A Collection of Chess Wisdom

General Principles and Guidelines

“Chess is a game of understanding, not memory.”
Eugene Znosko-Borovsky
In chess, knowing what to do is half the battle; knowing when to do it is the other half. –Unknown
The Center – Play for the center. Occupy, guard and influence it. Drive away enemy pieces that control
it.

The Initiative – White, having the first move, starts with the initiative. Don’t waste time or moves. Be
aggressive. Try to attack in ways that build your game. Combine defense with counterattack. Don’t be
afraid to gambit a pawn for an opening attack, but don’t sacrifice without sound reasons. Don’t waste time
capturing wing pawns at the expense of development. Use the initiative to apply pressure against your
opponent's position.

Development – Use all your pieces. Make only necessary pawn moves to develop pieces. Aim to develop
a different piece on each turn. Move out minor pieces quickly. Castle early. Don’t move the same piece
twice without a good reason. Develop with threats.

Castling – Prepare to castle early in the game, especially if the center is open. Avoid moving pawns in
front of your castled king and creating weaknesses there. Castle for defensive and offensive reasons - to
safeguard your king and to connect & activate your rooks.

Pawns – In general, make only two pawn moves in the opening, usually the center pawns. Move them one
or two squares ahead, preferably two if possible. Bad pawn moves create weak squares and unnecessary
pawn moves waste time that could be better used to develop pieces. Don’t block center pawns by moving
bishops in front of them. Don’t move pawns in front of the castled king position. Trade pawns to avoid loss
of material, to open lines, or to save time.

Knights – Develop knights toward the center. White’s to f3 and c3 or d2, and Black’s to f6 and c6 or d7.
Develop them elsewhere only if absolutely necessary or for a specific purpose. In general, you should
develop knights before bishops, since it’s usually much clearer early in the opening where the knights
should go, but you usually have to see how the position develops to know where the bishops should go.
Avoid getting knights pinned to your king or queen by bishops, and by rooks on the e or d file.

Bishops – Place bishops on open diagonals. Use them to guard center squares, pin enemy knights or
defensively to break pins. Flank them if part of a plan to control squares of one color. Avoid unnecessary
exchanges with knights.

Rooks – Put them on open files, half-open files, files that are likely to be opened, or behind advanced
passed pawns. Double them, so that they support each other. Use them to attack the uncastled enemy king
along the e-file. Place them on the 7th rank, using them to attack pawns still on the opponent's second rank
and to limit the enemy king to the back row. Use them to cut off the enemy king. In the endgame, it's often
better to sacrifice a pawn and activate your rooks than to tie them down to passive defense.

The Queen – Don’t move the queen out too early in the game - she is too easily attacked with tempo.
Avoid developing it where it can be attacked. Don’t use it if weaker pieces would suffice. Don't use the
queen to go chasing pawns when it takes her away from the scene of the real action. Use it to set up multiple
attacks, alone or in combination with other pieces. Don’t be afraid to exchange queens to gain some type
of advantage, or avoid some type of problem

Analysis – Evaluate the major elements: material, pawn structure, mobility, time, space, and king safety.
Look for information about the position by asking yourself questions about each of these factors.

Planning – Plan early. Don’t change plans without good reason, but be flexible. Modify your plan if
desirable or necessary, as the position changes. Base your plan on a thorough and honest analysis and
evaluation of the position, noting strengths and weakness for both sides, and accounting for all threats.
Assess the imbalances and all other factors in the position and form your plan based on these factors.

The Endgame – Threaten to make new queens by advancing passed pawns. Force your opponent to
surrender material trying to stop you. Activate the king as soon as you safely can. Trade pieces, not pawns,
when ahead in material. Place rooks actively behind enemy pawns. Place them on the 7th rank. Keep them
active and don’t tie them down to defense. After queening a pawn, use it to force mate.

Why Didn't Somebody Tell Me These Things?

"Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine."
Rudolf Spielmann
In General:
When you see a good move, sit on your hands and see if you can find a better one. – Siegbert
Tarrasch

1 There are exceptions to every general principle and law in chess. Knowing when you can violate
them is one of the hallmarks of a strong player.
2 Memory should never be a substitute for thought.
3 Even when a move seems forced, it is worth taking a few moments to see if there might be a better
alternative.
4 If a move is absolutely forced, don't waste time calculating it. Make the move and calculate the
ramifications on your opponent's time.
5 Given the choice of two moves, if you calculate that the first move is clearly losing, and the other
is vague and complex, the second move should be played without prolonged calculation. You can
calculate the consequences on your opponent's time.
6 Don't play a game or even a move if you don't feel like trying your best.
7 Attack pinned pieces with pieces worth less than them; never take a pinned piece unless it leads to
some sort of tactic or advantage, or you cannot maintain the pin.
8 Putting out your hand when you offer a draw is presumptuous; always put it out after the draw is
agreed upon, not before.
9 Rooks need open and semi-open files. Don't let your opponent control open files with his Rooks.
10 When capturing with pawns, it is correct most of the time to capture toward the center. If the result
is doubled pawns, this is correct even a higher percentage of the time.
11 If you worry about your opponent's rating or play to the level of your competition, then don't look
at his rating until after the game.
12 If something is happening on your board that is strange or you don't understand, stop the clock and
get the tournament director.
13 In a Swiss tournament, the most important rounds are the first and the last.
14 In chess, if you learn to consistently (each move) do the little things: take your time, count the
material effect of your move, and check for basic tactics, you will soon find that these are not so
little!
15 Move every piece once before you move every piece twice unless there is a clear reason to do so.
16 In the opening, if you can drive a Knight out of the center by attacking it with a pawn, it is usually
correct to do so.
17 If you get way ahead in material, it is more important to use all your pieces, kill your opponent's
counterplay, and safeguard your King, than it is to try and get further ahead.
18 Having the 'Bishop Pair' - two Bishops when your opponent does not - is worth about half a pawn.
19 Don't put your Knight in front of your c-pawn in double d-pawn openings.
20 Don't move your f-pawn until you have castled or your opponent's Queen is off the board.
21 Don't pin the opponent's King's Knight to the Queen before the opponent has castled.
22 Develop the Bishop on the side you wish to castle before the other Bishop.
23 When looking for tactics - for either player - look for Checks, Captures, and Threats, in that order
- for both players.
24 Stay flexible. Always be ready to transform one type of advantage to another, or to switch from
tactical to positional play.
25 Be especially careful after you've made a mistake. It often happens that one mistake soon leads to
another. The realization that something has gone wrong can be a big distraction and lead to a loss
of concentration.
26 Never, ever assume that your opponent has no threats, even in the most lopsided positions.
27 Bold, imaginative play, presenting your opponent all sorts of continuous problems, is likely to be
well rewarded.
28 Short-term solutions to long-term problems on the chessboard rarely succeed.
29 Presenting your opponent with practical difficulties in over the board play, is just as important as
obtaining an objective advantage.
30 Concentrate. Keep your attention on the board. Don’t let your mind wander and don’t you wander
either. Don’t leave the board unless necessary.
31 Use your time to think of specifics and to find the best move. Use your opponent’s time to think in
generalities and of future possibilities. Always make sure you use your opponent’s time
productively.
32 Play to win in as few moves as necessary. Don’t waste time gobbling up your opponent’s pawns
when you’re well ahead. Go for the safest and most efficient mate.
33 If you blunder, don’t resign. Sit back and figure out how to give your opponent trouble. Go down
fighting.
34 Respect all opponents, but fear none.
35 What distinguishes masters and experts from intermediates and novices, is their specialized ability
to think effectively about chess positions.
36 Until you reach at least master level, playing as error-free as possible is MUCH more effective and
important than playing brilliantly, and will win a lot more games for you. One critical error will
usually cost you more than a dozen brilliant moves will gain for you. Remember, the first step to
mastery, is the elimination of errors.
37 To improve your chess game, combine STUDY AND PLAY; study and play, study and play, study
and play…
38 As you improve, you will learn the value of – and develop skill in exploiting – first pieces, then
pawns, and finally squares.
39 Always play "touch-move" and never take back a move. It is against the rules of chess and is
detrimental to your improvement.
40 Avoid having a favorite piece.
41 Learn chess notation, then record and review your games.
42 Review all your games. This is how you learn to find & eradicate the mistakes from your play.
43 Play stronger players frequently, and learn from them. After a loss, ask them to go over the game
and point out your mistakes. Playing stronger players strengthens your chess.
44 Remain calm and alert throughout a chess game. Take mental breaks to ease the tension.
45 Focus on playing your best, rather than on winning. The wins will follow.
46 Enjoy your wins and learn from your losses. Learn at least one lesson from each loss. You will
learn more from one loss than a dozen wins. Defeats are the greatest teachers.
47 After losing a game, especially against a much stronger player, ask them to review the game with
you and show you where you went wrong.
48 Record each move carefully. The only exception is when you are in time trouble. In that case, at
least try to check off each move as it is played. Write down each move before you actually play it
on the board, and each of your opponent’s moves before you make your response, even obvious
ones.
49 Always play touch-move, and call it if your opponent touches a piece. Do not hold a piece in your
hand while thinking.
50 Focus on the game in front of you, not the one next to you. Good concentration is one of the keys
to success in chess.
51 Don’t talk to your opponent and don’t allow him to talk to you.
52 Don’t play chess between rounds of a tournament. This saps your mental energy. Go for a walk
instead.
53 Don’t eat a heavy meal before playing. Keep your energy level up by snacking on healthy items
like fruit or fruit juice. Avoid junk food or anything with too much sugar.
54 If you blunder, don’t immediately resign, and don’t play as if you’re going to lose. Fight on as if
the fate of the world depends on it. Quite often after you make a blunder, your opponent will relax
and let his guard down, and then make an even bigger blunder himself. If you blunder, take a few
minutes to compose yourself and get your head back into the game. Instead of playing aimlessly,
as if the game is hopelessly lost, take a few minutes to evaluate the position and figure out a strategy
to maximize your chances. Present your opponent with as many problems and difficulties as
possible, and make him earn the win. There’s always a best course of action, even when lost. Make
sure you find it.
55 Expect to win, whenever the opportunity arises – opening, middlegame, or endgame. Win by attack
or win by attrition, but win. Remember that checkmate is the goal.
56 To find the best moves, and avoid becoming intimidated or overconfident, play the position on the
board, not the opponent.
57 Stay calm, relaxed, and focused during each game. Tension and panic rout logical thought.
58 When even or ahead, play hard. When behind, play harder.
59 Use time wisely. Think and plan on your opponent’s time during the game. Avoid time trouble.
When in time trouble, try to think and play calmly.
60 Do not relax and become overconfident and careless when ahead. Apply the “killer instinct”
throughout the game.
61 Keep the normal value of the pieces in mind (queen=9, rook=5, bishop=3+, knight=3, and pawn=1),
but remember that these values vary according to the position, mobility, and potential of the pieces.
Whether attacking or defending, count the number and consider the values of both attackers and
defenders on a target piece, pawn or square before exchanging or occupying, to insure against
losing material.
62 Superior force usually wins, so stay even or ahead in material throughout the game (except for
gambits, combinations or sacrifices to force checkmate or a winning endgame).
63 Chess is not Solitaire. Sound chess begins with respect for your opponent’s ideas, moves, threats,
plans and ability.
64 Determine the purpose of each move by your opponent. Ask yourself, “What is the THREAT?”
and “What has CHANGED in the position?” after each of your opponent’s moves. Concentrate on
offense and attacking, but recognize and answer all threats.
65 To win a game of chess, you must first not lose it. Avoid mistakes, such as leaving pieces en prise
(unguarded) or exposing your king. Before each of your moves, ask yourself, “DOES THIS MOVE
IMPROVE MY POSITION?” and “IS THIS MOVE SAFE?” Avoiding mistakes is the beginning
of improvement in chess. THINK before you move!
66 Don’t play the first good move you see. Look around for an even better one.
67 The two most common (and often fatal) mistakes in chess are moving too fast and overlooking
opponent’s threats. Sit on your hands until ready to move.
68 If your opponent is in time trouble, don’t rush your moves. Take some time to find surprising moves
that force your opponent to think.
69 Don’t play a move you know is unsound unless you’re busted. In that case, you have nothing to
lose, so look for a sucker punch.
70 Don’t be afraid of higher rated opponents. They have more to lose than you do. Have some fun and
go for the kill.
71 Take no prisoners. Draw only if you must. If offered a draw, make sure you understand what it will
mean if you accept it. In general, don’t accept a draw unless you’re losing.
72 If you touch a piece and your opponent calls you on it, put the piece back on the board and search
for the best move for it. Don’t hold the piece in your hand while thinking.
73 Be aggressive, but play soundly. Don’t take unnecessary chances.
74 Make sure EVERY move has a purpose.
75 If you know your opponent’s style, take advantage of it. But in the final analysis, play the board,
not the person.
76 Don’t check needlessly. Check only when it accomplishes something useful.
77 Answer all threats, but do so while trying to improve your position and/or posing a counter-threat.
78 Never play a risky move, hoping the opponent won’t see it, unless you’re already lost and have
nothing to lose.
79 The goal in chess is to play the best move in every position.
80 Winning at chess basically consists of creating and exploiting opponent’s weaknesses.
81 Understanding, not memory, is the essential key to chess success. The chess player who
understands why will consistently defeat the player who only knows how. Play by sound general
principles adapted to the specific requirements (offensive opportunities and defensive necessities)
in each position.
82 In many cases, it is better to allow an enemy piece to occupy a square and then drive it away, as
opposed to preventing him from coming there in the first place. This way, you gain a tempo instead
of losing one. That’s a difference of two tempi.
83 If your opponent has a well-posted piece, drive it away or exchange it.
84 If your opponent controls more space, advance pawns to gain space yourself.
85 If your opponent has greater elasticity in his position, loosen your own position, strive for more
freedom or flexibility (perhaps by exchanging one or more pieces), then look for your own least
active piece or pieces and develop a plan to make it or them active.
86 If your opponent controls the center, challenge it with pawns.
87 The surest way to consistently win chess games is to anticipate & nullify your opponent’s plans,
and to create no weaknesses in your position for your opponent to attack. This has been one of the
major keys to Karpov's success. Think and play prophyllactically.
88 Play slowly. Haste and carelessness are greater enemies than your opponent. Accuracy, not speed,
is essential in chess. Be patient. The reward for speed is a legacy of lost games.
89 Be serious while playing. Don’t talk to your opponent during the game. If he or she talks to you,
complain. You can socialize after the game, not during it.
90 Chess is a creative process. Its purpose is to find the truth. To discover the truth, you must work
hard, be uncompromising, and be brave.
91 Play as if the future of humanity depends on your efforts. It does.
92 Don’t play automatic moves. Make sure you understand the opening before playing it.
93 There must be no reasoning from the past moves, only the present position. Logically, the previous
moves in a game should not affect one’s play in the slightest, as each move creates a new position.
94 A player can get by with a minimum of book knowledge; simply avoid finesse. Play moves that
cannot lead to trouble.
95 Players usually make their worst oversights in dead won games or in dead lost games. It is
surprising how often a mate in one is overlooked when one’s position is already hopeless or when
you are winning easily.
96 The best practical rule for a winning game: destroy your opponent's counter-chances. It may be
slower, but it’s surer.
97 When your opponent is short on time, try to continually present him with problems that will require
a lot of time to analyze.
98 Never take a risk for material when you already have a win.
99 The chief factor in chess skill is the storing of patterns in the mind, and the recognition of such
patterns in actual play.
100 When a move can wait, it is almost always best to let it wait. However, it is nearly always wrong
to postpone a must move if you can safely play it at once.
101 When forced to choose among moves, play the most necessary one first.
102 The closer to the time trouble your opponent is, the more tactical your game should be. This way
you will pose the most unpleasant problems for your opponent. He or she is much more prone to
miscalculate in such a situation.
103 While a stockpile of principles, guidelines, rules, and basic positions can be very useful in any
chess player's arsenal, one should never forget that there is no substitute for analysis. A general
idea or guideline is not the end, but the means to an end.
104General principles can be a good guide, but there is no substitute for sound analysis based on
concrete variations.