy
 
Some of the immortal games of chess have been technical masterpieces
with principled play and sometimes spectacular sacrifices. In this chapter,
we will be taking a look at some technical strategies to adapt that you can
apply to improve your overall chess prowess.
 
First, is how to play when ahead versus behind.
 
Playing When Ahead
 
When you are up in material or you’re in a position to crush your opponent,
it is very easy to start feeling confident that we will achieve certain victory,
but be cautious! When our opponent is backed into a corner, that is the
moment when they will start looking desperately for any flaw in our
analysis, any zwischenzug we might have missed, anything they can do to
throw a wrench into our plans.
 
Sometimes, your opponent will find a way to appear seemingly stable after
a big attack, and you will get this desperate feeling that you have to go all in
and go on a wild charge to checkmate your opponent. No, you shouldn’t.
This is not the way of sound chess play.
In every move you make, be it ahead, behind, or equal, your goal should
always be not just to find a good move, but to find the best move.
 
The best advice I can offer here is to study how some of the greatest chess
players act when they are ahead just a little bit. They rarely ever play
wildly, or even forcefully (meaning forcing moves like checks). Some of
the most powerful chess moves ever played have been quiet positional
moves in the heat of battle, that end up being the final nail in the opponent's
coffin.
 
Having said that, there are a few general guidelines to consider for playing
when ahead, such as:
 
Avoid even trades when ahead in material
Along the same line, definitely, try to avoid queen for queen
trades.
Use your extra pieces to control more space, further increasing
your advantage.
Get all your pieces into the attack. Find ways to get all your
available resources to contribute, show your muscle!
On the same point, coordinate those pieces to focus on the same
target or weakness.
 If your opponent is just barely holding on, and you feel like
you're out of steam, look for a way to use your pawns or even
your king to give you an edge in the fight!
Use the principle of two-weaknesses. Again, if your opponent is
holding you off on the king-side, use your extra forces to try and
gain an advantage on the queen-side.
Memorize some chess mating patterns, as well as practicing and
studying the end-game will really help you close out winning
positions.
 
Even trades are to be avoided because it limits the amount of power you can
bring to bear against the opponent's king. If you cannot muster enough of a
force in the end-game, the game will usually end in a stalemate. For this
same reason, queen for queen trades is especially bad, as she is your most
powerful attacking piece.
 
One way to really choke an opponent in the late game is to double rooks on
an open file and then advance your lead rook to the 7th rank (if playing as
white). In positions that allow this, a 7th rank rook supported by the other
rook allows for you to attack deep into the opponent's position with
impunity.  
 
Finding ways to move your inactive pieces to active squares is how you
increase your advantage and close out games. Bring both rooks into the
fight if they're sitting on the back rank, move your bishops to attack
vulnerable squares. Have your queen be the one that tries and overworks the
defense as she can hone in on multiple weaknesses at once.
 
When you find a vulnerable point, attack it with all your firepower. If
you’ve brought everything you had, you're sure to come out ahead unless
you missed an important tactical element.
 
Especially as the number of pieces available starts to decrease, the king
becomes an increasingly important offensive and defensive piece. The king,
while requiring protection, in the late game can be a very effective piece at
controlling space, taking enemy pawns, and helping your own pawns march
down the board to promotion.
 
Finally, the principle of two-weaknesses comes into play very often in the
end-game. In a scenario where White has 2 pawns, crucially on opposite
sides of the board, and Black has 2 pawns together side by side, White can
exploit this weakness by escorting one pawn up the board, and should Black
attempt and prevent this promotion, White simply starts to push the other
pawn up the board towards promotion, and Black will not be able to stop
both pawns.
 
This is the most basic introduction to the foundations of strategic play when
ahead, next up playing from behind.
Playing from Behind
 
Okay, so things didn't quite go according to plan and you find yourself
playing from behind. Well, don't give up, because the game is not over until
the rules say it is. Being able to come from behind to win a game you
thought was lost, is a fantastic feeling of accomplishment. Don't deny
yourself that opportunity by giving up too quickly.
First things first. Breath. Relax. Return to the present moment, and stop
thinking about what just happened that put you in this position. Chess is a
mind game just as much as it is a board game. Learning to let go of the fire
inside after a tough loss of material, or even your last game, is a vital lesson
not just in chess, but in life as well. Some people use breathing exercises, or
meditation, to help them clear their minds. Whatever works for you, the
important thing is to free your mind of that fire when you're trying to play
chess. You need to be able to think objectively about the position now more
than ever!
Alright, now is when we get into the specific details. When you are
behind, learn to consider a stalemate as a success. Sometimes mistakes
happen, or an opponent might simply be more experienced than you and
played better. This is not something to be ashamed of, as every game you
play is another chance to improve. In a tournament play, if a lower rated
player can get into a draw with a higher rated player, that lower rated player
will gain a higher rating because they were skilled enough to draw with
someone of a higher rating.
When you change your mindset to accept a stalemate to be another kind of
success, it opens you up to a whole new realm of options in your thought
process. You can start thinking of ways to simply force your opponent to
have insufficient mating material, or you can try to find a way to force your
opponent into giving you no legal moves – another stalemate. Holding your
own and forcing a draw when behind shows that you have great skill and
sense, and is something you should learn to embrace as a chess player as
you continue to play.
Next, do a full evaluation of the position, from a1 to h8, everything. You
need to know every key detail there is to know about both of your positions
as well as note any key elements about the position such as the potential for
a back rank check, weak squares in the position, and any of the dynamic
(moving) parts of the position should be considered. Consider the pawns,
twice. Recognizing where they are weak and looking for ways to make
them better in potential exchanges. With our new mindset to allow
stalemates as a possible answer, rethink the position for ways to draw, such
as the ‘three-move repetition rule.’
Finally, in a tournament, take your time. Burn your clock down if you have
to, and carefully consider your moves. If you are on the brink of a loss, you
must play the correct move. Losing a game with 5 minutes left on the clock
means you had 5 more minutes to find the best possible move!
Given all of these principles, there are also a few general tips to know:
Take and offer even trades. Removing pieces off the board
means there is less pressure against your king.
Continually attempt and force a queen for queen exchange. If
you can force this, that would be beautiful because that means
the most powerful attacker is gone. You've probably just
increased your chances dramatically.
Accept that you will have less space, and consolidate your
position into a fortress. If you can't necessarily win head-on,
make it as costly as possible for them to attack you.
Just like when attacking, you definitely must have every
ounce you can muster aiding in the defenses. Find time to get
those straggling pieces back over to the defense if possible.
Find your weakest squares, and hunker down. You need to
focus your pieces on controlling that square, and removing
the support if possible. Breaking line of sight, deflection, and
checks. Think of everything you can to disrupt your opponent
by coordinating their pieces together into your weakest
squares.
When you are behind, you should automatically be thinking
about what is the most effective use of your king. If there are
a whole bunch of pieces bearing down on you, what is the
square in which he is either safest or contributing the best to
your defense?
 Embrace the zwischenzug! Use that time on your clock to
find the best possible move. That means being creative
sometimes. Look for little nuances about the position you
might be able to use. This can even mean an exchange
sacrifice or other really unexpected moves. Be prepared to
unbolt the kitchen sink.
Become an expert at the end-game. If you are only a little
behind, you might still be able to pull off a win or at least a
draw if you're a better end-game player.
 
This is of course, far from an exhaustive list for either playing from ahead
or behind but is a great starting point for your knowledge. Another great
resource to improve this aspect of your game are chess puzzles, which I
encourage you to check out within your community to learn about specific
aspects of the game in a fun and creative way.
 
Effective Sacrifices or Compensation
 
If you are a chess enthusiast and follow the sport, you may have seen a few
high-level games that feature an incredibly spectacular move where the
attacking player seemingly gives up a piece and then goes on to win. This is
one of the classic and most known types of sacrifices, but it is not the only
one. Gambit openings are a type of sacrifice, though much less dramatic
than sacrificing your queen and going on to win the game.  
 
The common theme in both examples, however, is an exchange. You
definitely are giving up something, maybe a whole lot, if it’s your queen
you're sacrificing. So, make sure you're getting something back for it.
Commonly, players will claim equal compensation if their sacrifice can gain
them either a tangible positional advantage (gambit openings trade a pawn
for strong central control), deflect an attacker or defender, or expose a
weakness in your opponent's position (bust up their position!),
 
So how do you make effective sacrifices anyway? The most important part
of sacrifices is to once again change your mind and consider sacrifices. At
the beginning of chess, when we were just learning, you are always taught
never to leave pieces hanging (undefended). This is one of the first lessons
ever taught to a fledgling student.
 
But that's exactly what sacrifices are, moves that leave your pieces hanging!
Knowing when to make this decision comes down to understanding the
position, and looking for the weakest point in the enemy defenses.
Sometimes, an opponent's defense will be hanging on by a thread, and you
can't get a solid combination of pieces to focus on that square and punish
them for it.
 
Maybe, a sudden sacrifice right in the soft spot could be the difference you
need to open up more lines of attack for the rest of your army to march right
in and say hello to their king. The point here is that your knowledge of the
soft points in the defensive structure gave you the awareness needed to
want to attack it. When you aren't able to through conventional means, or
you might need to act quickly, think about sacrifices as a potential option.
 
Generally, before you decide to go through with the sacrifice, you should be
able to carry the calculation on several moves down the line and reevaluate
that position fresh to see if you are in a stronger position than before.  
 

 
Let's look at a real-world example. This game was played by a young 13-
year-old named Bobby Fischer in what would become known as "The
Game of the Century":
 
Let's quickly evaluate the position, Bobby has the black pieces.
 
The first thing to note is that Black's queen is under threat by white's bishop
on c5. Black has finished castling and White is stuck in the relative middle
of the board, trapping their rook in the corner as well. Freeing the h1 rook
will not be an easy task, and so for the moment at least it's almost like Black
is up a piece.
 
It is with these elements in mind, young Fischer's next move was:
17...Be6!! Black's queen is hanging on b6, and white didn't miss that fact!
18. Bxb6?? Bobby continues with the plan he made when he moved his
bishop to e6: 18...Bxc4+. White has only one legal move, 19. Kg1. Here,
Black has created a set up in chess with a unique name. This is either
known as a ‘windmill,’ or as a ‘see-saw.’ The idea is that Black will
continually use checks and discovered checks, moving white back and forth
between f1 and g1 while racking up piece after piece. Here are the moves:
 
   19. Kg1 Ne2+
   20. Kf1Nxd4+
   21. Kg1 Ne2+
   22. Kf1Nc3+
   23. Kg1 axb6
 
Wow. For five moves now Black has been just being forcing White to
wiggle back and forth while losing piece after piece. There is a moment to
take a breath now, but only just:
 
   24. Qb4 Ra4!
 
White's pieces are working harmoniously to protect each other, and re-
positioning to keep the pressure on. While we may never know for certain
what was going on in his mind, some critical theorists believe that Byrne
missed this move Ra4 when he accepted the queen sacrifice back on move
18 with bishop captures the queen.
 
   25. Qxb6 Nxd1
 
Black, now way up in material, definitely has compensation for the
sacrificed queen, seven moves previous. Fischer's tally: A rook, two
bishops, and a pawn for his queen. That's a 3 point gain. When you consider
that the rook is still trapped in the corner on h1, it’s like Black is 8 points
up. A decisive advantage and Bobby Fischer would go on to checkmate his
opponent in sixteen moves.
 
Not every sacrifice need be as dramatic as this example to be worth its
while. The main point to take away from this analysis is that Black saw an
element in the position on move 18 when he moved his bishop that White
clearly did not understand the same way. Frequently, this is the case in
chess. You don't have anyone else to rely on for coaching or tips during a
match, and so it is up to each player to review the position to the best of
their individual ability. Small differences in evaluation often tell the
difference between 1-0 or 0-1 on the score sheet.
 
 Chapter 4: Strategic Planning
 
Chess being a pure strategy game, it stands to reason that being able to have
a really good plan is important. If you read our other book on openings (you
really should if you haven't!), you already know how much planning has
gone into just the first handful of moves in the game. Chessmasters never
stop their study of the opening to always approach games with a better plan.
We have already touched on all the vital points needed in order to start
making smart chess plans. You have the tactical know-how to deliver
punishing attacks to unsuspecting opponents. You have positional
knowledge about controlling light and dark squares. We talked about good
and bad bishops, as well as bishops being a vital part of controlling your
weak squares. Technically speaking, we addressed the different principles
to follow when playing ahead or when playing from behind. You have
opened your mind to think about sacrifices a viable tactic, or another tool in
your tool-belt. Finally, we discussed how piece valuation and the evaluation
of a position itself is not a static thing. The value of pieces changes
dramatically over the course of a game. The player that understands this
best will be able to prepare accordingly.
The most effective way to begin forming a plan is by thinking about the
imbalances in the game. Sometimes these can be positional, and other times
they can be material imbalances. What's important is even very symmetrical
positions often have small differences, (even if it's the only tempo at the
moment) that can be the difference between a draw and a win. When
thinking about which move to make, choose a move that addresses multiple
elements in the positions at once. Try to make moves that can improve your
position, while simultaneously limiting the options given to your opponent.
These are the best moves that will have a meaningful purpose in your
games.
Once you leave your knowledge of the opening game, the goal is to find not
only a good move for the position but hopefully the best move. One really
great way to practice finding the best move in any given position is to
practice with chess puzzles. These compositions by other players are
designed to challenge the player to find the best move or moves in the
position. If you practice with this often, you will be able to look past other
decent looking moves to make sure you have found the very best move
possible. The best part of these puzzles is that they explain the reasoning
behind each move, so even if you didn't find it for yourself, you still have
the opportunity to learn and get familiar with the process.
Let's take a look at a puzzle now to give you an idea how they work:
 

 
In this diagram, it is White’s turn to move. There is a lot going on in this
position, and if you play hastily, Black has a definite possibility for counter-
play. Take a moment to review the position and think about what can do to
press their advantage. Hint? White doesn't have any time to lose and they
need to act now if they're going to capitalize.
Okay, let's go over the position together. A tempting move in this position
might be the move Rh3, but black can punish us for playing slowly after
Qd1. We can block with Bf1, but our king is too far away to help, Qxf1#.
Another tempting idea might be to go after Black's queen with a move like
Rd3. But after g6, our own queen is in trouble, and after the queens get
traded, Black still has the back rank mate option with their rook. Too slow
again. Notice that our pawn on f6 takes away the g7 square from black. The
king is hemmed into the corner with nowhere to go.  
The winning move is Qxh7+! Black's king is under attack and must capture
the queen to avoid checkmate – Kxf7. Then we can finish off the black king
with the rook move Rh3#. The king has nowhere to run because of our
crafty pawn on f6.
 

 
Let's check out another example. White’s turn to move. Here, your hint is
that it is checkmate in 2 for White.
Okay, so in this position, the king cannot move and is nearly checkmated.
We need only to deliver an attack and the game will end. It may be tempting
to play Rxh5, and while this is a clear winning position, it isn't the best
move. It allows Black to play c3, open up some room and see if they can
generate a little counter play with pawns on the queenside or to catch you
making a mistake. In fact, it isn't the rook at all who is the star of this
puzzle, but the bishop. The winning move is Bh3! If Rxh3, Rg5# wins, and
if Black tries Rxf2, Nxf2#wins, and finally if black tries something else like
a3 or c3 then Bf1# delivers the finishing blow.
This one was a little more challenging and less decisive than the last
example, but still always think about playing the best possible move. No
point in giving your opponent counter-play if you don't need to!
Here are some additional guidelines you can use to help you make informed
plans for your future games. These are not hard rules that must always be
obeyed, but in a general sense are usually good in a given position.
 
Central pawn structure should determine your area of attack. If
your pawn chain points into the enemy king-side for example,
you should consider attacking the king-side. Not only do you
control that space already with your center pawns, but you can
usually progress easier where your pawns open.
There is a saying with passed pawns and it goes: ‘Passed pawns
must be pushed.’ This rule applies to the end-game and it refers
to what you should do given several different options. Pushing a
pawn on the 5th or 6th rank when it is one of several possible
moves, is almost always going to be the best for a player. By
getting ever closer to promotion, your opponent must give this
lowly pawn considerable attention or lose outright to another
queen on the board.
Another point with passed pawns is: ‘Rooks belong behind
passed pawns.’ Whether it’s your passed pawn or the opponent’s,
it does not matter, your rook ought to be behind it. Your rook is
the escort that will control the file and pave the way to
promotion, or prevent that queen from doing anything dangerous
should it come down to it. If the pawn is yours, anyone wanting
to mess with the pawn will get picked up by the rook. Let your
other minor pieces or the king pave the path ahead of minor
pieces if need be. Rooks should be the ones behind.
Have the bishop pair open up the position to give better scope to
your bishops. This will help you coordinate your long-range
pieces to start picking off key targets. In an open end-game, the
bishop pair is considered to be a decisive advantage even if all
other material is even. The potential range and combo of bishops
are not to be undervalued in a wide open position.
If you have knights instead, keeping a closed position might
favor you, especially if your opponent is the one with the bishop
pair. Also, knights belong on outposts where pawns will never
remove them from that square. When the board is tight and
cramped, consider looking for a tactic called ‘poisoned squares’
and get the most value from your knights.
If the kings are castled on opposite sides of the board, games
tend to be sharp offensive games with both sides aggressively
attacking with pawns in what’s known as a ‘pawn storm.’ This
tends to be a bit of a race to see who can checkmate the other
first.
A ‘poisoned square’ is a square that would be detrimental for
your opponent to occupy with one of their pieces. Maybe, it can
allow a devastating knight fork by aligning the king and queen,
or maybe it will pull aside the vital defender of the weakest point
in the defense. The point is to look for ways to force your
opponent into moving there anyway. Often, sacrifices are very
effective at forcing an opponent into a poisoned square.
There is a saying with knights that is best to follow unless you
have a specific reason to break it, and that is: ‘Knights on the rim
are dim.’ The meaning and reason behind this saying is that
knights on the side of the board have half as many squares to
move to compared to a knight in the center of the board. Even
worse are knights in a corner which only have two possible
squares they can maneuver to. Knights belong in the center
unless they are fulfilling a very specific goal for you along the
edge.
A major theme in mid-game development is ‘connecting the
rooks.’(Removing any pieces between the rooks on the back
rank.) Not only does this let the rooks defend each other on open
files, it allows the possibility of ‘doubling rooks’ on an open file
to start a big attack. This is also sometimes called a ‘rook
battery.’
You can create ‘batteries’ by connecting a queen and the bishops
in the same manner and is a very common way to deliver a
potential checkmating attack. Also, you can add a queen into a
rook battery for more firepower and exchange potential.
A rook on the 7th rank that is supported by another rook is
excellent at both cutting lines of defense from the opponent, as
well as providing squares for your other pieces to combine for
even more attacks!
 ‘Doubled Rooks’ on the 7th rank have a special nickname called
‘swine.’ If you can get both your rooks on the enemy’s 7th rank,
you have all kinds of firepower at your disposal, and this is
incredibly difficult to hold off defensively.
When evaluating exchanges and considering how you will be left
in the end-game, it is helpful to know that bishops of opposite
colors tend to lead to draws, even in positions where one side is
up a couple of pawns, as long as those pawns are close together.
Bishops of the same color tend to lead to winning positions for
one side or the other.
Home in on the weak pawns and put pressure there: isolated
pawns, backward pawns, or any tactic that can apply to the
pawns. This gives you great places to start your planning.
Look at the imbalances in the position. Quality of pieces and the
status of how safe the king is, and use those elements in your
ideas. Make your moves count by trying to accomplish multiple
goals in a single move. Try to think proactively against your
opponent's likely plans while developing your own ideas.
 
If your king is safely castled and your opponent is trapped in the
middle of the board, maybe you can open up the position with a
sacrifice before they have a chance to scurry away!
 Chapter 5: Basic Mating Patterns
 
Another key element to help you to win more chess games is recognizing
when you’re in a position to win, or very close to one. In order to determine
this, it helps to have a visual representation of what some common winning
positions look like, so you can be on the watch for the same patterns in your
games.  
Let us take a look at the most common types – this is far from exhaustive.
 
 
Back Rank Mate
 
You are probably familiar with this one by now, but it doesn't hurt to see an
example of it. This is a very common technique and is one of the ways
Black can certainly steal a victory from White if White plays carelessly
during a large attack.
Anytime you see a king lined up behind 3 pawns like this, you should
always be thinking about a possible black rank mate as a possible option as
the position develops. Maybe you can force an exchange, clearing the way
for a clean back rank checkmate to finish off your opponent, another
common tactic with this mating pattern. This mating pattern is obviously
also possible with the queen.
 
 
Box Mate
 
Another extremely basic and common mating pattern, and one of the ways
you will finish games the most. Obviously, since it’s possible with a rook or
a queen, the idea is the same. Move your pieces so you can force the king to
the edge of the board, then once you leave the king with no choice but to
move in line with your king, you deliver the finishing blow with a rook or a
queen.
You must definitely familiarize yourself with the steps for this mate.
Although it’s simple, you still have to be careful not to take away all
squares from the enemy king, or else lose in terrible fashion to a stalemate!
This warning applies to this checkmate when using a queen, as it is actually
pretty easy to accidentally leave your opponent in a stalemate if you’re not
taking this fact into consideration.
 
 
Corner Mate
 

 
Yet another common checkmating pattern. It doesn't need to be a knight
either. The idea is the rook and pawn are the traps for the king and any
piece can then deliver the checkmate. This position can be forced quite
often in busy board positions during the late mid-game phase. Maybe a
sacrifice can open up the files right in front of the king which will allow this
attack to take place. If kings are castled on opposite sides, then it is even
more common for White to try an attack like this by starting a pawn storm
with the king-side pawns.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dovetail Mate
 

 
This is another position that can arise quite frequently in many games. The
rook and pawn can be replaced with any piece except a knight and the
dovetail mate will still work.
In practice, it need not be a pawn to support the queen. The basic idea
behind this mating pattern is the way the queen takes away every possible
square by attacking at close range with support, and the black pieces occupy
the only squares she can't control herself.
 
 
Epaulette Mate
 
This checkmate pattern is given its name because the flanking rooks give
the appearance of the king wearing a pair of epaulets. Less visually
appealing, but one of the rooks could be replaced by a bishop and this
mating pattern would still work.
This can happen in positions where the enemy king is stuck in the center
and tries to build a defensive position to stay safe. When you see the king's
options for movement decrease, that's your cue to look for these kinds of
moves.
 
 
Smothered Mate
 
This is the final example of an extremely common mating pattern you are
very likely to run into. This is in fact, one of the easier mates to force, often
with a sacrifice or two in order to force the rook into the square adjacent to
their king, allowing for the mother to be successful.
 Chapter 6: Where to Look Next?
 

The most helpful tip available in this book to keep improving is this: find
more opponents and keep playing chess! Playing with new people will get
you familiar with many different openings, styles, and strategies. Some
players favor attacks, sacrifices, and precisely challenging positions. Some
others play an almost Zen-inspired style of chess, moving around you like
water. They can defend against your every attack and they can find a way to
compromise your position as a way to improve their own.
There is a term that high-level players use to describe their ability to play
chess well and that is their ‘chess awareness.’ The more games of chess
you play, the more you give your brain a chance to develop pattern
recognition, and a chance to improve next time.
It is vital to you, as an aspiring player, to get a chance to play against
opponents with different skill ratings as well. Playing with opponents who
are better than you gives you a chance to challenge your understanding of
the game as well as learn some new tricks or traps that you’ve never heard
before. Another great aspect of playing with different people is getting to
meet new friends with a love for the game. Talk about your favorite styles
and tactics, and you will find that your overall game sense will improve
dramatically.
Join the chess community through any of these ways listed below:
 
Join a ChessClub
 
No, seriously, join a chess club in your area! This is a great way to meet
new players and probably new friends too. Most major cities boast at least
one major chess club and cater to players of all skill ranges. They host
events for children, as well as tournaments for those who wish to test their
competitive mettle. The local chess club is a fantastic resource to learn
more about the game as well as meeting potential coaches and mentors that
are willing to help you grow as a player.
 
Find a Mentor or Coach
 
Along with joining a chess club, you can try and find a mentor. Someone
from a local chess club or tournament with some experience that is willing
to take you under their wing, and show you cool tricks and tips about the
game. These people can offer you a literal lifetime of knowledge to draw
upon and are invaluable to you as a growing player.
Play in a Local Tournament
 
Along with joining a chess club, this is another great way to enter into the
exciting world of chess. At a local tournament, you will meet players of all
skill levels, and it is another fantastic way to make friends and learn more
about the game. After playing a match for real in a tournament, you will
find others you can talk to about your matches to help teach you ways you
could have played the game differently and a whole variety of ideas so
you’ll do better next time. Also, because you are playing several games
back to back with time in between, it's a great way to try something else
different, learn new skills after your game, and apply those new skills in the
next round.
 
Some of the biggest names in chess history started in a small local
tournament with a passionate love for the game before they became world-
renowned talents.
 
Chess Puzzles
 
It's been mentioned a couple of times already in this book, but it really must
be stressed how amazing these little puzzles are at teaching your brain to
think about chess from a different perspective. Going back to the principle
of chess awareness, these compositions are designed precisely with this in
mind. They will teach your brain a fundamental lesson about the way the
game works, even if it’s only on a subconscious level.
 
Play a few chess puzzles every day as part of your routine. You can find
them on chess apps for your phone, or from the dozens of chess websites
out there. The point is to get your brain thinking critically about positions
and determining what is the best possible move to make.
 
Study the Opening
 
If you haven't done so yet – definitely you should study the opening moves
of chess. Check out our other book in this series, ‘ChessOpenings for
Beginners.’ In this book, we will discuss the most common openings you
will see in a game of chess. The general principles about opening moves to
help guide you, as well as extensive theory and research behind the most
common moves to open the game.
 
Understanding when you should make these moves and why, will help you
become a better chess player, and help you to enter the mid-game from a
solid position.  
 
End-Game Study
 
The last part that will drastically help you close out more games, and draw
victory from a losing position is developing your end-game knowledge.
This is much like studying the opening, in that it is mostly about the
memorization of positions, rules, and principles to the end game. Because
so many of the pieces are removed, this is a part of chess that can be
definitively calculated to an exact degree. Sometimes players view an
endgame differently and will proceed to it with a decision based on
information which could potentially be flawed. The player that can
correctly interpret the outcome of an end-game at a given point is more
comfortable deciding whether or not to accept a trade and simply the take
position down to an end-game.  
 
This is another one of those elements of chess for which countless books
have already been created to help analyze the end-game extensively. This is
quite boring, but it can provide very tangible results to help you close out
more games. There are many chess puzzles that focus on the end-game if
you find that more manageable, but do take a look at the end-game in some
way or another.
 Conclusion
 
In conclusion, we have gone over some of the most important elements to
know when it comes to chess strategies. We have talked about the values of
pieces and how it is a dynamic and ongoing process to determine the correct
value of each piece. Introduced were the tactics of the game: pins, forks,
skewers, discovered attacks, overloaded pieces, zugzwang, and
zwischenzug.  
In addition to those basic tactics, we talked in a strategic sense about
controlling the light and dark squares as well as what that leaves behind for
your opponent. In addition to that, the importance of bishops in controlling
your weak squares. What makes a good or bad bishop, and what you can do
to limit or compensate for this. We have also touched on the vital role
pawns play in determining the overall flow of your gameplay. Everything
from development, to king safety, and everything in between all comes back
in some way to the pawn structure.
In the next section, we touched on the guidelines to know for playing when
you're ahead or when you’re behind. Also discussed were the reasons a
player might consider sacrificing material or position and the compensation
that you should expect when choosing this route of play. In strategic
planning, we touched on the high-level concepts of forming plans in chess
like focusing on the imbalances of positioning and other guiding principles
that are helpful to know. Finally, we briefly introduced some common
checkmating patterns for you to keep ing mind and look out for in your own
games.
If you haven't already done so, check out our other book in this series:
‘Chess Openings for Beginners,’ that introduces aspiring chess enthusiasts
to the key concepts behind some of the most popular opening strategies.
Concepts such as control of the center, pawn structure, open versus closed
positions, development, king safety, and transposition. Also covered is a
brief overview of the tactics to know and watch out for during the earliest
moments of the game. The reader will then be shown how all of these
principles relate to some of the most popular openings in the game such as
the Italian Game, King's Gambit, Ruy Lopez, Queen's Gambit, the English
opening for White, the Sicilian Defense, Caro-Kann Defense, French
Defense, and Petrov's Defence for Black. This book will take a look at some
of the more popular variations, and how they differ from the mainline
strategy. In some of these variations, it is possible for black to achieve
equality or even a possible advantage.
 Dear reader,
 
I sincerely hope that you enjoyed CHESS STRATEGY FOR BEGINNERS
and could increase your understanding of Chess.
Before you close this book I´d like to ask you for a favor to leave an honest
review on amazon. It´d be greatly appreciated.
 
Thank you and good luck!
Magnus
 
Summary
 
Chess Strategy for Beginners is a key resource for players just starting to
learn the game of chess. Covered in this eBook are some of the founding
principles of the game. Players can expect to learn the tactics of the game
such as pins, forks, skewers, discovered attacks, overloaded pieces,
zugzwang, and zwischenzug. Beyond simply naming the terms, we will
show actual examples of the tactics as well as the thought process behind
the moves and how to set them up.
In addition, we will discuss chess strategies from a positional point of view
and consider various factors such as controlling the light or dark squares,
good bishops, bad bishops, as well as pawn structure in elaborate detail.
Players can expect to learn about the specific nuances behind these kinds of
positions and why so much discussion in higher level chess is centered on
the bishop.
Next, understanding the fundamental ideas behind playing a position when
ahead or when behind, why players might actually want to play sacrificial
moves and what they get back in turn for it. Ideas like avoiding trade when
ahead or simplifying when behind are key ideas every chess player should
know in order to play effectively.
We will also discuss planning in a strategic sense. Where to look to get
ideas for your plan, and what makes a good or bad plan anyway? We even
list down the steps on how to use the imbalances of a position to create an
advantage. Finally, we will provide some examples of basic mating patterns
to help you recognize these situations when they come up in your own
games.
Crush your opponent with the tactics of the game! Learn about
pins, forks, skewers, discovered attacks, overloaded pieces,
zugzwang, and zwischenzug
Master your control over the light and dark squares to edge out
your opponent in space. Learn how to make use of your bishop
 to shore up your positional deficiencies. Find out what makes a
bishop good or bad, and how to get the most out of each.
Discover the secrets to keeping up the pressure when you're
ahead, or closing the gap when behind.
Explore what makes an effective sacrifice in chess, how to
recognize them as well as the concept of compensation when it
comes to what you are exchanging for the sacrifice you made.
Learn how to identify key nuances and imbalances about a given
position, and understand how these imbalances go on to give
shape to a useful plan of action.
Learn to recognize the most common checkmating patterns to
help you close out more games and improve your win
percentage.
Start mastering the amazing mind and strategy game and defeat your
opponents! Start learning with this guidebook!