forks

Two big pieces on the same color square? Keep on looking, a fork is there.

The best way to find a good move, is to look for a weakness in the form of some pattern in your opponents position. For example, in today's lesson you are going to look for a fork. A fork is when you move a piece so that it attacks two enemy pieces simultaneously. The knight is the best at forking, so let's look at knight forks first. If the opposing King and Queen are on the same color square there is probably a fork waiting.

In this problem, find a good move for Black.

Practice by placing the King and Queen on the same color and finding a fork with a knight. Can you find the one pattern where you can't fork?

Answer: Nxc2+ forking the King Queen and Rook. Of course, we'll take the queen next turn.

Answer: Here's the only pattern where the King and Queen are on the same color square, but cannot be forked by a knight - unless they're too far apart.

When the queen comes out,
Look all about!

When the queen comes out both sides need to be careful. One side must be careful not to lose the queen to a trap, the other must take care of all pieces - especially the king.

Here are two examples: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf6 Nc6 3.Bb4 Qg5 (This is too early to get the queen out. I try to wait until at least one minor piece has been taken.) 4.d3 Qxg2 5.Rg1 Qh3

Now what can white do? (see diagram 1)





In the second diagram, Black has again brought his queen out early. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nxe7 (saving the knight and forking the Q & R)

Now Black finished off White with a dazzling combination. Can you find it?










Answer 1 6. Bxf7+!! Ke8 2.Rg3 and the queen is trapped.

Answer 2 5. ... Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ Be2 7.Nf3#

Center

Don't fiddle Control the middle

At the beginning of the game, each move should help strengthen your grip on the four middle squares of the board. Advancing a rook pawn or knight pawn on the first move, or moving your knight to a3 or h3 would not help to control the middle. To ignore the middle, is to fiddle while Rome burns. Do not underestimate the power of attacking an empty square! Those 4 squares in the middle are crucial to dividing and conquering the opposing army.

In the Giuoco Piano opening (aka The Italian Game) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6, note how every move so far attacks one of the 4 center squares.

A knight on the side
Gets fried.

This little poem is a reminder that knights generally belong toward the middle of the board where they have more choices.

Do the math -
A knight in the middle ... has 8 moves.
A knight on the side ... has 4 moves
A knight in the corner ... has 2 moves.

What's the right move for White?

Answer:
The knight is on the side. Let's fry it! It only has 4 choices and our bishop, properly placed, can guard all four squares. Bd5! Now the knight can't move without getting taken by the Bishop and next turn we'll play b4 with a deadly attack. Good night, bad knight!

When you're in check
There's 3 ways to save your neck!

Most beginners instinctively move their King when they are in check, but that's usually not the best way out of check. First see if you can take the piece, then look to see if you can block the check, and lastly find all the squares your King could escape to. Finally decide which is best.

In this problem Black must figure out the best way out of check.


Answer:
1. Kh7 If Black plays QxB he loses his queen. If he blocks with his Queen, he loses it. If he blocks with his pawn, White plays hxg6 (en passant - remember that rule?) and has a really rare double check - both the bishop and rook will be checking the king. The only way out is Kg7 which will lose because White plays Rh7+ winning the Black Queen next turn.

Intro

Why learn chess?
It teaches patience
It exercises the imagination
It teaches decision-making
It improves spacial visualization
It trains you in time-management
It improves your empathy
It teaches you not to judge others based on first impressions
Chess will enhance your social life
Finally, you're simply not educated unless you can play the game

You probably already enjoy beautiful art and music.
Why not open up a new world in which you can appreciate beauty?

First learn the basic rules. It's fairly simple. I recommend the following order.
How the Rook moves
How the Bishop moves
How the Queen moves
How the King moves
How the Knight moves
How the pawn moves
Checkmate
Stalemate
Castling
En Passant

The game of chess is often discussed in terms of the three phases of the game:
1) The Opening when the primary emphasis is developing your pieces as quickly as possible.
2) The Middle Game when the attacks take place and tactics abound.
3) The End Game when the primary focus is on queening a pawn.

Two other terms related to chess are tactics and strategy. Chess tactics are the good moves that will gain a piece, or get a checkmate in a few moves. Strategy is more long-term planning and strengthening of your position.