Chess is one of the few games that has stood the test of time, being developed in the 15th century. It comes from Chaturanga, an older indian game. There was a surge of people who started playing online chess in 2020 because of *that* pandemic and the netflix series ‘The Queen’s Gambit’.
The sport can appear to be very daunting to people who never tried it. Rightly so, since centuries of literatures and thousands of tactics are available today. Where to start?
Tips to move your first pawn
Learn the pieces –
You might go, “Thanks Captain Obvious!” but hear me out here, buddy. Yeah, you have to learn how each piece moves, otherwise you are going to get confused and make unintentionally, really bad mistakes (blunders) that will cost you the game. Learn how pieces work together to create pressure, such as the bishops’ diagonals or how to create a strong pawn structure. Also, the special rules and regulations such as en passant, castling and promoting pawns. Realistically, learning foundational things can be VERY boring but it is a rite of passage for everyone.
Dip your toes in theory –
Don’t get scared! Sure, there is centuries of literature of chess. In chess, theory mostly applies to the opening (How you start the game) and the endgame. The midgame mostly combinations and calculations depending on the position and moves at hand. You only need to learn a few, common openings for white and black and basics of mid and endgame to start off strong. It puts you so much farther than other players when you have a bit of theory! It also helps you build the chess mindset and makes future learning easier.
It’s not just books buddy –
The common misconception is that to get into chess, you need to be a bookworm with a P.H.D in maths or psychology. Sure, there are roots in maths and psychology but today learning chess has never been easier! There is tons of content on Youtube and even free simulations and practise routes done by A.I on online chess websites!
Play and analyse –
Over time playing chess, you will automatically develop foresight, a kind of 6th sense where you have a rough idea of what the opponent is going to play. It is good to also train it manually, since planning in advance is an essential skill of chess to save time. Also, yeah same old tip of “watch your games” but you can also see other players. Usually its easier to pinpoint other’s mistakes.
Tailor it to yourself –
Chess is like art. There is no definitive way to play the game, since each opponent is different. Sure, certain openings and moves are better than others, obviously, but playing a way just because someone told you to makes things stale. Ideally, you learn the fundamentals but then part of the fun is in building your style.
Lastly, have fun and do not forget that it gets easier as you get along. To practice, you can use online websites that are free to enter or play chess in real time. If you want to get fancy, we have this marble chess table. It is perfect for decorating your garden in a unique manner.