FromBeginnertoChessExpertin12Steps

Achessimprovementplanforallclassplayers.Thisisacompanionpageto
byJohnCoffey
TenThousandPositionstoChessMastery.
([email protected])
1.Introduction
2.Step1
3.Step2
4.Step3
5.Step4

6.Step5
7.Step6
8.Step7
9.Step8
10.Step9

11.Step10
12.Step11
13.Step12
14.Andmore...

Introduction

Ifyouknownothingatallaboutthegameofchessotherthanthe
rules,therestillthingsthatyoucandorightawaytohelpyouwin
moregames.Youwon'tbebeatingtournamentplayers,butyoucanrise
aboveyourcurrentlevelbystudyingtherightthings.Thesame
principleappliestoalllevelsofplayers.Therearethingsthat
youcandoimmediatelytowinmoregames.

Thekeytochessimprovementispatternrecognition.Whetheryou
realizeitornot,toimproveatchessyoumustreprogramyourbrain
toseethingsthatyoudidnotseebefore.Youcandothisby
studyingatleast30minutesoftacticsperday.Iprovide1,500
simpletacticsproblemsforyoutostudy,plusIalsorecommendsome
ofthebesttacticsbooks.

Ialsoprovideinstructioninotherareasofthegame,andrecommenda
systemformemorizingopeningsandotherthingswhenthatbecomes
necessary.

Allthelessonsherebuilduponthelessonsthatcomebeforethem.
Ifyouwanttostartatoneofthehigherlevels,firstreview
thesimplerlessons.

Gettingbetteratchessisnoteasy.Toimproveyoushouldexpectto
workatiteveryday.Becausethehumanbrainisinherentlyforgetful,
Irecommendgoingthroughallthematerialonthispagerepeatedly
untilitbecomessecondnature.

Step1

LearntheRules

Althoughthiswebsitedoesnotspecificallycovertherules,
hereareafewwebsiteswhereyoucanlearnthem:

U.S.ChessFederation
LogicalChess
InternetChessClub
MagicTheater
ChessCentral
ChessCorner

TaketheRulesQuiz!
KingQueenRookBishopKnightPawn

RecognizeCheckmate.

TothisendyoushouldgetthebookBobbyFischerTeachesChessandgo

throughthisbookenoughtimesthateverybitofitseemseasy.

TheInternetChessClubhasagoodpageexplainingcheckandcheckmate.

Likewisesodoeshttp://www.chesscorner.com/tutorial/basic/check/check.htm

TaketheCheckandCheckmateQuiz!
Level1Level2Level3Level4

Thefirst112diagramsat1w.htmarepositionswherewhitecanmakeamove
thatimmediatelycheckmates.Althoughthismayseemalittlehardatfirst,
itwouldbegoodtogothroughalloftheseandtrytofindthecheckmating
move.Likeeverythingelseonthispage,youshoulddothese112problems
enoughtimesthattheybecomeeasy.

LearnChessNotation.

Althoughyoudon'tneedtowritechessnotationuntilyouplayin
tournaments,youneedtobeabletoreadittofollowthelessonsonthisweb
page.Hereareafewwebpagesthatexplainhowtoreadchessnotation.....

http://www.logicalchess.com/info/reference/notation/
http://www.chesshouse.com/how_to_read_and_write_chess_notation_a/166.htm
http://www.avlerchess.com/learnnotation.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/LearnChessAlgebraicNotation
http://chess.about.com/od/tipsforbeginners/qt/ReadNotation.htm
http://www.logicalchess.com/hcc/scholastics/tutorials/notation.html

Thesimplestpossibleopening.

Thesimplestpossibleopeningisonewhereyoudeployyour
pieceslikeso.......

Theideaistoplaceonly2pawnsinthecenter,unlessyour
opponentcancapturethem,movetherestofyourarmyinto
playandthencastleeitherkingsideorqueenside.

Sometimesthesearenotsafesquaresforthebishops,sothey
havetogotoothersquareslikethefollowing....

Asageneralrule,youwanttomovetheknightsoutbeforethe
bishops.Thereasonforthisisthatitiseasiertoknowfirst
wheretheknightsshouldgo.Wherethebishopsgodependsupon
whereyouropponenthasplacedhispawnsandotherpieces.

Yourfirstmoveshouldbeapawnmoveintothecenteroftheboard.
Youreallyhavetheoptionofmoving2to3pawnsintheopening,
anditcouldbeanyofthese4....

Again,youdon'twanttomovepawnsouttosquareswherethey
wouldbeimmediatelycaptured,althoughlikeallrulesinchess
thereareexceptionstothisrule,soinsomecasesyouwould
onlymoveapawnuponesquaretopreventitfrombeingcaptured.
Ifyoudomoveaqueenpawnorkingpawnuponesquare,itis

preferablethatitdoesnotblockthepathofoneofyour
bishops,soinsomecasesyouwouldmovethebishopoutbefore
movingthepawn.

Asarule,moving4pawnsintheopeningisprobablyoverdoing
it.Youdon'twanttomovesomanypawnsthatyouslowdownthe
deploymentofyouotherpieces.Movingtoomanypawnscouldalso
create"holes"(weaknesses)inyourpositionthatyouropponent
couldexploit.

Readmoreaboutopeningshere:http://www.dwheeler.com/chessopenings/.
Don'texpecttolearnalltheseimmediatelyasthesubjectofchess
openingsisvastandthousandsofbookshavebeenwrittenaboutchess
openings.Thiswebpagewillcovermoreaboutopeningsfurtherdown.

Learnthevalueofthechesspieces.

SeeChessCornerandAbout.com

TaketheCaptureQuiz!
Level1Level2

Step2

Learnwhattacticsare.

Oneofthegoalsinchessistocapturemoreofyouropponentspieces
thanhecapturesofyours.Thereasonforthisishavingextra
materialmakesyourarmystrongerthanyouropponent'sarmy.

Thesimplestpossiblechesstacticisonewhereyouoryouropponent
inadvertentlymovesapiecetoorleavesapieceonasquarewhereit
canbecaptured.Ifthepersonlosingthepiecedoesn'thaveagood
countermovethenthisiscalled"hangingapiece."Atthelower
levelsofchessskillthisisfairlycommon,anditevenhappens
morerarelyatthehigherlevels.

However,youcan'tcountonyouropponenttojustmakeanobvious
blunder.Winningpiecesusuallyrequiresyoutothreatentwoor
morethingsatonceinsuchawaythatyouropponentwillnotbe
abletodefendboththreats.

Lookforthewords"Forks","Pins",and"Skewers"onthispage.

Beginyourdailychesstacticsstudy.

Startdoingatleast30minutesofchesstacticsstudyperday.Somepeople
Iknowhaveshowntremendouschessimprovementbydoing60to90minutesof
tacticsstudyperdayforaboutyear,butmostpeoplewouldn'tfindthetime
todothatconsistently.

Ifforsomereasonyoucan'tfindthetimetodo30minutesormoreoftactics
perday,thentrytodo15or20minutes.Doingthemconsistentlyeveryday
ismoreimportantthantheexactamountoftime.

Onalternatedaysdothewhiteorblackproblemslistedbelow.

WhitetomovechessproblemsorBlacktomovechessproblems.

Eachday,startwiththefirstproblemandseehowfaryoucangetin30
minutes.Irecommendkeepingarecordofhowfaryougeteachday.If
youarenewtochessthenyoumightnotgetveryfaronyourfirstcouple
ofdays,butthatisO.K.Witheachsubsequentattemptyouwillgetfurther.

LateronIamgoingtorecommendothergoodtacticsproblemsthatyoucan
study,butforthemomenttheseproblemsabovewillformthebedrockof
yourchesstacticsunderstanding.Theseproblemswillhelpyougettoat
leastan1800tacticsskilllevel.Aplayerratedbetween1800and2000
withpracticeshouldbeabletodoallthe1move,2moveandamajority
ofthe3moveproblemswithina30minutetimeframe.An1800to1900level
playershouldbeabletodoallthe1moveproblemsinlessthan10minutes.

Moreadvancedplayersshouldn'tassumethatitisfutiletostudysimple
chessproblems.Beingabletoseesimpletacticsalmostinstantlyisthe
markofaClassAplayer,andstudyingsimpleproblemshelpsavoidtime
pressureblunders.

Ipersonallythinkthatthereissomebenefittostudyingtacticsbefore
bedtime,asresearchhasshownthatweforgetthingswhilewesleep.

LearnhowtocheckmatewiththeKingandQueen.

LearnhowtocheckmatewiththeKingandRook.

Learnmoreaboutchessopenings.

Playchessonaregularbasis.

Iassumethatyouwanttobecomeabetterchessplayerbecauseyoulike
toplaychess.Youalsoneedtoplaychesstobecomeabetterplayer.
Gettingbetteratchessismentallylikelearninganewlanguage.You
havetoliveiteveryday.Juststickingyournoseinabookisn'tenough.
Itisallaboutlearningthe"language"ofthechessboard.

BackwhenIwasinpublicschools,Iplayedchessalmosteverydaywhich
helpedmetoimprove.

Practicethisexerciseonachessboard!

About.comgivesaprettysimpleexplanation,butIdon'tnecessarily
thinkthatthisisthefastestwaytodoit.Asimilardescriptioncan
befoundonChessCorner.Aslightlymorecomplexexplanationcanbe
foundhere,althoughhisexamplesdeliberatelyignoreacoupleofmate
in1'sjusttoillustratehismethod.Thesecondhalfofthisvideo
showsthefastestwaytomatewithakinganqueenbyusingtheking
andqueentogethertolimitthesquaresoftheenemyking.Ifyouever
playsuddendeathtimecontrolsthenIagreewiththeauthorofthevideo
whosaysthatyoushouldpracticewithafriendandachessclock,whichI
occasionallydo,toseeifyoucandothematein10secondsorless.For
somepeoplethatwouldtakeagreatdealofpractice.Ifyouareanovice
player,feelgoodifyoucandothematewithin30seconds.

Thisvideoshowasimplisticmethod,whichishowIfirstlearnedhowto
doit.Idon'tlikethismethodverymuchbecauseittakesmanymore
movesthannecessary,butitcouldbeusefulforsomeonewantingtolearn
thesimplestpossiblemethod.Thesecondhalfofthisvideoshowsthe
fasterwaytodoit.Likethekingandqueenmate,Ifeelthatitis
usefultopracticeitwithachessclocktoseeifyoucandoitwithin
10seconds.

StudyPlanforBeginnershasawealthofmaterialthatyoumightwantto
lookat.

Thepurposeofthisexerciseistopracticeseeingmorequickly
wheretheknightcanmove.Theblackpawnsnevermoveinthis
exercise.Thegoalistomakelegalknightmovestotakethe
knightfromthesquarea1tothesquareb1,howeverwiththe
limitationthattheknightcanneverlandontheblackpawnsor
wherethepawnscancapture.(Forexample,thepawnonc3can
captureonb2andd2,makingallthreesquaresofflimitsto
theknight.)

Theknightcangettob1inthreemovesbymovingNc2,Na3andthen
Nb1.Thenextgoalistogettheknightfromsquareb1tosquare
c1followingthesamerules.Oneofmanywaystodothatisto
playNa3,andthenNc2,Nd4,Nb3andthenfinallyNc1.

Afterthatthegoalsaretogettod1,e1,f1,g1,h1,h2,f2,c2,
a2,a3,b3,d3etc.untiltheentireboardisreachedinthis
fashion.

AgoodclassAplayerwithpracticeshouldbeabletodotheentire
boardinlessthan3minutes.Forlowerrankedplayersthismight
takemuchlonger,evenwithpractice.

Doingthisexercisewillactuallyhelpyouwinmoregamesbymaking
youbetterwithyourknights.

Step3

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Likeallinstructivechessgamesonthiswebpage,youshould
gothroughthegamesenoughtimesthatyoucanrememberthe
vastmajorityofmovesforthewinningside.Onceyoulearn
them,youshouldreviewthesegamesoccasionallytomakesure
youhaven'tforgottenthem.

Thegameswillbemucheasiertorememberifyouunderstandthe
reasonsastowhythemovesareplayed.

Attackingtheking#1
Winningwithtactics#1
Attackingtheking#2
Attackingtheking#3

Attackingtheking#4
Attackingtheking#5
Attackingtheking#6
Attackingtheking#7
AttackingWeaknesses#1

Tacticalpositions#1
Tacticalpositions#2
Tacticalpositions#3

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Kingandpawnending#1
Kingandpawnending#2
Kingandpawnending#3
Kingandpawnending#4

Step4

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Winningwithtactics#2
Winningwithtactics#3
Attackingtheking#8
Attackingtheking#9
Attackingtheking#10
Attackingtheking#11
Attackingtheking#12

Tacticalpositions#4
Tacticalpositions#5
Tacticalpositions#6

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

LearnhowtocheckmatewiththeKingandtwobishops.

Kingandpawnending#5
Kingandpawnending#6
Kingandpawnending#7
Kingandpawnending#8

ThisendgamehappenssorarelythatIhaven'tbotheredtopractice
itmuch,butitisimportanttoknowitbecauseitcanhelpyoudevelop
betterbishoppatternrecognition.Thisvideogivesagoodsummary.

Step5

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Attackingtheking#13
Attackingtheking#14
Attackingtheking#15
Attackingtheking#16
Attackingtheking#17
Attackingtheking#18(asblack)
Attackingtheking#19

Tacticalpositions#7

Tacticalpositions#8
Tacticalpositions#9

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

LearnmoreaboutTacticalideas

Kingandpawnending#9
Kingandpawnending#10
Kingandpawnending#11
Kingandpawnending#12
Kingandpawnending#13
Kingandpawnending#14

TacticalMotifsDefined.

Step6

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Attackingtheking#20
Attackingtheking#21(asblack)
Attackingtheking#22
Attackingtheking#23
Attackingtheking#24
Attackingtheking#25
Attackingtheking#26(asblack)

Tacticalpositions#10
Tacticalpositions#11
Tacticalpositions#12

RuyLopez#1

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Kingandpawnending#15
Kingandpawnending#16
Kingandpawnending#17

Step7

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Attackingtheking#27
Attackingtheking#28
Attackingtheking#29
Attackingtheking#30
Attackingtheking#31
Attackingtheking#32
Attackingtheking#33

Tacticalpositions#13
Tacticalpositions#14
Tacticalpositions#15

From'sGambit#1

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Kingandpawnending#18
Kingandpawnending#19
Kingandpawnending#20
Kingandpawnending#21

Playintournamentsandreviewyourgames.

Averyimportantpartofbecomingabetterplayeriscompetingin
tournamentsandtryingtolearnfromtheexperience.Everychessgame
isapotentiallesson.Takethegamesthatyourecordedintournaments
andanalyzethemwithacomputerprogramlikeFritzorHoudini.Rather
thananalyzeeverymoveingreatdetailwhichcouldtakealongtime,
find2to3positionspergamewhereyoucouldhavemadebettermoves.
Thiscanincludetheopening.Findawaytobeabletogobackand
reviewthesepositions,eitherbykeepingtheminsomesortofdatabase
orprintdiagramsofthesepositions(usingyourchessprogram)and
keeptheprinteddiagramsinafoldersothatyoucangobackand
reviewthepositionslater.

Step8

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Attackingtheking#34
AttackingWeaknesses#2
Attackingtheking#35
Attackingtheking#35
Attackingtheking#37
Attackingtheking#38
Attackingtheking#39

Tacticalpositions#16
Tacticalpositions#17
Tacticalpositions#18

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Learnmoreaboutchesstactics.

StartaMemorizationList

Step9

Kingandpawnending#22
Kingandpawnending#23
Kingandqueenversuspawn#1
Kingandqueenversuspawn#2

Toraisemyratingfrom1800to1900,SharpenYourTacticswas
immenselyhelpful.Ifocussedonjustthefirst550problemsand
didthemsomanytimesthatIcouldgothroughthemveryquickly.

OnthiswebpageIgiveyouagreatdealofinformationtolearn.It
couldbedifficulttoretainallthisinformationunlessyouhavea
systematicwayofreviewingtheitemssothatthosethingsyouknow
wellgetreviewedlessoftenthanthethingsthatyouarestilllearning.
TothisendIrecommendkeepingaMemorizationList.

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Attackingtheking#40
Attackingtheking#41
Attackingtheking#42
Attackingtheking#43
Winningwithtactics#4
Winningwithtactics#5
Winningwithtactics#6
Winningwithtactics#7
Winningwithtactics#8
WinningwithTactics#9

Tacticalpositions#19
Tacticalpositions#20
Tacticalpositions#21

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Learnmoreaboutchesstactics/strategy.

Kingandqueenversuspawn#3
Kingandqueenversuspawn#4
King,Rookandpawnending#1
King,Rookandpawnending#2

ChessTrainingPocketBook,300MostImportantPositionsandIdeas
isastrategybookdisguisedasatacticsbook.Itpresents300positions,
someofwhicharetacticalbutmostarepositionalinnature.Istudiedthis
bookforaround10minutesperdaywithoutfailforayear.Shortlyafter
this,Ihadsomegreattournamentresults.

Step10

Studyinstructivechessgames.

Winningwithtactics#10
WinningwithTactics#11
WinningwithTactics#12
WinningwithTactics#13
WinningwithTactics#14
WinningwithTactics#15
WinningwithTactics#16

Tacticalpositions#22
Tacticalpositions#23
Tacticalpositions#24

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Learnmoreaboutchesstactics.

King,Rookandpawnending#3
King,Rookandpawnending#4
QueenversusKnight
Mixedendings#1

ShredderChessoniOShas1,000tacticsproblemsthatreally
helpedmegofrom1900to2000rating,althoughIhavegone
throughall1,000problemsmaybeasmanyas18times.

Ifyoudon'thaveaniOSdevice,thenconsider
TheCompleteChessWorkout.Ifyoudon'tmindaheftytome,
thismightbetheonlytacticsbookyouwilleverneedwith
1200moderatelydifficultproblems.

Step11

Studyinstructivechessgames.

WinningwithTactics#17
WinningwithTactics#18
WinningwithTactics#19
WinningwithTactics#20
WinningwithTactics#21
WinningwithTactics#22
WinningwithTactics#23
WinningwithTactics#24
WinningwithTactics#25

Tacticalpositions#25
Tacticalpositions#26
Tacticalpositions#27

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Learnmoreaboutchesstactics/strategy.

PracticalChessExercisesisaveryinstructivebook.The
catchisthatthemajorityoftheproblemsarepositionalinnature.
Solikeinarealgame,youdon'tknowifyouaretryingtoachieve
atacticalgainorapositionalgain.Youhavetofigureitout.
ThisislikeamoreadvancedversionofChessTrainingPocketBook
inthesensethatitcoversawiderangeofideas,butithastwice
asmanyproblemsforaboutthesameprice.Thisisbynomeansan
easybook.Idon'trecommenditforplayersratedunder1700.This
bookisidealforstrongAplayerswhowanttobecomeanExpertor
Master.Theproblemsaredifficultenoughthatyouwillhavetogo
overthemmanytimes.Ithastakenmeatleastacouplehundred
hourstogetthefullbenefitfromthebook.

ChessTacticsTrainerandChessTacticsFreeStrategyTrainerare
similariOStacticstrainingappsthatareuseful.Thefreeapp
isfunbecausetheproblemsareusercreated,butthatalsomakes
thequalityalittleuneven.

Mixedendings#2
Mixedendings#3
Mixedendings#4
Mixedendings#5

Step12

Studyinstructivechessgames.

AttackingWeaknesses#3
AttackingWeaknesses#4
Iamparticularlyproudofthiswinfromthe2012Utah
Quickchesschampionship....
WinningwithPositionalPlay#1

WinningwithPositionalPlay#2
WinningwithPositionalPlay#3
WinningwithPositionalPlay#4
WinningwithPositionalPlay#5

SeeSecretsofStrongPlayersforanexplanation.

AlsolookatThemostcommonmistakeand

WinEasilyPart1byGMIgorSmirnov.

Tacticalpositions#28
Tacticalpositions#29
Tacticalpositions#30
Tacticalpositions#31

Learnmoreaboutstrategy

Ifyouarealreadyatleast1800,thenchancesareyouareapretty
goodtacticalplayer,butyoumightneedmorerefinement
strategically.

Ifyouhaven'talready,buySilman'sbookTheAmateur'sMind
andgothroughit.Onecaveattobeawareofisthat
althoughthebookisaprettyfunread,itcantakemonths
tolearntoapplytheideastoyourowngame.Afterreading
thebook,myinitialresultswereworse,butoverthelong
termIbecameamuchbetterpositionalplayer.

LearnmoreaboutTactics.

Learnmoreaboutchessendings.

Relatedsquareproblemsarerare,buttheExpertlevelplayer
shouldbeawareofthem.

Kingandpawnending#24.
Kingandpawnending#25.

Learnmoreaboutchessopenings.

303TrickyChessCheckmatesismorefunthaninstructive,but
itisstillinstructiveandIrecommendmakingitpartofyour
chessstudy.

Mycompleteopeningrepertoirecanbefoundhere.Don'texpectto
studyeverythingonthispage,butuseitasareferencefor
lookingupopeninglines.Atthetimeofthiswriting(Oct2015),
mygoalistoremovemanytriviallineswhileaddingnewones.

Andmore...

UltimatelywewouldliketoattainthetitleofChessMaster.Tothat
end,seemycompanionpageTenThousandPositionstoChessMastery.