Free Chess Strategies

Have you ever walked down the grid-like blocks of Brooklyn, and enviously watched the elderly men sitting on a bench between Ditmas and Cortelyou? We all know what they're doing. We just don't know how they do it. It's truly amazing; the skill, the technique, the very art has been mastered by these frail and delicate members of an elite gentlemen's club; The Grandmasters of Chess Fraternity.

While entrance into this esteemed group is next to impossible, there is a way to procure those same skills. I offer below several free chess strategies sure to enhance your game and boost you up to the top chess ranks in your own clubs. People will pay large sums of money to learn tips and moves that will improve their chess game. That's why I'm happy to be able to present free chess strategies to you. Novice chess players will undoubtedly benefit from these free chess strategies, but I am willing to bet even the seasoned players can learn a thing or two from my tips (go ahead, you can try them, I won't tell).

Let's just take a quick run through the basics. A chess set is made up of eight pawns, two knights, two rooks, two bishops, and one king and queen for each player. One set is black, and the other is white (though, with more decorative sets, the colors may change, players are always referred to as black and white). Pawns move slowly, one space at a time, onto the space directly in front of them. The one exception to this rule is on a pawn's first turn. Then, he has the option to move one or two spaces in front of him. Pawns remove other pieces on the diagonal.

Knights move in an "L"-shaped pattern. In other words, two spaces straight and then one to the side, or vice versa. These pieces are represented by a horse. The rooks, castle-shaped pieces, can move any number of squares in a straight line, so long as the path in unblocked. A piece of your own color blocks your path. A piece of the opposing color can be captured if it is in your way. Bishops can move any number of spaces in a diagonal, again provided the path is unblocked. The queen is the chess piece that holds the most power. She can move in any direction, any number of spaces at a time, so long as her path is clear. This is why the queen is considered the most valuable. And that brings us to the king. The entire game of chess revolves around this piece. And yet, he has the most simplistic move; any direction, one space at a time. The king, however, holds the game. If he is endangered, all play must focus on his rescue. If he is beyond salvation, the game is ended.

Here are a few terms that are important to know when playing chess. "Check" is when the king is in danger of being captured. As we said earlier, your next play must be to remove the threat in whatever way you see fit. "Checkmate", on the other hand, means there is no way for you to save the king, and the game is over. "Stalemate" is a step before this. It means that there are no playable moves left for you to make.

Now that we have the general idea of chess, let's move on to some of the finer details. There are thousands of techniques and approaches to a chess match, and all have their advantages and disadvantages. Chess can be categorized into the opening moves, the middle game, and the ending moves.

Opening moves covers the first five to ten moves that are actually setting up the players' game strategies. These moves are, in essence, setting the stage for how the rest of the game will go. These are, obviously, very important, and can make or break your game. Middle game is how the setup is then played out. If you have a good setup, your middle game will usually go the way you planned, though, very often, one move can turn the entire game toward a different direction. While it is difficult, it is not impossible to recover from a poorly played out opening. Optimize your middle game moves as much as possible to salvage the game. Ending moves are the clinchers, the finishing touch to a well-played (or so you hope!) game.

(The following, in my opinion, is the best pointer anyone can receive to aid in creating a great winning chess strategy.) It's important to have a healthy blend of offensive and defensive strategy during chess. If you play on the defensive too much, your fighting pieces will be stuck in the back row, having little or no benefit to you when you really need them. If you play too much on the offensive, you will usually end up taking sloppy risks, and losing pieces unnecessarily. Always keep a close eye on your opponent's opening strategy. Is he playing a defensive or offensive game? You will have to counter accordingly even if this means altering your original plan slightly. Don't be afraid to use your high-ranking pieces early on in the game. Bringing them out in the open leaves them available to be used later on. Again, if you leave them securely in the back row, very often, when you need them, they will be stuck where they are, proving useless to your strategy.

Many excellent chess strategies are just basic common sense, something that is very often lost in the moment of play. Avoid premature attacks. Try not to make exchanges that allow your opponent to develop another one of his pieces. Always be on the look out for a weak link in your opponent's defense. Again, these are simple and logic strategies that are frequently overlooked or forgotten during game play. Always keep one eye on a steady watch, checking your opponent's advancements constantly. Don't let him get an easy capture because you were being inattentive.

Here are a few lesser-known chess strategies. These require a bit more game time to catch on to. Try not to move a piece twice during your opening moves. In chess, every move counts, and you want to wait and see your opponent's strategy (and develop your own) before such advances. Another good idea is to not build up on one side of the board only. Spread out your pieces, this gives you a stronger defense. If you can avoid it, don't give up your bishops to capture knights too early in the game. Bishops and knights are both powerful pieces that can be integral parts of your game strategy.

There's nothing wrong with exchanging one good piece for another, just try and keep them around at the beginning of the game, as they can be useful for the initial development of your final plan. Some would argue that it is better strategy to play both knights before bringing out your Queen's bishop, but I do not hold of this reasoning. Many times, brining out the knight early on is all that has saved me from a dull checkmate early on in the game. I will, however, say that there is some logic to it, as these pieces are highly strategic, and can be key components in a well-laid line of attack.

These are just a few of the many free chess strategies to help you gain an edge on your opponents. In chess, though, the best tips are usually found through trial and error. Even these useful suggestions will only really benefit you after being played out several times. Unfortunately, for the impatient player, practice is the only way to become a chess expert. Learning from your own mistakes, observing patterns in the game, and noting opponents' strategies will help to build your chess playing skills a thousand times more than any book you could find. As you play, however, these free chess strategies can help guide you through the learning process. So begin your training now, and someday, maybe you can join the hallowed ranks of the Brooklyn Bench Players.