Basic Chess Strategies

Basic Chess Strategies
These strategies are described from Whites point of view, so what

is good for White is bad for Black and vice versa.
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Pawn structures
Pawns are strong when they are in a chain; try to avoid splitting
them into isolated groups.
Isolated or hanging pawns tend to be a liability, try to avoid at least
till the end game.
Pawn chain shapes that look like /\ (an inverted V) from your side
tend to be stronger than those that look like a \/.
Doubled pawns are weak, try to avoid getting them.
If you can maintain center pawns, you get more options to
organize attacks.
Your own pawn chains may block free movement of your pieces,
mainly the bishops if stuck behind the chain. Avoid this
disadvantage.
Pawns cannot move backwards. Sometimes the opponent will
deliberately lure you to advance your pawns to create weaknesses
in your pawn structure. So think carefully before pushing them
forward.
Pawns in front of your castled king are there to guard the king. Try
to avoid breaking up their line unless you have planned to launch a
king-side attack with those.
Check the possibility of getting a passed pawn and then defending
it. A passed pawn becomes a thorn in the opponents flesh and
even when it fails to become a queen, it can gain you significant
material advantage through opponents efforts to neutralize it.
Passed pawns in rooks file are weaker than passed pawns in
other files in the end game as it is easier for the opponents king to
block the pawn in rook file.
Knights
Knights play well in complex and locked positions. Assess their
value and plan their movement accordingly.
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A knight posted on d6 and e6 squares can be a nuisance to your

opponent. Try to get them there (with adequate support of course).
Knights play well in the center part of the boards. Try to avoid
keeping them at the sides (a- and h-files) unless your tactical plan
calls for such positioning.
Knight fork can be a very potent weapon. Creating such possibility
can upset the plans of your opponent.
Knights have a relatively poor play in the end game when the
board is fairly open but with a number of opponents pawns ready
to advance.
In the end game, a knight may be helpless in preventing your
opponents pawns if those are on two sides of the board.
Bishops
Bishops, if not developed early, may get bogged by your own
pawns blocking the diagonals. Be aware of this.
Bishops play well if there are many open diagonals and a bishop
pair in such situations can give you a great advantage.
For above reasons, bishops are more helpful in the end game.
If your bishop can control the long diagonal towards your
opponents castled position, it can give you considerable leverage
in your attack on the king.
If you have only a single bishop in the end game, half the squares
on the board are inaccessible to it. But with a few linked pawns of
your own, a bishop can be a great help to support your pawn
march and delay your opponents pawn advance (if you can
position it in time).
In the end game, a bishop can be better than a knight if the pawns
are at two sides of the board.
In general, bishop pair is more advantageous than the knight pair
during the end game.
Rooks
Rooks, like bishops, plays better if there are some open files.
Try to take control of open files with your rooks. Two rooks in same
open file provide a lot of opportunities for attack.
Rook positioned in the 7th or 8th row becomes a headache for the
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opponent. Two rooks on that row can often provide mating attack
or gain of material.
Two rooks with lots of maneuvering space can often stand up to
the opponents queen, particularly when minor powers and pawns
are absent in the end game. You will find many games in chess
archives where one player has given up the queen in exchange for
two rooks.
In endings with where you have King, Rook and Pawn against
King and Rook, your rook should be behind the pawn and your
king should be next to the pawn to get a win.
Queen
Even though it is the strongest piece, it needs a rook or some
minor pieces for its most effective use.
Avoid taking the queen too far out during the openings as it is likely
to get harassed by opponents minor pieces to cause you a loss
of tempo.
King
Always a liability, is it? It becomes more so, if it is at its original
position. Aim to castle at the earliest opportunity.
Both kings castled on the same side normally do not get an
immediate early attack. You have to maneuver through the
Queens side. But castled on the opposite sides allow both players
to launch direct attack through pawn advances.
Kings come into their own in the end game with major pieces
removed from the board. Try to keep king near your pawn group
for their advance. Be aware of the Square and opposition.
In the endings with King and Pawn vs. King, make the king lead
the pawn, not the other way.
Make yourself familiar with the standard strategies for handling
different types of endings with pawns, minor pieces, rooks etc.
Learn to identify situations that may give win or only a draw.
Positional
Initial pawn movements facilitate the development of your minor
pieces. Do not get distracted from this objective.
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In the opening phase, avoid moving the same piece twice (unless
forced to do so and learn to avoid those kinds of positions). It loses
you tempo.
You gain tempo when you can achieve two objects in one move.
For example, a pawn move may attack some piece while opening
a line for your own pieces. Look for such opportunities.
Try to seize control of the center (d4, d5, e4, e5 squares) as this
will give you more play and better attacks. Of course, some
opening strategy, particularly for black), may deliberately surrender
some control in the center to gain more play in the flanks to
neutralize opponents advantage.
Dont be greedy! Sometimes you may find an easy pawn to pick up
but it may be a trap (poisoned pawn). Accepting it will often allow
the opponent to launch a powerful attack and often the best way to
neutralize is to return that material instead of trying to hold on to it.
Do not launch a premature attack. Develop your pieces such that
they coordinate well with one another and then plan your attack.
Unless you do this, you may find your attack to lose steam and
that may put you at a disadvantage.
A locked center (your and opponents pawns facing each other
without being able to capture any) restricts movement of pieces in
the center and thus facilitates flank attack without fear of counterplay at the center. Keep this possibility in mind.
Check which of the opponents pieces is controlling the play. Try to
capture it at the earliest.
Exchanging your inactive piece with a similar but active piece of
the opponent gives you an advantage. Try to avoid such exchange
if the reverse is true.
When in trouble, remember that attack is often the best form of
defense. Look for such possibility.
Since coordination of pieces gives advantage, try to cut off
communication between opponents pieces e.g. by advancing a
supported pawn in the opponents line of communication.
Be aware of pins and how to create one. Properly handled, they
can yield significant advantage.
When cornered in the end game, look for opportunities to get into a
position allowing stalemate and draw. Sometimes, a piece sacrifice
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may offer you this opportunity in an otherwise desperate situation.

When you have an upper hand, guard against the opponent taking
this route to draw the game.
Whatever openings you normally adopt, learn the ideas behind the
moves and the targets to be achieved. Without this focus, you will
only create weaknesses for yourself.
In general, Kings pawn openings lead to more open games and
direct attacks on the king. Queens pawn openings create
somewhat closed positions that need more maneuvering and
positional play to launch indirect attacks.

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Basic Chess Strategies

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What are some strategies regarding pawn structures?

What are some strategies regarding knights?

Basic Chess Strategies

These strategies are described from Whites point of view, so what

A knight posted on d6 and e6 squares can be a nuisance to your

may offer you this opportunity in an otherwise desperate situation.

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