Every beginner knows first level rules: control the center, never move a piece twice in the opening, castle early, etc. etc. But what about the more subtle guidelines, like...
Don't exchange a piece that has moved three times with a piece that has moved once (loss of two tempos)or Avoid backward pawns on open files, attack the base of a pawn chain, bishops more valuable than knights in open positions, etc.
Now I know of course that these "rules" can be broken in many situations. That's why I called them guidelines.
Anybody else have any second level guidelines that might help a player get out of the 1200 doldrums?
Originally posted by buddy2you could add:
Every beginner knows first level rules: control the center, never move a piece twice in the opening, castle early, etc. etc. But what about the more subtle guidelines, like...
Don't exchange a piece that has moved three times with a piece that has moved once (loss of two tempos)or Avoid backward pawns on open files, attack the base of a pawn chain, bish ...[text shortened]... ody else have any second level guidelines that might help a player get out of the 1200 doldrums?
develop bishops only when it is reasonably clear what diagonal suits them (e.g. you may wait until the pawn structure has been determined and you may want to develop knights first) This is why it is often a good idea to bring out knights first, as their ideal squares are more obvious.
It is not uncommon for correct opening theory to dictate that you have one bishop on its original square and you still castle before it moves.
ps...most beginners certainly don't know those guidelines you mentioned...if only.
Originally posted by paultopiathat's why they are "guidelines" and not rules!! there are exceptions to the guidelines.
The question is: do guidelines encourage laziness?
I can't think how many times I've robotically played according to guidelines and missed some tactic.
boxers are told to keep their hands in front of the face as a guideline but it is not a rule...you have to lower them to block an uppercut (e.g. a tactic)
Originally posted by buddy2When you see a good move, sit on your hands and see if you can find a better one. – Siegbert Tarrasch
Every beginner knows first level rules: control the center, never move a piece twice in the opening, castle early, etc. etc. But what about the more subtle guidelines, like...
Don't exchange a piece that has moved three times with a piece that has moved once (loss of two tempos)or Avoid backward pawns on open files, attack the base of a pawn chain, bish ...[text shortened]... ody else have any second level guidelines that might help a player get out of the 1200 doldrums?
That plus the basic rules should be more than enough to get you out of the 1200 doldrums!
Luc
I like that one, Hypermo2001. Wait til the pawn structure is established before choosing bishop move. I've never heard that in book. Also, the one about sitting on your hands is a good idea because many times there's a better move than the one you see immediately (even if it is good.) There's a lot of stuff practical players store in their brains through experience, stuff than enables them to beat lower rated players who only know about the obvious textbook admonitions. Here's another: When construction your position it's a good idea for the pieces and pawns to cover each other and be careful when you leave pieces "loose" or unprotected. Even though they're not attacked at the moment, they can easily become targets for double/discovered attacks. Every experienced player knows how difficult it is, for example, to combat two knights which protect each other, as opposed to those hanging out in space, easy to pick off. This is a positional guideline which discourages tactics. Never think of positional play and tactics as separate, unrelated issues. A good position produces tactics, a poor position reduces tactical opportunities.
Heres a few that might help, although id imagine you know most of them anyway.
Attack in the direction your pawn chain points, since you will have more room there.
Trade off in crampt positions, dont when you have a spacial advantage
If you have the tension in the pin (pinning a pieces that cant move) its to your benifit to maintain it.
In games with locked centers (that will remain that way) trade the bad bishop (or both of them) for their knights
Dont worry about double up pawns, its total balls that they are weak(not in the end game.....worry then), they normally give you a dynanic center, therefore you can always push the doubled pawn.
If you opponent has pushed his pawns then theres normally a weakness behind them.
Bad bishops make good defenders :-)
Dont put your queen oppsite a rook/bishop no matter how many pieces are between them.
If you have a threat dont use it straight away, since they can normally defend, the only way you can win anything in chess is to double attack, so that they cant defend both.
umm im sure theres loads more, just cant think of them right now :-)
Edit
Dont castle early, or at least see what the other persons plan is before you decide to castle, dont go into the game and automaticly play 0-0, in closed games you might not have to castle at all.
Well, that might not be contrary. If the bishop is on a free diagonal it can be still outside the pawn chain, right? I myself am very wary of developing a bishop outside the pawnchain when it is blocked by its own pawns. I guess you'd have to move the pawn after the bishop got out. in any even i'm wary of getting the bishop trapped. As i said before these guidelines are just that, but they are helpful compass points when you're lost in the 1200 chess sea!
I like the one by greyeyesofsorrow about not putting your queen in line with a rook or bishop even though the line is temporarily blocked. At some point things get unblocked and you get stuck with a discovered attack you can't avoid. Pieces exert pressure to the end of the board, no matter what blocks them in the short run.
Originally posted by GrayeyesofsorrowTook that one right out of my mouth! 🙂
Bad bishops make good defenders :-)
Bad bishops are virtually impregnable defenders in an endgame - you can leave a Bishop-pawn pair alone and focus your King elsewhere.
Here's another - if a piece is attacked or en-prise - move it. Don't try to set up counter-pins. Game 680412