Greetings, dear reader or guest of this blog. My name is Alexander Borisov. I am Zhorik’s father and in this article I would like to tell you about how to learn to play chess and achieve good results in this sport.
Before continuing, with your permission, I will take the opportunity to introduce our programs for training chess players.
The fact is that you can learn the rules of the game in order to go play in the yard with friends or with your grandmother in the country in 1 day, but to learn how to play professionally, for this you also need to train, and do it correctly.
This article will be useful to those who:
wants to learn to play chess from scratch
wants to understand the basic principles of the game
wants to know how to properly train every day to improve chess skills
wants to avoid making cruel mistakes at the beginning of his chess career
wants to know who is better to play with and what chess programs to train with
Just one moment, if you came across this article on the Internet and want to teach your child to play, then you need to start, and then this. And we begin.
Do I have the right to teach you to play chess? I think yes. Why? Well, if in 2 weeks I taught a 4-year-old child the game from scratch and in 3 months he, then I can teach you too.
Among other things, I myself have been playing chess for quite some time. Back in, like, 2003, my rating reached almost 2200 ELO points.
The base of the chess game consists of the following blocks:
- Learning the rules of the game
- Understanding game tactics and strategy
- Daily workouts
Now we will consider all this.
So that here and now, I don’t have to sit and retell you all the rules: how the board is placed, how the pieces move, how they eat each other, what pitfalls there are and all that, I simply recommend to you, where it’s collected step by step from start to finish everything you need to know to learn to play.
What does it have to do with learning to play by the rules and so that no one will ever tell you, “Hey friend, they don’t walk like that, or they don’t eat like that”... In addition, by studying these rules from the link that I gave above, you yourself will be able to correct others. Well, I guarantee you that at least 50% of street chess players don’t even know the simple rule - .
If you are too lazy to read, then I recommend that you purchase this video course, which Zhorik and I recorded for you. Suitable for both adults and children.
So, in order to start playing chess, you need to learn the basic rules (elementary things: who goes first, what checkmate, checkmate, stalemate are, what the pieces are called and who is stronger than which, etc.).
After you understand the basics, you need to learn how to correctly place the pieces on the board and find out how each of the 6 main pieces moves, these are the pawn, rook, knight, bishop, rook, queen and king.
After that, study the rules of castling, capturing a pawn on an en passant, and what piece the pawn turns into when it reaches the last line of the chessboard. ALL!
Everything else will come to you over time. For example, you don’t need to know chess notation in the first days, just like you don’t need to know what a tiebreaker is in chess. It's simple. For your convenience, here are links to all the articles that you can read right now and in 2 hours go play with a friend in the yard or with your grandmother in the country.
Let's assume that you have already learned to play chess. Now you need to improve your playing skills. What should you do for this? That's right - train every day, but let's talk about that a little later. Let's first learn the basic principles of the game.
Here's a useful article for you by the way -. Read it. MEGA useful rules for a beginner so that he does not make wrong moves, does not miss pieces and checkmate his king. These rules are our own development with Zhorik.
Let's move on to the principles of the game. Now I can burden you with all sorts of complex grandmaster terms, but let’s not. Let me tell you in simple language about the elementary principles, by understanding which you will mega powerfully increase the level of your game after reading them.
I put them all together based on the most common mistakes made by beginners, including my Zhorik. Here are my tips that any professional chess player (grandmaster) will approve of:
- Don't move with extreme pawns at the beginning of the game. Capture the center with the central ones
- Don't bring out heavy pieces at the beginning of the game, take out the lungs
- Don't run queen at the beginning of the game alone, trying to eat someone because it is the strongest piece
- Don't forget about the king's protection, don't forget about castling.
- Rooks love open lines, keep them busy
- Horses love space, place them in the center, not on the edge of the board
- Try not to let doubling or lining up pawns
- Try your best do not create weak unprotected pawns
- Don't move pawns from the castled king. The king needs protection from his own pawns
- Don't rush to check your opponent, showing his attack on the king. A check can be placed in such a way that it will only help the opponent in development. No need to say “Check” out loud.
And now for more details about each tip.
- The center is the most important squares of the chessboard, and it is for their conquest that all chess players fight at the beginning of the game. It’s like in a war they try to take the heights so that the rest of the battlefield is in the palm of their hand, as in chess, they try to capture the center in order to attack from it on all fronts.
- At the beginning of the game you need to try to bring out the light pieces, these are knights and bishops, and only then everything else. A heavy figure alone cannot do anything; it needs helpers and these are just light figures. A heavy figure entering the battlefield alone will be forced to retreat from the attacks of light enemy figures.
- Similar to everything that is written in point No. 2. While you run around the board with your queen in the hope of eating someone, the enemy will develop all his pieces and attack while your combat units are standing in the garage and resting.
Here is an example of how a beginner should not play:
While White was running the queen, Black was developing. Look at the final position. White has all his pieces in their places, while Black has already captured the center and brought out two knights, one of which is in the center.
- An uncastled king often dies in the middle of the game, before reaching the endgame (end of the game), so after removing light pieces, try to castle in order to protect your most important piece.
- Rooks love space, so seize free lines; rooks also work very well in pairs. Having burst into the so-called gluttonous row of the enemy, they can attack him in full.
An example of a rook attack in a glutton row:
- Try to place your knights in the center, because on the edge of the board they are not effective and have fewer options for moves. If, standing on the edge, the knight at best has 4 options for moves, then in the center there can be as many as 8.
- This is, of course, a pro level, but you still need to know this. Doubled or tripled pawns in most cases aggravate the position. Double pawns interfere with each other and become targets for attack. Pawns love to go next to each other when each can defend a similar one.
Here is an example of doubled and tripled pawns:
- What does weak pawns mean? Here is a simple example of such weak pawns:
And this is how this situation arose. Perhaps it would have been better for Black to play Cd7 instead of c6.
Weak pawns are those pawns that cannot be protected by their own pawns. As a result, such pawns become targets for attack. The opponent, having found such a weakness in your army, will try to direct all his forces in this direction.
- After you have castled, try not to move pawns away from the king, because pawns are his defenders, it’s okay to make a window, but don’t weaken the position in the same way as beginners like to do, trying to drive away the bishop who has pinned the knight.
Very often, such weakening of the horse ends in failure:
- Beginners love to play around. The advice is this: before you make a check, think about what it will give? This will really harm the opponent's king and worsen his position, or, on the contrary, help him gain an advantage, good positional play, development of pieces, or even worse, win a piece from you.
I see this mistake very often among beginners. They have one piece under attack and need it to leave, but instead they give a useless check to the opponent’s king with another piece. As a result, the opponent defends against check with a pawn and attacks the second piece.
It turns out that now two pieces are under battle and one is lost. Was there any point in making a check? Keep it up.
Well then. In general, that's all. Now that you know all the rules of the game and know how to play, when you know all the basic principles of playing chess, all that remains is to practice every day.
How to do it? In fact, this is a very big topic and I naturally cannot cover it all in this article, so in order for your daily training to be as effective as possible, I suggest you watch this video course that we developed together with Zhorik.
It has absolutely everything you need to train effectively and efficiently every day and achieve super results.
Also, very soon my team and I will open a chess school “Chess with Zhorik” in which we will constantly improve our playing skills under the guidance of an experienced coach Pavel Alexandrovich Shipintsyn.
P.S. At the end of the article, a piece of advice. Buy or download the CT-ART 4.0 program on the Internet. Very cool thing. There are various options for working out different chess situations.
After my Zhorik completely completed it, the level of the game increased dramatically, and the rating rose from 1070 to 1530 on lichess.
See you soon friends. Alexander Borisov was with you.
If you are offered to play chess, never say: “I can’t.” Say: “I can, but I don’t want to.”
Vladimir Vysotsky, “A Story about the Game of Chess”
My desire to learn to play chess appeared precisely after such a situation. True, I was able to say “I can,” but I couldn’t continue “but I don’t want to.” I had to play. Several stunning defeats after short games made it clear: knowing the rules of the game is not enough to win. There was something else that only chess players knew about. Something that helped them see the board from a different angle, as if looking into the future and commenting with disappointment: “Well, what have you done!” I wanted to know this secret, and I decided to understand...
How an adult can learn to play chess
First, we needed to find out whether it was possible to learn to play chess on our own: using the Internet, mobile applications, or a tutorial. A thorough survey of those who already know how to play showed: you can try to learn to play yourself, but it is better to do it with a friend or teacher.
However, the first steps can and should be taken alone. Desirable:
- find or buy a board;
- get to know the figures;
- learn the rules of the game.
This will take you no more than an hour. Use YouTube videos, there are many videos on this topic. If there is a desire, excuses are unnecessary. Even a child (from four years old) can start playing.
After you understand this stage, you should look for a teacher. Why can't you learn to play on your own? The answer is very simple. You can try to do it yourself, and you will even start to succeed. It's just a matter of learning speed. What you figure out in a few days, the teacher will explain in an hour. Moreover, an experienced player or teacher will help you see on the board what you simply won’t notice due to lack of experience.
How to find a teacher
Enroll in a chess school or club
The only problem you may have is the age limit. But it can also be solved.
When I tried to enroll in the nearest chess schools, I was refused due to the fact that they only accept children. But instead they offered to come and try to negotiate with the teacher about private lessons.
Even if there is only one chess school in your city, go there and try to find yourself a coach.
There are also chess clubs. Most often, they are played by older people, united by a great desire and passion for the game. This is a great choice for those who love chess, but not always a good option for a beginner.
Find a chess friend
When I tried to do this, it turned out that the chess players belong to some kind of “Fight Club”. A simple post on social networks showed: more than half of my friends have played or are playing chess. They just don't tell anyone about it. Try asking your friends too. I'm sure you'll be surprised.
As for my personal experience, among my acquaintances and friends I found one who turned out to be a candidate master of sports in chess. We quickly agreed on lessons, and I got a little closer to my goal.
Hire a teacher
Without contacting organizations, schools, clubs and clubs, you can simply find a teacher for private lessons. Try to meet him in person before you agree on the first lesson to make sure that you can study with this person and will not be afraid to ask him several times about unclear points. If you feel discomfort, embarrassment, awkwardness, try to find another teacher.
“Anyone who plays better than you can already teach. But the teacher should not be a bore. And it’s not worth spending money on super-professionals right away,” advises Vladimir Khlepitko.
Peter Miller/Flickr.comWhat to read
While your coach will tell you what the opening, middlegame and endgame are, teach the theory and practice of chess, and simultaneously demonstrate the art of composition, you can already begin to help yourself move even faster. For example, with the help of books. Literature by itself will not teach you how to play, but it will become a powerful aid in this difficult task.
1. For beginners, self-instruction books and collections of problems are suitable. For example, “Collection of Chess Combinations” by S. D. Ivashchenko, “Textbook of the Chess Game” by H. R. Capablanca and “Journey to the Chess Kingdom” by Yu. Averbakh. Feel free to open books for children or those marked “For those just starting to play.” After all, it is in them that the complex chess system is explained very clearly and clearly.
2. Once you've got the introduction down and you've had a few productive lessons with your teacher, move on to the strategy and tactics books. Understand each stage of the game of chess, fortunately a lot has been written about them. Knowing which book to choose can be difficult, so be sure to ask your coach for advice. You can pay attention to these works:
- “My system”, A. I. Nimzovich;
- “Strategic techniques in chess”, A. I. Terekhin;
- “In the wake of debut disasters”, Ya. I. Neishtadt;
- “Transition to the endgame”, Y. Razuvaev, G. Nesis.
3. Look for inspiration. Read not only chess textbooks, but also books related to this great game. For example, Vladimir Khlepitko says that he likes Garry Kasparov’s book “Chess as a Model of Life.”
Watch films about chess and chess players, for example:
- “Bobby Fischer against the World” is about the biography of the American champion and his legendary match with Boris Spassky.
- “The Luzhin Defense” is a film in which you don’t need to look at the chess boards in search of interesting combinations, but you can immerse yourself in its unique atmosphere.
- “Chess Fever” is a black and white Soviet comedy, of course, almost nothing about chess. But Capablanca himself appears in the frame!
What else?
Of course, you shouldn’t ignore online help. As long as you practice in reality, all other ways to make your lessons more effective are also valid.
I will say this: if you really want it, you will definitely succeed. For me, trying to learn to play chess was a real challenge. The game is, to put it mildly, not easy. But beautiful. Therefore, if you really like chess and are willing to devote a little time to it every day or at least every week, everything will definitely work out.
Success will come from desire and love for the game, and there are many ways to achieve success, the main thing is to keep moving the pieces!
Vladimir Khlepitko, head of the Wisdom chess club
The rules of chess cannot take into account all possible situations that may arise during the game, and do not provide for all organizational issues. In those cases that are not fully regulated by the Rules Article, decisions must be made on the basis of similar situations dealt with in the Rules. The rules assume that arbitrators have the necessary competence, sufficient common sense and are completely objective. Moreover, detailed Rules would deprive the arbitrator of freedom to make a decision dictated by fairness, logic and specific conditions. FIDE calls on all chess federations to accept this point of view. Any Federation has the right to introduce more detailed Rules, but they:
- must not in any way contradict the official FIDE Chess Rules;
- limited to the territory of that federation;
- are not valid for any FIDE match, championship or qualifying competition for a FIDE title, or rating tournament.
Rules of the game
The nature and goals of the game of chess
- A game of chess is played between two partners who take turns moving pieces on a square board called a “chess board.” Whoever has the white pieces starts the game. A player gets the right to move when his partner makes a move.
- The goal of each player is to attack the partner's king in such a way that the partner has no possible moves that avoid "capturing" the king on the next move. A player who achieves this goal is said to have checkmated his opponent's king and won the game. The partner whose king was checkmated lost the game.
- If the position is such that neither partner can checkmate, the game ends in a draw.
The initial position of the pieces on the chessboard
- The chessboard consists of 64 equal squares (8×8), alternately light (“white” squares) and dark (“black” squares). It is placed between the players so that the nearest corner field to the right of the player is white.
- At the beginning of the game, one player has 16 light pieces (“white”); the other - 16 dark figures ("black").
- The initial position of the pieces on the chessboard is as follows:
- The eight vertical rows of squares are called "verticals". The eight horizontal rows of squares are called "horizontals". Straight lines of squares of the same color touching at the corners are called "diagonals".
Piece moves
No piece can be moved onto a square occupied by a piece of the same color. If a piece moves to a square occupied by a partner's piece, the latter is considered captured and is removed from the chessboard as part of the same move. A piece is said to attack a partner's piece if that piece can capture on that square. A piece is considered to be attacking the field, even if it cannot move to it due to the fact that its own king remains in check or falls under it.
- The bishop can move to any square diagonally on which it stands.
- The rook can move to any square vertically or horizontally on which it stands.
- The queen moves to any square vertically, horizontally or diagonally on which it stands. When these moves are made, the queen, rook or bishop cannot move through a square occupied by another piece.
- The knight can move to one of the nearest squares from the one on which it stands, but not on the same vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
- A pawn can move forward to a free square located immediately in front of it on the same file, or
- from the starting position, a pawn can advance two squares along the same vertical line if both of these squares are unoccupied;
- a pawn moves to a square occupied by a partner’s piece, which is located diagonally on an adjacent file, simultaneously capturing this piece.
A pawn attacking a square crossed by a pawn of an opponent who advanced it two squares from its original position can take this advanced pawn as if its last move was only one square. This capture can only be done with the next move and is called an “on the pass” capture.
- When a pawn reaches the furthest rank from its original position, it must be replaced by a queen, rook, bishop or knight of its "own" color as part of the same move. The player's choice is not limited to pieces that have already been removed from the board. This replacement of a pawn with another piece is called a "promotion", and the action of the new piece begins immediately.
- The king can move in two different ways:
- move to any adjacent square that is not attacked by one or more of the partner's pieces.
- “Casting”: This is the movement of the king and one of the rooks of the same color along the outermost rank, considered one move of the king and performed as follows: the king is moved from its original square two squares towards the rook, then the rook is moved through the king to the last square that the king has just crossed.
- Castling becomes impossible:
- if the king has already moved, or
- with a rook that has already moved.
- Castling is temporarily impossible:
- if the square on which the king stands, or the square which he must cross, or the square which he must occupy, is attacked by one of his opponent's pieces;
- if there is any piece between the king and the rook with which castling is to be made.
- The king is considered to be “in check” if it is attacked by at least one of the opponent's pieces, even if it cannot make a move due to the fact that its own king remains in check or falls under it. Neither piece can make a move that puts or leaves its king in check.
Ending the game
- The game is won by the player who checkmated his partner's king. If checkmate is achieved with a possible move, the game is considered completed.
- The game is considered won by the player if the partner declares that he surrenders. In this case, the game ends immediately.
The game is considered to be a draw if the player behind whom it is his turn to move has no possible moves and his king is not in check. Such a game is said to end in a stalemate. If stalemate is achieved by a possible move, then the game is considered completed.
The game is considered to have ended in a draw if a position has arisen where none of the partners can mate the king with any possible moves. The game is considered to have ended in a dead position. In this case, the game ends immediately.
The game is considered to end in a draw by agreement between the two partners during the game. In this case, the game ends immediately.
A game can end in a draw if the same position appears or has appeared on the chessboard three times.
The game can end in a draw if the last 50 moves were made by the players without moving pawns or capturing pieces.
Chess clock
- The term "Chess clock" means a clock with two dials connected to each other so that only one of them can work at a time. The term “Clock” in the Rules of Chess means the time shown on one of two dials. The term “fall of the flag” means the expiration of the time allotted to the player to think about his moves.
- When using a chess clock, each player must make a minimum set number of moves or all moves within a given period of time; and/or when using an electronic clock, a certain amount of extra time may be added after each move. All this must be determined in advance.
- The time accumulated by a player in one period of the game is added to his time for the next period, unless the time is set for each move. When both players are given a fixed amount of time to think, as well as a fixed amount of extra time for each move, the countdown of the main time starts only after the fixed time has expired. If a player switches his clock before this fixed extra time has expired, then his regular time is not affected, regardless of the amount of extra time used.
- At the set start time of the game, the clock of the player who has white pieces is started.
- If no player is present at the start, then the player with the white pieces is deducted all the time elapsed before his arrival, unless otherwise determined by the rules of the competition or decided by the arbiter.
- Any player who arrives for a game more than one hour after the scheduled start of the round loses the game, unless otherwise determined by the rules of the competition or decided by the arbiter.
- During the game, the player, having made his move on the board, must stop his clock and start his partner's clock. The player must always be able to stop his clock. His turn is not complete until he has met these requirements, except for a game-ending turn. The time between the player making a move on the chessboard, stopping his own clock and starting the opponent's clock is regarded as part of the time allotted to the player.
Accounting for results
Unless otherwise stated in advance, a player who wins a game, or wins as a result of some violation by a partner, receives one point (1), a player who loses receives zero points (0), and a player who draws receives half. point (½).
Rules:
The game takes place on a board divided into equal square cells, or fields. The size of the board is 8x8 cells. Vertical rows of fields (verticals) are designated by Latin letters from a to h from left to right, horizontal rows (horizontals) - by numbers from 1 to 8 from bottom to top; Each field is identified by a combination of the appropriate letter and number. The fields are painted in dark and light colors (and are called black and white, respectively) so that vertically and horizontally adjacent fields are painted in different colors. The board is positioned so that the nearest corner square to the right of the player is white (for white this is the h1 square, for black it is the a8 square).
At the beginning of the game, players each have the same set of pieces. The pieces of one of the players are conventionally called “white”, the other - “black”. White figures are painted in a light color, black ones in a dark color. The players themselves are called “white” and “black” according to the color of their pieces.
Each set of figures includes: king (♔ , ♚ ), queen ( ♕ , ♛ ), two rooks ( ♖ , ♜ ), two elephants ( ♗ , ♝ ), two horses ( ♘ , ♞ ) and eight pawns ( ♙ , ♟ ). In the starting position, the pieces of both sides are placed as shown in the diagram. White occupies the first and second horizons ontal, black - seventh and eighth. The pawns are located on the second and seventh ranks, respectively. The location of the queen and king is easy to learn from the memo “the queen loves her color”, that is, the white queen stands on a white square, and the black queen on a black square.
The starting position should look like this:
Moves
The game consists of players taking turns making moves. White makes the first move. With the exception of en passant capture and castling, described below, a move consists of a player moving one of his pieces to another square according to the following rules:
- During a move, pieces other than the knight are considered to move in a straight line in the plane of the board, that is, to “pass” all the squares between the start and end, so all these squares must be free. If there is another piece in the path of a piece, then it is impossible to move the piece to the field behind it. The exception is the knight's move (see below).
- A move to a square occupied by one's own piece is impossible.
- When moving to a square occupied by someone else's piece, it is removed from the board ( take).
- The king moves a distance of 1 vertically, horizontally or diagonally,but cannot move onto a square captured by an opponent’s piece.
- The queen moves any distance vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
- The rook moves any distance vertically or horizontally.
- The bishop moves any distance diagonally.
- The knight moves to a square located at a distance of 2 vertically and 1 horizontally or 1 vertically and 2 horizontally from the current position. Unlike all other chess pieces, the knight's move is made outside the plane of the board, that is, the knight directly moves (“jumps”) from the initial square to the final one and no pieces standing on other squares can interfere with the knight’s move. In particular, a knight can move onto a square even if it is completely surrounded by its own or other people's pieces.
- A pawn moves with a capture diagonally one square forward-right or forward-left, and without capturing it moves vertically one square forward. If a pawn has not yet made a move in a given game, it can make a move without taking two squares forward. The direction “forward” is the direction towards the eighth rank for white or the first for black. When a pawn moves to the last rank (for white - to the eighth, for black - to the first), the walker must replace it with any other piece of the same color, except the king (promoting a pawn). The promotion of a pawn is part of the move by which it moves to the last rank. Thus, if, for example, a piece promoted from a pawn threatens the opponent’s king, then this king, as a result of the pawn’s move to the last rank, immediately finds itself in check
- Taking on the pass - when a pawn makes a move two squares across a broken square that is under attack by an enemy pawn, then with a return move it can be captured by this enemy pawn. In this case, the opponent's pawn is moved to the captured square, and the captured pawn is removed from the board (for an example, see the diagram). Capturing en passant is only possible directly in response to a pawn's move across a captured square; on subsequent moves it is no longer allowed.
- Castling - if the king and one of the rooks of the same color have not moved since the beginning of the game, then the king and this rook can simultaneously change position (castling) in one move. When castling, the king is moved 2 squares towards the rook, and the rook is placed on the square between the starting and final position of the king. Castling is not possible if the king or the corresponding rook has already moved. Castling is temporarily impossible if the square on which the king stands, or the square which he must cross, or the square which he must occupy, is under attack by one of the opponent's pieces, or if there is any piece between the castled king and the rook. Castling is considered to be the move of the king, not the rook, so castling should begin by moving the king, not the rook.
Checkmate, checkmate and stalemate
- The king located on the captured square (opponent's piece) is called in check . To make a move after which the opponent's king is in check means give check king (or declare check ). Moves after which the king of the mover remains or is in check are prohibited; the player whose king is in check must immediately eliminate it.
- If a player's king is in check and the player does not have a single move to break that check, that player is called received checkmate , and his opponent checkmate . The goal of the game is to checkmate the opponent's king.
- If a player, during his turn to move, does not have the opportunity to make a single move according to the rules, but the player’s king is not in check, this situation is called stalemate.
Game result: The game ends with a win for one of the parties or a draw.
Winnings are recorded in the following cases:
- Mat. The player who checkmates wins.
- One of the players gave up. A player who decides that further resistance is pointless can give up at any time; to do this, he just needs to announce out loud “I give up” (or stop the chess clock). His opponent is declared the winner.
- One of the players ran out of time. His opponent is declared the winner, with some exceptions described in the Time Control section.
- Technical victory - awarded to a player in an official tournament if his opponent:
- did not show up for the game within the time specified by the tournament rules (one hour, unless otherwise specified);
- interrupted the game (started the game, but refused to continue);
- grossly violated the rules or disobeyed the judge;
- made 3 (in Ukraine today only 2 are allowed) moves prohibited by the rules;
- when playing blitz (less than 15 minutes for the entire game), he made a move prohibited by the rules, and the opponent noticed the mistake before his counter move.
- Also, a technical victory can be awarded for an unplayed game if the player in this round for some reason does not have an opponent and the rules of the tournament specifically stipulate this case (for example, if the opponent with whom the game was supposed to be played dropped out of the tournament , or with an odd number of players in a Swiss system tournament).
A draw is recorded in the following cases:
- Pat.
- Neither side has the minimum number of pieces required for checkmate (for example, only kings and one minor piece remain on the board).
- A three-time repetition of the same position (not necessarily for three moves in a row), and the concept of position here includes the location of the pieces, the order of moves and possible moves (including the right to castling and capturing on the pass for each side). To fix a draw, a player who notices a three-time repetition of a position must contact the judge.
- Both sides made the last 50 moves without capturing or moving a pawn. As in the previous case, a draw is recorded at the request of any of the players. In the 20th century, this rule was changed many times, with various exceptions added. Now all exceptions have been abolished, and the 50-move rule applies in all positions.
- The players agreed to a draw, that is, one of the players, during his move, proposed a draw, the other accepted it. To suggest a draw, just say “draw”. If the opponent makes a move without responding to a draw offer, it is considered rejected. Recently, at some tournaments, the so-called “Sofia rules” have been applied, limiting the possibility of players agreeing to a draw.
- One of the players ran out of time. In some cases, described in the Time Control section, a draw is considered.
- The player has less than two minutes left, but his opponent did not try to win by “normal means”, or such a win is impossible. At the request of a player who has less than two minutes left, the judge in this case can count a draw.
Scoring
Depending on the result, the player receives the following number of points:
Winning - 1 point;
Draw - ½ point (introduced at Dundee in 1867);
Losing - 0 points.
In some competitions, points are awarded using a different system, such as the “football” system: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss.
In tournaments where all players (teams) play an equal number of games, the winner is determined by the number of points scored in games or micro-matches (in case of equality, different coefficients are applied).
Party stages
Debut - the initial stage of the game, lasting the first 10–15 moves. In the opening, the main task of the players is to mobilize their own forces, prepare for a direct clash with the enemy and begin such a clash. The opening stage of the game is the most well studied in theory, there is a comprehensive classification of openings, recommendations for optimal actions in certain variations have been developed, and a large number of unsuccessful opening systems have been eliminated.
Middlegame - middle of the game. The stage that begins after the debut. It is here that the main events of a chess game usually take place (situations where a win is achieved in the opening are very rare). It is characterized by a large number of pieces on the board, active maneuvering, attacks and counterattacks, competition for key points, primarily for the center. The game can end already at this stage, usually this happens when one of the parties makes a successful combination. Otherwise, after capturing more pieces, the game goes into the endgame.
Endgame - the final stage of the game. Characterized by a small number of pieces on the board. In the endgame, the role of pawns and the king increases sharply. Often the main theme of the game in the endgame is the passage of passed pawns. The endgame ends either with the victory of one of the parties, or with the achievement of a situation where victory is in principle impossible. In the latter case there is a draw.
Chess is an incredibly interesting and addictive game that requires skill and strategic thinking. It has been popular among intellectuals and scientists for centuries. However, you don't need to be a genius to play chess: even children can play and often beat adults. Read this article and learn how to play chess - one of the best board games.
Steps
Part 1
Understanding the game, board and pieces- Pawn: the most basic piece in the game (there are 8 of them for each player). On her first move she can move forward one or two squares, but after that she can only move forward one square at a time. Pawns can capture pieces that are in front of them on an adjacent square diagonally. The pawn cannot move backwards and is the only piece that moves and attacks differently.
- Rook looks like a fortress tower. She moves horizontally and vertically to any number of cells. In this case, the rook can capture enemy pieces at the end of its move.
- Horse looks true to its name and is the trickiest figure. He moves in the letter "L" two squares horizontally and then one vertically, or one square horizontally and two vertically in any direction. The knight is the only piece that can “jump” over other pieces, both its own and those of others. He can only capture those enemy pieces that are on the last square of his turn.
- Elephant moves only diagonally and can move any number of cells. At the end of the move, he can capture the opponent's pieces.
- Queen: the strongest figure (usually with a more feminine crown than the king). Can move any number of squares horizontally, vertically or diagonally and capture enemy pieces in any of these directions.
- King can move or capture pieces one square away from itself in any direction. This piece cannot be given away at any price, as this will mean losing the game. The king cannot be put in check. If as a result of the opponent's move the king is in check, it must be immediately withdrawn or covered. If one of the players checkmates the king, he wins the game.
- Remember that each piece has a relative value.
- The king is the most valuable and must be protected.
- The queen is the most versatile piece, which is great for attacks and double strikes. The queen combines the strength of the bishop and rook. He is considered the most valuable figure after the king.
- Horses are great for sudden attacks and forks. Their unusual walking style often comes as a surprise to newcomers.
- Bishops show their strength perfectly in open positions. Beginners often underestimate elephants and do not use all their capabilities.
- Rooks are strong long-range pieces. They show their full strength on open verticals.
- Pawns may seem insignificant, but they are great for sacrificing to capture a stronger piece. Sometimes a pawn can checkmate the king himself!
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Find out what a check is. If the king is attacked by one of the opponent's pieces, then he is said to be in check. If the king is put in check, he MUST immediately move out of check. This can be done in one of three ways:
- to be the king in a square where no one attacks him, that is, where he is not in check;
- capture the piece that declared check;
- protect yourself from check with one of your pieces - this method is not suitable if check is declared by a pawn or knight;
- if the king cannot escape check with his next move, then he is checkmated - in this case, the game ends and the one who checkmated wins.
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Understand the basic principle of the game of chess. In chess, you try to checkmate your opponent's king, and he checkmates yours. This is the main goal, and the second most important is obviously to protect your king from checkmate. To do this, you need to destroy as many of your opponent's pieces as possible and at the same time try to save your own pieces.
- Chess is an intellectual strategic game. There are many moves and rules that beginners will not be able to immediately anticipate and understand. Be patient! The fun begins with practice.
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Arrange the figures. Now that you know how each piece moves, you can arrange them on the chessboard. Place it so that each player has a white square at the bottom right. Below is how to arrange the pieces.
- Place all the pawns on the second row in front of you so that you are separated from your opponent by a wall of pawns.
- Place each rook in a corner on your side of the board.
- Place a knight next to each rook and a bishop next to each knight.
- Place the queen on the left square of the remaining two according to its color (the black queen should be on the black square, the white queen on the white one).
- Finally, place the king on the last remaining square. Make sure your partner has the same arrangement of pieces. Queens and kings must stand opposite each other.
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If you're serious, learn chess notation. Each field on the board corresponds to a letter and a number. If someone says "knight on c3", c3 means a specific square on the board. This makes it easier to record chess games. Chess notation is described in this article.
Part 2
Game process-
White goes first. They choose the piece they want to resemble and begin playing the opening. White makes the first move, and Black responds. The opening is one of the most important stages of the game. There is no one right way to play it, as everyone has their own style. Find your style too. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Don't rush to attack immediately. In the opening you are simply looking for the most comfortable positions for your pieces. They should be placed in advantageous and safe positions.
- As a rule, at the very beginning of the game you should not make more than two moves with pawns. Next, pay attention to the stronger pieces - bishops, knights, queen and rook. “Develop” the pieces until they occupy advantageous positions (for example, in the center of the board).
- Much in the opening depends on the opponent's moves - you need to carefully look at his play. Watch your opponent's moves and try to understand what he wants. In chess, more than in any other game, it is important to be able to unravel your opponent’s plans.
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Remember the rule of capturing on the pass. Many beginners forget about this rule. However, if you want to become a better chess player, remember this rule:
- As you remember, with your first move your pawn can move two squares forward. Let's assume that you do this, and your pawn ends up next to (that is, on the same rank) with your opponent's pawn. Your opponent's next and only next move can take your pawn on the way. Usually the pawn only attacks diagonally, and in this situation it can capture the enemy pawn on the pass and advance one square diagonally, as usual.
- Again, this can only happen immediately after the pawn has moved two squares on its first move. After a turn, this opportunity is lost. Only pawns can attack on the pass. Other figures can not capture a pawn on the pass.
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Take turns. And let there be a game! Alternate moves with your opponent, try to get to the enemy king and eliminate the pieces standing in your way. Try to attack your opponent's queen and king first, although there are many other opportunities to win.
- It may seem that the pawns are simply getting in the way, but do not rush to sacrifice them. If one of them passes to the opposite edge of the board, it turns into any other piece (except the king)! Usually a queen is placed, but a pawn can also be promoted to something else, such as a knight, rook or bishop. If you manage to move the pawn to the last rank, it will greatly affect the course of the game.
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Always think several moves ahead. If you put your knight here, what will happen? Won't you expose him to the attack of your opponent's pieces? Do you have time to attack, or does your king (or queen) need to be defended? How can you attack your opponent? Where will the game go in the next few turns? What position might emerge in a few moves?
- This is not a game where you can mindlessly rearrange the pieces - they all influence each other in one way or another. Carelessness can lead to the fact that your own pawn will stand in the way of your bishop, the king will be protected only by the knight, and the opponent’s rook will unexpectedly attack your queen. Therefore, plan your moves and, if possible, predict your opponent's moves. To win, you will have to show all your skills!
- Always take countermeasures whenever possible. You can substitute a pawn for your opponent's bishop if you take it with your knight on your next move. Sometimes well-planned sacrifices must be made.
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Learn to castle. In addition to capturing a pawn on the aisle, there is one more special move. This is castling involving a king and a rook. Castling is the only case where two pieces move at the same time. When castling, the king and rook change places - this allows you to cover the king and remove the rook, killing two birds with one stone. As a result, the king finds himself in safe hiding.
- The following conditions are required for castling:
- the king and rook participating in castling have not yet moved;
- the king is not in check;
- there are no other pieces between the king and the rook;
- When castling, the king does not pass through squares that are under attack from enemy pieces.
- In one movement, the king and rook move simultaneously. First you need to move the king two squares towards the rook, and then place the rook on the square behind the king. When castling to the right, the king moves two squares to the right, and the rook moves two squares to the left. When castling to the left, the king moves two squares to the left, and the rook moves three to the right.
- The following conditions are required for castling:
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Checkmate your opponent's king and win the game. You should put a check on the opponent's king, from which he cannot escape. You can declare “checkmate!”, although this is not necessary. In this case, the opponent places his king on the board, which signals his defeat.
- Sometimes a stalemate results, in which case the game ends in a draw. In a stalemate, the player whose turn it is to move does not have the opportunity to move anywhere with the king or other pieces, and at the same time his king is not in check.
- There are several other situations in which the game can end in a draw.
- By agreement of both players. If both players believe they cannot win, they can settle for a draw.
- As a result of repetition of moves. If same the position will be repeated on the board three times, the game ends in a draw. For example, if both players of a player repeatedly move their knights to the same squares, a draw is recorded.
- According to the 50 moves rule. If no player can move a pawn or capture an opponent's piece within 50 moves, the game ends in a draw. This prevents the game from continuing endlessly and the possibility of overwhelming the enemy.
- In case of insufficient material. If both opponents do not have enough pieces to checkmate, the game ends in a draw. For example, a king and a knight cannot checkmate a lone king.
- If there are only kings left on the board. This is a special case of insufficient material, since it is impossible to checkmate with just the king. In this case, the game ends in a draw.
Part 3
Game strategy-
Use all the shapes. For example, do not move too long with one knight just because it can be checked. Use your entire army! One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is that they only use some of their pieces. At the same time, the remaining pieces lag behind in development and become easy prey for the opponent. Liven up the game and keep your opponent on guard.
- In the opening, move a few pawns forward one or two squares, and then start moving other pieces. This will allow you to bring more pieces from the first rank, they will easily enter the game and enhance your attacking potential.
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Control the center. Since pieces can move in different directions from there, control of the center is more important than the flanks. When you dominate the center, your pieces have more mobility than at the edges and corners of the board. For example, if a knight is standing in a corner, he can only do two different moves, while in the center the number of moves increases to eight! Try to gain control of the center of the board as quickly as possible.
- This is why many people start the game by moving the central pawns. Just be careful not to expose your king to a checkmate from a well-placed bishop or queen!
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Don't give away your pieces for no reason. Although it's pretty obvious, many players (even grandmasters!) sometimes lose their pieces. If you have to give up a piece, try to exchange it for something. Never give away pieces thoughtlessly - they are all valuable, from pawn to queen. The significance of each figure can be roughly assessed in points. The more valuable the figure, the more points it is worth:
- pawn - 1 point;
- horse - 3 points;
- elephant - 3 points;
- rook - 5 points;
- queen - 9 points;
- the king is priceless, since losing it means losing the game.
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Protect your king. This should be given special attention. Even if you don't do anything else and don't really like to attack, then just obliged protect your king. Hide him in a corner by castling, cover him with several pawns, and provide escape routes in case your opponent checks. After that, attack yourself so that your opponent begins to think about running away rather than attacking, and the sooner the better.
- At the beginning and middle of the game, the king on his own can do little. At these stages of the game, the king almost always needs protection from checks in the form of several pieces. However, at the end of the game, when there are few pieces and few pawns left on the board, the king turns into a full-fledged combat unit and should be brought to the center of the board.
- Watch your opponent's moves carefully. They will affect your moves, but not the plan you want to implement.
- Learn from mistakes. As a beginner, you are simply doomed to make mistakes. Even grandmasters “yawn” and lose.
- You can consider that you have fully developed your pieces when your king has castled, your bishops and knights have been removed from their starting positions, and the space between the rooks is clear.
- Try to keep a large number of pieces in the center of the board. The more pawns you leave behind, the better they will cover your king.
- Don't be discouraged by frequent losses. It takes a certain amount of time to learn how to play chess properly - many masters took more than 10 years to do this!
- Learn a few chess traps so you can use them yourself and avoid falling for your opponent's tricks.
- Walk deliberately. Unlike other pieces, pawns cannot return to the square from which they left. They are quite clumsy, and the location of the pawns largely determines the course of the chess game.
- Don't try to give a quick checkmate. If you focus all your efforts on trying to get a quick checkmate, your opponent may punish you for it.
- Nobody knows the recipe for winning 100%. There is no method in chess that allows you to win a game with certainty.
- It is best to place the pieces on the four central cells, since here their mobility is maximum. This way you will increase the number of your possible moves and reduce your opponent's choice.
- Sometimes castling is dangerous and can lead to a loss. In other cases, castling can even checkmate your opponent's king! Make your decision based on your specific position on the board.
Warnings
- Rapid chess is not for beginners. They are complex, encourage competition and create self-doubt among beginners.
- Chess pieces can be dangerous for small children - they can swallow them.
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Learn the types of pieces and how each one moves. Each piece moves around the board in its own way. Listed below are the names of the pieces and how each one moves (not counting a couple of exceptions, which we'll get to later).
EXPERT ADVICE
Vitaly Neymer is an international chess master and certified professional chess coach with over 25 years of experience as a player. He has more than 15 years of coaching experience and has trained over 3,500 students.
International Chess Master
Decide for what purpose you want to learn to play. Perhaps you want to join a club, or perhaps become a master. How long you have to study depends on your goals. If you want to become a master or world champion, you need to find a coach to guide you. There are also books, YouTube channels, and you can even watch games on Twitch.
