How to Play Chess for Beginners

Tap to Read ➤ Kulbhushaan Raghuvanshi

For beginners, chess can be very confusing and tough to learn and follow. Here's an explanation of the strategies and tactics that are used in chess, in a simple yet, effective manner.

The chessboard is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the Universe, the rules of the game are what we call the laws of Nature and the player on the other side is hidden from us. ― Thomas Huxley.

People say chess is a game that require wits. Chess requires concentration, patience, and a lot of thinking. In addition to this, different strategies also play an important role in helping a player to win.

Instructions for Beginners

The history of chess is more than 1,000 years old, and today, it has become one of the most popular games in the world. Playing chess is often compared to an art, and many great thinkers often call it a paradox. It is easy to learn, but can take an entire lifetime to master. Chess is always a two-person game, which showcases a battle of two opposing armies.

Each player has a set of 16 pieces, which are ✦ 8 Pawns (Pawns are the most standard piece in the game, and can only move forward. They can attack other chess pieces diagonally, and cannot move backwards.) ✦ 2 Bishops (The bishop only moves diagonally, but it can be moved an unlimited number of spaces in order to move or attack a chess piece.)

✦ 2 Knights (They have the most complicated move; they move in an 'L' shape that consists of two spaces horizontally and one space vertically, or two spaces vertically and one space horizontally, in any direction. The knight is the only chess piece that can jump, and it attacks the chess pieces that come in its settling space.)

✦ 2 Rooks or Castles (It moves any number of spaces vertically or horizontally, and attacks a piece which comes in its way.) ✦ 1 Queen (The most powerful piece in chess, it moves in any direction and any number of spaces.) ✦ 1 King (The king only moves one space in any direction. The king holds the game together. If you lose the king, you lose the game.)

The player with the white pieces gets to start the game. The players keep attacking each other with pieces, until the game ends. A turn in chess means performing an act of moving or capturing. A player can capture an opponent's piece, and not his own.

You cannot have multiple captures in a single move. The game is played on a chessboard, which is also known as the battlefield of the game. It is evenly distributed, so that each player has a white square to his or her right side. The queen is always placed on the square of her own color.

Different Strategies

Many people are scared when it comes to playing a game of chess. They feel that only learned and brainy people play chess. But that's not how it is. Don't get intimated by the black and white chess pieces you see on the chessboard. You just need to know some good moves to complete a game.

✦ Beginners should always play slowly and enjoy every move. Most players are often in a hurry to play and finish the game. Remember, this is a game where your hard work and brain works, not luck. So, be relaxed and enjoy your every move.

✦ You should always plan your strategy three moves in advance. Doing so ensures that you get enough opportunities and time in the long run. By applying such moves, you can anticipate your opponent's game plan, besides putting you in a better position.

✦ Do not attack your opponent without a reason or a plan. As, you are bound to lose your valuable chess pieces that you may require at a later stage. Think as much you can. See all the pros and cons before making a move. By avoiding hasty decisions, time and power would be on your side, and you are sure to win. ✦ Never sacrifice a higher piece more than once.

✦ Another good strategy to win this game is to always castle your king. Castling is a special chess defense move, in which two pieces are moved at one time. When you castle your king, it moves two steps towards the rook it intends to change its place with, and the rook also moves two piece towards the king.

A castle can only occur if there are no pieces standing between the king and the rook, and both of them have not changed their original positions. You can castle the king only once in the entire game.

Playing chess is fun, relaxing, and also full of strategy. You'll only get better by playing more and more. Later on, if you are serious about this game, you should think about hiring a professional coach to train you further.