Chess - Beyond the Basics
Last Updated 1/4/2010 
New Chess Videos:
Havasi vs Capablanca -- Parts 1 & 2
Capablanca vs Villegas -- Parts 1 & 2
Marshall vs Tarrasch -- Parts 1 & 2
Tarrasch vs Mieses -- Parts 1 & 2
Checkover vs Rudakowsky -- Parts 1 & 2
New Chess Blog Articles at "King Kibitz -- Chess Musings"
Grunfeld vs Schenkein
The Fishing Pole
Chess -- Beyond the Basics
This page is intended to cover the topics that I did not cover or discuss during my "12 Lessons". The videos (or Blogs) will be divided into 4 categories:
1. Further Opening Study
2. Further Middlegame or General Strategy Study
3. Further Endgame Study
4. Additional Annotated Games
5. Chess Playing Tips
Opening Study
9/12/2009 Opening Trap - Fishing Pole (Watch Video)
Middlegame or General Strategy Study
No Videos Yet
Endgame Study
No Videos Yet
Annotated Games
5/16/2009: Zeissl vs. Walhoffen Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
5/16/2009: Zeissl vs. Walhoffen Part 2 (Watch Video)
5/25/2009: Spielmann vs. Wahle Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
5/25/2009: Spielmann vs. Wahle Part 2 (Watch Video)
6/6/2009: Znoskoborosky vs Mackenzie Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
6/6/2009: Znoskoborosky vs Mackenzie Part 2 (Watch Video)
6/20/2009: Tarrasch vs Eckart (Watch Video) (see Game Moves)
7/18/2009: Flohr vs. Pitschak Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
7/18/2009: Flohr vs. Pitschak Part 2 (Watch Video)
7/20/2009: Pitschak vs. Flohr Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
7/20/2009: Pitschak vs. Flohr Part 2 (Wach Video)
8/3/2009 Dobais vs Podgorney Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
8/3/2009 Dobais vs Podgorney Part 2 (Watch Video)
8/22/2009 Tarrasch vs Mieses Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
8/22/2009 Tarrasch vs Mieses Part 2 (Watch Video)
8/31/2009 Alekhine vs Poindle Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
8/31/2009 Alekhine vs Poindle Part 2 (Watch Video)
9/7/2009 Tarrasch vs Kurscher Part 1 (Watch Video) (see Game Moves)
9/7/2009 Tarrasch vs Kurscher Part 2 (Watch Video)
9/8/2009 Pillsbury vs Mason Part 1 (Watch Video) (See Game Moves)
9/8/2009 Pillsbury vs Mason Part 2 (Watch Video)
9/14/2009 Noteboom vs Doesbough Part 1 (Watch Video)
9/14/2009 Noteboom vs Doesbough Part 2 (Watch Video)
9/26/2009 Grunfeld vs Schenkein Part 1 (Watch Video)
9/26/2009 Grunfeld vs Schenkein Part 2 (Watch Video)
10/3/2009 Rubenstein vs Salwe Part 1 (Watch Video)
10/3/2009 Rubenstein vs Salwe Part 2 (Watch Video)
10/17/2009 Chernev vs Hahlbohn Part 1 (Watch Video)
10/17/2009 Chernev vs Hahlbohn Part 2 (Watch Video)
11/23/2009 Pillsbury vs Marco Part 1 (Watch Video)
11/23/2009 Pillsbury vs Marco Part 2 (Watch Video)
11/24/2009 Vliet vs Znosborvsky Part 1 (Watch Video)
11/24/2009 Vliet vs Znosborvsky Part 1 (Watch Video)
11/28/2009 Capablanca vs Mattison Part 1 (Watch Video)
11/28/2009 Capablanca vs Mattison Part 2 (Watch Video)
12/19/2009 Janowsky vs Alapin Part 1 (Watch Video)
12/19/2009 Janowsky vs Alapin Part 2 (Watch Video)
12/22/2009 Bernstein vs Mieses Part 1 (Watch Video)
12/22/2009 Bernstein vs Mieses Part 2 (Watch Video)
12/28/2009 Checkover vs Rudakowsky Part 1 (Watch Video)
12/28/2009 Checkover vs Rudakowsky Part 2 (Watch Video)
1/1/2010 Tarrasch vs Mieses Part 1 (Watch Video)
1/1/2010 Tarrasch vs Mieses Part 2 (Watch Video)
1/2/2010 Marshall vs Tarrasch Part 1 (Watch Video)
1/2/2010 Marshall vs Tarrasch Part 2 (Watch Video)
1/4/2010 Capablanca vs Villegas Part 1 (Watch Video)
1/4/2010 Capablanca vs Villegas Part 2 (Watch Video)
1/4/2010 Havasi vs Capablanca Part 1 (Watch Video)
1/4/2010 Havasi vs Capablanca Part 2 (Watch Video)
Chess Playing Tips
The Opening (First 10 moves or so):
The 4 Goals of the Opening are:
1. Control the Center, especially squares d4, e4, d5, and e5.
* Open with a center (King or Queen) pawn.
* Try to maintain a pawn in the center.
2. Develop your minor pieces (i.e., Knights and Bishops)
* Knights are usually developed before Bishops.
* Try to develop a piece with a threat.
3. Safeguard your King, usually by castling.
4. Hinder your opponent from trying to do the above 3 bullet points.
General Tips for Openings Play:
1. Don’t develop the Queen too early.
2. Try not to move the same piece twice.
3. Try to make as few pawns moves as possible. Pawns in the opening are usually used to “free” pieces and/or to control the Center.
4. Don’t attack without justification.
The Middlegame (After the first 3 bullet points of the Opening and before the Endgame):
Most chess games end in the Middlegame as the result of an attack against the King or by tactics that win enough pieces that make it difficult (or impossible) for your opponent to win.
The 3 goals for the Middlegame are:
1. Checkmate the King.
2. Win pieces.
3. Establish a winning Endgame.
General Tips for Middlegame Play:
1. Ask yourself: Why did my opponent make that last move?
2. Ask yourself: Are there any new threats (i.e., checks, captures, and/or attacks)?
3. Generally, a person should consider Defense before Offense. Basic Move priority:
* 1st Priority: Defend your King.
* 2nd Priority: Defend your weaknesses (e.g., pieces, squares).
* Note: There is no need to defend against “phantom” attacks, threats, and/or weaknesses. Doing so only leads to a defensive and/or lost game.
* Ignore “phantom” threats and attack, forcing your opponent to defend.
* 3rd Priority: Attack the enemy King or weaknesses around the enemy King
* 4th Priority: Attack and/or Exploit your opponent’s weaknesses.
4. Develop a plan. A bad plan is considered better than no plan at all.
5. Coordinate your pieces—applies to Attack and Defense.
6. Make sure all your pieces are defended.
7. Develop your Rooks to an open (or soon to be open) file.
The Endgame (After many or most pieces have been captured):
The 2 Goals of the Endgame are:
1. Checkmate the King
2. Promote a pawn
General Tips for Endgame play:
1. The King is now a fighting piece, use it! Generally, you will want to move your King towards the center of the Board or have it accompany a group of pawns or a passed pawn.
2. Restrict the enemy King using your King, pieces, or pawns.
3. Blockage enemy passed pawns—place a piece on the square in front of the pawn.
4. Place Rook(s) behind a passed pawn, especially your passed pawn.
5. Try to keep all your pieces active. They should be actively attacking or defending (which includes blockading).
Chess Links
Chess News Chessbase.com
Daily Chess Puzzle Shredder.com
Free On-line Chess Chess.com
General Chess Site Chessgames.com
Chess Supplies WholeSaleChess.com
Donation:
I would like to turn this web site into a "premium" site without ads, more pages, etc. If you would like to help, then please consider a donation.
If you have any comments or questions, please email me at kensoffice.contact@gmail.com
