Err... Fairly new to chess

HaloOfTheTape

Only Chess

01 Jul 07

HaloOfTheTape

Joined: 01 Jul 07
Moves: 0

01 Jul 07

I know how to make plays, how a good strategy is to castle the king and take control of the center four squares and get all pieces out fast, but I can never work and weave that into a good strategy... i need some extra tips then the ones I've been receiving. That'd help a lot. Thanks in advance.

Kunsoo

Joined: 03 Feb 07
Moves: 199141

01 Jul 07

Best thing you can do right now is just play games. Pick up a book or two. I recommend Horowitz How to Win in the Chess Endings as a starting point.

LordofADown

King of all Hills

Connecticut

Joined: 02 Mar 05
Moves: 38228

01 Jul 07

Use a database until you get used to your particular openings
http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com/gamesexplorer/

adam warlock

Baby Gauss

Ceres

Joined: 14 Oct 06
Moves: 18375

01 Jul 07

1 edit

Check out this site http://www.chesstactics.org/. And check out the threads on my profile too. There a lot of good advices there.

Dragon Fire

Lord of all beasts

searching for truth

Joined: 06 Jun 06
Moves: 30390

01 Jul 07

Originally posted by HaloOfTheTape
I know how to make plays, how a good strategy is to castle the king and take control of the center four squares and get all pieces out fast, but I can never work and weave that into a good strategy... i need some extra tips then the ones I've been receiving. That'd help a lot. Thanks in advance.

Play some games and post them here then we might be able to tell you where you are going wrong.

Kunsoo

Joined: 03 Feb 07
Moves: 199141

01 Jul 07

Originally posted by LordofADown
Use a database until you get used to your particular openings
http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com/gamesexplorer/

Wow! I didn't know about this one. I've been using the one at chessgames.com, which is apparently based on professional competition games, but this one based on onsite games might actually be more valuable for us amateur mortals.

Kunsoo

Joined: 03 Feb 07
Moves: 199141

05 Jul 07

Wow. I've already come across a couple of my own games.

Immortality!

gaychessplayer

Joined: 22 Aug 06
Moves: 359

06 Jul 07

Buy, borrow or steal (okay, don't steal) "Logical Chess: Move by Move" by Irving Chernev. IMO, it's the only "must-read" book in all of chess literature.

MissOleum

Joined: 31 Jan 07
Moves: 93899

06 Jul 07

If this thread was started by someone who has never made a move on this site, should we take it seriously?

basso

Joined: 21 Sep 05
Moves: 3051

06 Jul 07

Originally posted by MissOleum
If this thread was started by someone who has never made a move on this site, should we take it seriously?

What's your problem with people writing in the forum without playing at this site? Many people play chess here without visiting the forum. Do you have a problem with that, too? I used to play at a local "chess gathering" -- not really a club -- and there was this one lady who liked to come and just watch . . . and talk chess. She never played. No one had a problem with it. Why would they?

irontigran

Joined: 26 Jun 06
Moves: 59283

06 Jul 07

its just that this site is a great way to improve chess, so why not play here??

basso

Joined: 21 Sep 05
Moves: 3051

06 Jul 07

Originally posted by jvanhine
its just that this site is a great way to improve chess, so why not play here??

You're absolutely right: this site is a great way to improve [one's] chess, but everyone's different. I enjoy playing here and it does help my game, but I much prefer playing real-time games, either online or otb. Does that have anything whatsoever to do with whatever comments I may want to make in the forum? It's like thinking someone has no right to watch a tennis match, or comment on the match, if he doesn't play tennis himself.