Chess

[SecretPro]

Just taken it up, and I mean just. I have never played before, didn't even know the rules etc.

 

Anybody play?

 

Any tips on learning, resources etc?

 

Best online places to play?

[Zear0]

1 minute ago, SecretPro said:

Just taken it up, and I mean just. I have never played before, didn't even know the rules etc.

 

Anybody play?

 

Any tips on learning, resources etc?

 

Best online places to play?

Glad to hear anyone taking this great game up.

 

The most common online games, that I know of are:

 

• https://www.chess.com/home
• https://lichess.org/

I use chess.com personally as have friends on it but they're both as good as each other.  Chess.com has more "learning material" which was why I went there originally.

 

Sure others can add to this, but my main advice would be:

• Play as much as you can (nothing beats experience) but also do a game analysis after each game.  On Chess.com, after each game they've got a game review which shows you where you made mistakes or blunders so you can learn where it went wrong.
• Play slowly.  Most online games seem to be in the 2/5 minute format which is useless for learning.  Play against AI at whatever rating you can have a game and take as long as you need.  You won't learn much from speed chess.
• Ask "why did they do that move?".  You're developing your own pieces, but always try and figure out what the opponent is up to.
• If it's your thing, https://www.youtube.com/c/AGADMATOR, reviews games and is good to watch and learn what the pros are doing.  Quite enjoy his style.

 

But have fun and good luck!  Both Lichess and Chess.com have apps so you can always get a few games done on the sofa or on the throne.

[yorkie1999]

Learn fool's mate, pisses everyone off if they don't know it.

[leicsmac]

I use chess.com, lichess is very good for learning more about openings and general analysis of games when done, too.

 

I'd agree with the above sentiment - play slowly! Chess.com has one move per day games, use them. And yes, Agadmator is superb for analysis of high-level games.

 

Another thing - learn a couple of openings to begin with and use them in every game you play, don't try to bog yourself down with knowing loads of them. Other than that, practice is the only way to improve!

[SecretPro]

10 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

Glad to hear anyone taking this great game up.

 

The most common online games, that I know of are:

 

• https://www.chess.com/home
• https://lichess.org/

I use chess.com personally as have friends on it but they're both as good as each other.  Chess.com has more "learning material" which was why I went there originally.

 

Sure others can add to this, but my main advice would be:

• Play as much as you can (nothing beats experience) but also do a game analysis after each game.  On Chess.com, after each game they've got a game review which shows you where you made mistakes or blunders so you can learn where it went wrong.
• Play slowly.  Most online games seem to be in the 2/5 minute format which is useless for learning.  Play against AI at whatever rating you can have a game and take as long as you need.  You won't learn much from speed chess.
• Ask "why did they do that move?".  You're developing your own pieces, but always try and figure out what the opponent is up to.
• If it's your thing, https://www.youtube.com/c/AGADMATOR, reviews games and is good to watch and learn what the pros are doing.  Quite enjoy his style.

 

But have fun and good luck!  Both Lichess and Chess.com have apps so you can always get a few games done on the sofa or on the throne.

Excellent - thank you!

[Golden Fox]

Simple guidelines to keep in mind when you play:

 

The game can be viewed in 3 sections: the opening, which is the first 8-15 moves each, the end game, which is when there are a handful of pieces left, and the middle game, which is everything in between.

 

In the opening, you need to do 3 things:

- Get your king safe (usually by castling)

- Develop your pieces

- control the centre

@leicsmac's advice that you need to just learn a couple of openings is good advice - you will become familiar with them & if you take a step back, you will see they will be geared around doing these 3 things. If you are then put in an unfamiliar opening, stick to these 3 principals & its should get you through.

 

In the middle game, its about trying to get a material advantage. Best bet is to spend some time learning the key maneuvers that will do this: pins - where a piece can't move without exposing a higher value piece being it, forks - where you attack 2 pieces at once, zwischenzugs - where you have an expected move to make, but can do another one beforehand which your opponent must counter, and you can then do the expected move. If you look at examples of these, you will be more likely to see them in a game. May also be worth looking at chess problems - these will usually be based around finding the right tactic.

 

It is also very worth practicing end game technique. Play King + Rook against a King, or King + Pawn against a King, or King + 2 Bishops against a King and learn how to win evrery time. It will get you familiar with these pieces, and at high level, the game is about getting a pawn advantage. If you spend all that time to get a pawn up, its no use if you can't finish the game off!

 

Other than that, as others have said: take your time when you play, go back and look at your games again and get as many games under your belt as you can.

 

Haven't played much in years though - but I've just discovered a new game called Hive. This is similar to chess, but based on hexagons rather than squares, and you build up the board as you go along, (you either move a piece or place a new one) with all the pieces must remain connected at all times. Like chess, the end goal is to capture the Queen, who can only move 1, while you have different types of pieces that can move round the edge or jump over pieces. I'm going through the same thing as you in that game, where I'm trying to learn as many tactics as I can, get games under my belt & review them, so really enjoying throwing myself into a new game like this for the first time in years!

 

[SecretPro]

4 hours ago, Golden Fox said:

Simple guidelines to keep in mind when you play:

 

The game can be viewed in 3 sections: the opening, which is the first 8-15 moves each, the end game, which is when there are a handful of pieces left, and the middle game, which is everything in between.

 

In the opening, you need to do 3 things:

- Get your king safe (usually by castling)

- Develop your pieces

- control the centre

@leicsmac's advice that you need to just learn a couple of openings is good advice - you will become familiar with them & if you take a step back, you will see they will be geared around doing these 3 things. If you are then put in an unfamiliar opening, stick to these 3 principals & its should get you through.

 

In the middle game, its about trying to get a material advantage. Best bet is to spend some time learning the key maneuvers that will do this: pins - where a piece can't move without exposing a higher value piece being it, forks - where you attack 2 pieces at once, zwischenzugs - where you have an expected move to make, but can do another one beforehand which your opponent must counter, and you can then do the expected move. If you look at examples of these, you will be more likely to see them in a game. May also be worth looking at chess problems - these will usually be based around finding the right tactic.

 

It is also very worth practicing end game technique. Play King + Rook against a King, or King + Pawn against a King, or King + 2 Bishops against a King and learn how to win evrery time. It will get you familiar with these pieces, and at high level, the game is about getting a pawn advantage. If you spend all that time to get a pawn up, its no use if you can't finish the game off!

 

Other than that, as others have said: take your time when you play, go back and look at your games again and get as many games under your belt as you can.

 

Haven't played much in years though - but I've just discovered a new game called Hive. This is similar to chess, but based on hexagons rather than squares, and you build up the board as you go along, (you either move a piece or place a new one) with all the pieces must remain connected at all times. Like chess, the end goal is to capture the Queen, who can only move 1, while you have different types of pieces that can move round the edge or jump over pieces. I'm going through the same thing as you in that game, where I'm trying to learn as many tactics as I can, get games under my belt & review them, so really enjoying throwing myself into a new game like this for the first time in years!

 

This is excellent, thank you 👍

 

I've download the chess.com app and been going through the tutorials and puzzles etc, seems to be a good a place as any to start. 

[Benguin]

Absolutely adore chess. I pretty much only play online when on my lunch break or if I’ve got a spare ten minutes. 
 

I think it’s been said but to improve you need to think about what your opponent is doing before getting carried away with what you’re doing. Forget plan A, there is plan X, Y and Z to think about too.