More Chess Tutorials

Sunday, 28. June 2009

Chess game is one of the most challenging and brain stimulating game that ever existed in the world. An individual can learn the rules and basics of chess in just an hour but it takes a lifetime to master and be efficient in them. This chess tutorial is mainly designed to teach people the rules of chess in a simple and easy to understand method.

Chess is a game that is played by two opposing players on a square board composing 64 of alternating light and dark squares in eight equally divided rows and columns. The vertical columns on a chess board are called the files and the ranks are for the horizontal rows. The chess game match is won when one of the player maneuvers his or her chess pieces to checkmate the opponents’ King.

Each opposing players starts with eight pawns and eight key pieces: one king, one queen. Two rooks, two knights, and two bishops. The two opposing players are referred to as black and white regardless of the actual color of the chess pieces. The initial position of the chess board must be that light colored square should be at the bottom right corner of each player. The white pieces are set up in this order (from left to right) rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, bishop, knight, rook. The black chess pieces are set up on the opposite side and both the queens are on the same file because black queens take the dark colored square and white queen takes the light colored square. The pawns are positioned on the second ranks of each player.

The white is always the first one to move and both the players continue to alternate turns. Each chess piece moves uniquely. The king can be moved at one square in any direction at a time and capture the same way. It cannot move to a square where he can be considered attacked. The queen can be moved at any number of squares in any direction but may not pass through other chess pieces in the process. The rook moves in vertical or horizontal direction and also cannot pass through other chess pieces. The Bishop can move in any number of squares in diagonal direction. While the knight moves in an “L”, shape direction and can jump over any other chess pieces. The pawns can only move forward in one direction. However, when moving from the initial position, you can choose to move it in two squares or just one square. It also captures diagonally and not the same way as it moves.

The main objective of the game is to checkmate the opposing player’s king. Checkmate is when a king cannot escape the attack of the enemy’s piece and is impossible for that player to get out of that attack. This ends the game. Whoever captures a king wins the game of chess.

If you want to get better in playing chess, learn also the chess strategies and tactics after you get comfortable in the chess rules and basics.

Improve your Chess Game by Developing your Material Quickly

Saturday, 27. June 2009

One way to improve your chess game is by developing all your material quickly to powerful squares. The powerful squares are said to be the ones in the center of the chess board. Developed material is that you control the center squares, safeguard other of the key squares, and be able to attack and defend in a good position. Losing your momentum, or missing out an effective movement could cost you to lose time, position, movement, and can eventually leads to an ultimate defeat in the chess game. Players of chess game that can be called improved chess players are those who can develop their chess pieces more quickly than the usual speed will usually can have the ability to control and take advantage of the game.

Prevent your opponent from creating opening traps by developing all your chess pieces to the useful squares as soon as possible. For instance, improve the development of your pieces by quickly enhancing your knights and bishops and then castle to protect your king. Developing all your chess pieces quickly can also help interfere with the opposing player’s development of his or her chess pieces.

If you have the light colored chess pieces or the white, you can have the advantage of moving first so develop your chess pieces quickly and be aggressive in taking possession of the central squares of the board game. Grab smartly the advantages of the first move. If you are the dark colored chess pieces or the black, you can be playing defensive styles of movements unless the white chess pieces gets behind in the development but still you should develop your own pieces quickly too, positioning into a good offensive formation or setting up a very strong defense.

Practice more and try these challenges to help you improve your chess games in the future. Below are some challenges you could use to improve your own chess game. Read carefully and understand completely if you are interested to enhance and be better in the game of chess.

First, develop your chess pieces to useful as well as reasonable positions, especially if you do know nothing or not familiar with the opposing player’s opening moves and defensive /offensive styles of movements. In this case, position your own pawns in the center squares quickly to release and free your major chess pieces at the back to be able to restrict your opponent’s pawn and chess pieces development.

Develop your chess pieces quickly towards the center squares so that you can get an edge of the game. Develop a piece while attacking so that your opponent will just defend and you can thwart your opponent’s plan.

Next, develop your rooks, bishops, and the queen to be able to threaten and attack more of the distant targets and capture them. Try to perform movements of each chess piece once in the opening game so that you will not waste your speed or leave other chess pieces undeveloped.

Keep on learning so you can keep on improving when playing the game. The more you learn, the more chance of winning you can get.