General Chess Strategy & Observations

Some general chess strategies for the beginning as well as the advanced chess player..

Concerning the King.—It is mostly advisable to castle the King pretty early in the game, and to do so on the King's side, because he is less subject to an attack, and better able to repel one on that side than the other.

Be fearful, when castled on the King's side, of permitting an adverse Knight to gain safe possession of your King's Bishop's 4th square, and remember that it is seldom prudent in an inexperienced player to advance the Pawns on the side his King has castled.

Be cautious of playing your Queen in front of your King and in subjecting yourself to a discovered check. It is better when check is given to your King to interpose a man that attacks the checking Piece than with one that does not. Beware of giving useless checks to your adversary's King, but when, by checking, you can oblige him to move, and thus deprive him of the right to castle, it is generally good play to do so. It is sometimes useful to give a series of checks, and even sacrifice a Piece, to force the King into the middle of the board, where he may be subjected to the attacks of your other men.

Do not in all cases take an enemy's Pawn which stands before your King,—it may serve sometimes as a protection to him; and bear in mind that towards the termination of a game, especially when the superior Pieces have been taken off the field, the King should be made to compensate for his previous inactivity, by being busily engaged. The fate of the game is then dependent for the most part on the skill displayed in the management of the King.

Concerning the Queen.—The Queen is so powerful and important a Piece at chess that she should rarely be employed to defend or attack any point if you can do it as well with a subordinate.

It is not good to play the Queen out in the game at the beginning, because she can be attacked by inferior Pieces, and is compelled to retire with the loss of many moves.

Be careful, too, when about to capture a distant Pawn or Piece, that you do not remove your Queen too far from the immediate point of action. A skillful player will often permit you to win a Pawn with the Queen, that he may prevent her returning in time to rescue your King from his attack. The power of the Queen is wonderfully greater when she is aided and protected by other Pieces than when she goes forth unsupported; it is generally injudicious, therefore, to make an attack with her unless in combination with some other of your forces.

Concerning the Rook.—The Rook is a most important officer, yet few players even amongst the best avail themselves sufficiently of his power. He has seldom much scope for action in the early part of the engagement, but when the field is thinned no time should be lost in bringing him into action. You should then endeavor to double your Rooks, that is, to place them one before the other on the same file: in this situation, mutually sustaining one another, their potency on a clear field is equal to the Queen's.

It is usually good play to get command of an open file, that is to say, a file which is occupied by no other man, by stationing a Rook at one end of it. When you have thus gained possession of the file, should your opponent try to dispossess you of it, by playing one of his Rooks on the same file, it is frequently better to defend with your other Rook than to take his or remove your own. You will often embarrass your adversary, too, if you can manage to post a Rook on his second rank, say at your King's 7th or Queen's 7th square. In this position he generally makes an attack on the Pawns unmoved, and compels the enemy to lose time in defending them, while you can bring more forces into action.

One of the strongest reasons for playing out your Pieces early in the battle, is, that while at home they are not only themselves inactive, but they utterly retard the movements of your Rooks. In an unskillfully developed game it is a common occurrence to see the victory won before the defeated player's Rooks have ever moved.

Concerning the Bishop.—When the game is opened by each party with King's Pawn to King's 4th square, the King's Bishop is somewhat superior to the Queen's, because it can be sooner brought into play, and may be made to bear immediately on the King's weak point, his Bishop's Pawn. It is desirable therefore generally to exchange your Queen's Bishop or Queen's Knight for the adversary's King's Bishop. The King's Bishop should rarely or never be played to the Queen's 3d square before the Queen's Pawn is moved. His best position, as we have remarked above, is to Queen's Bishop's 4th square, where he attacks the opponent's King's Bishop's Pawn. If your antagonist then challenges an exchange of Bishops by moving his Queen's Bishop to King's 3d square, it is not always prudent to accept it, because although you may double the Pawns on his King's file, you at the same time afford him an open range for his King's Rook when he has castled. The best play in such a case is, therefore, to retreat your King's Bishop to Queen's Knight's 3d square.

Be careful, as a general rule, in an open game, not to move your Queen's Pawn one square before you bring out the King's Bishop, as by so doing you leave him but the King's 2d square

If strong in Pawns towards the conclusion of the game, endeavor to get rid of the enemy's Bishops, because they can impede the march of your Pawns more readily than either the Rooks or Knights.

When the other men are exchanged off, and you remain with a Bishop and two or three Pawns, it is often proper to keep your Pawns on squares of a different color from those on which your Bishop travels, as he can then prevent the opposing King from approaching them. If, however, you have the worst of the game, it is mostly better then to keep them on the same color as the Bishop, that he may defend them.

Supposing you have Pawns only at the end of a game, and the adversary has a Bishop, it is generally advisable to move the Pawns as soon as possible to squares of a different color from the diagonals on which he moves.

Do not indiscriminately exchange your Bishops for Knights, or vice versa. Two Bishops at the finish of a game are stronger than two Knights, and one Knight generally more useful than a single Bishop.

Concerning the Knight.—The Knight is at once the most striking and most beautiful of all the Pieces. The singularity of its evolutions, by which it is enabled to over leap the other men and wind its way into the penetration of the adverse ranks, and if attacked leap back again within the boundary of its own, has rendered it the favorite Piece of leading players in every country.

The assault of the Knight is more subtle and dangerous than that of any other Piece, because he attacks without putting himself en prise, and his attack can never be resisted by the interposition of another man.

At the commencement of a game, the best place for the King's Knight is at K. B's 3d sq.; it there attacks your adversary's K's Pawn, if it has been moved two squares, and offers no impediment to the playing out your King's Bishop, and prevents the adversary from placing his Queen on your King Rook's 4th sq., where she would often be a source of restraint and danger to your King. Many persons prefer playing the K. Kt. to K's 2d at the second move, from the mistaken notion that the K. B's P. should be moved before the Knight is played to B's 3d; this is an error, and generally leads to a very bad game.

When you have brought out your Q. Kt. to B's 3d, it is frequently advisable, at a proper opportunity, to get him round by K's 2d sq. to the K. Kt's 3d, where he exercises a very important influence, by threatening, whenever the square is left unguarded, to post himself on K. B's 5th.

A Knight with three or four Pawns, at the end of a game, has an advantage over a Bishop with an equal number of Pawns, because he can leap from white to black, and thus attack the Pawns on either colored squares, whereas the Bishop can attack them only when they move on squares of the color of his diagonals. In similar circumstances, however, he is not so useful in defending as a Bishop or a Rook, since if forced to remove he ceases to defend, while the Rook or Bishop may retreat and still protect.

Concerning the Pawns.—Struck by the scope and power of the higher Pieces, young players commonly overlook the homely Pawns, or deem them scarcely worthy of regard, and are amazed to learn that the combinations of these simple elements are among the most refined and arduous studies of the science. Yet such is the fact, and without a thorough comprehension of their quiet but remarkable predominance in almost every circumstance of the game, it is impossible for any one to attain a high degree of excellence.

It is generally advantageous for your Pawns to occupy the middle of the board, because when there they greatly retard the movements of the opposing forces. The King's Pawn and Queen's Pawn, at their fourth squares, are well posted, but it is not easy to maintain them in that position, and if you are driven to advance one of them, the power of both is much diminished. It is well, therefore, not to be too eager to establish two Pawns abreast in the center until you are fully able to sustain them there.

When you have two Pawns abreast, the King and Queen's, for instance, at their fourth squares, should the adversary attack one of them with a Pawn, it is occasionally better to advance the Pawn that is attacked another step, than to take the Pawn.

The Pawns, however, should seldom be far advanced, unless they can be properly sustained by the Pieces. Pawns at their fourth squares are therefore mostly more powerful than at their sixth.

The King's Bishop's Pawn having no support but that of the King, is usually the point to which the first attack is directed, and more than ordinary care should be taken to preserve it. It is rarely good play to move the King's Bishop's Pawn to Bishop's 3d early in the game.

As a general rule, it is not advisable to move King's Knight's Pawn or Queen's Knight's Pawn early in the game. The former played to K. Kt's 3d square will often allow your adversary to play his Queen's Bishop to your King's Rook's 3d square, a dangerous move when you have castled on King's side.

After castling, it is generally proper not to move the Knight's Pawn that is before your King, until you are obliged.

In a diagonal line of Pawns you should endeavor to preserve the Pawn at the head of them. Pawns, when united, have great strength; but when separated, their power is sensibly lessened.

A passed Pawn is mostly serviceable when supported by another Pawn.

A doubled Pawn is not in all cases a disadvantage, especially if it is united with other Pawns. The worst kind of doubled Pawn is one on a Rook's file; while the most advantageous is the King's Bishop's Pawn doubled on the King's file, because it strengthens your middle Pawns and opens a file for your King's Rook.

The Pawn being less important than a Piece, it is usually better to defend with it than with a Piece. For the same reason it is likewise better to protect a Pawn with a Pawn than with a Piece. No Piece can interpose between the attack of a Pawn, it can therefore frequently check the King with great advantage.

Be cautious generally of advancing the Pawns far on either side, till you see on which your opponent castles; and remember, when approaching the end of a game, where you have Pawns, or even a Pawn, against a minor Piece, that you may win, but that your opponent, except in very rare cases, cannot, and that two Pawns in any situation can protect themselves against the adverse King.

The next post will contain more advise for inexperienced chess players.

The Chess Code AKA The Rules of Chess

So far you have learned the various chess pieces and how the chess pieces move around the board, chess notation, chess definitions and have seen some illustrations of technical chess terms. Now it's time for the rules of chess...

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
Whenever the word "Umpire" is used herein, it stands for any Committee having charge of Matches or Tournaments, with power to determine questions of chess-law and rules; or for any duly appointed Referee, or Umpire; for the bystanders, when properly appealed to; or for any person, present or absent, to whom may be referred any disputed questions; or for any other authority whomsoever having power to determine such questions.

When the word "move" is used it is understood to mean a legal move or a move to be legally made according to these laws.

When the word "man" or "men" is used, it is understood that it embraces both Pieces and Pawns.

THE CHESS-BOARD AND MEN
The Chess-board must be placed with a white square at the right-hand corner.
If the Chess-board be wrongly placed, or if there is a deficiency in number, or a misplacement of the men, at the beginning of the game, the game shall be annulled, provided the error is discovered before the second player makes four moves.

FIRST MOVE AND COLOR
The right of first move must be determined by lot.

The right of first move shall alternate, whether the game be won, lost or drawn.

Whenever a game shall be annulled, the party having the move in that game shall have it in the next game. An annulled game must be considered, in every respect, the same as if it had never been begun.

CONCESSIONS
The concession of an indulgence by one player does not give him the right of a similar or other indulgence from his opponent.

ERRORS
If, during the course of the game, it be discovered that any error or illegality has been committed in the moves of the pieces, the moves must be retraced, and the necessary correction made, without penalty.
If the moves cannot be correctly retraced the game must be annulled.

If a man be dropped from the board and moves made during its absence, such moves must be retraced and the man restored. If this cannot be done, to the satisfaction of the Umpire, the game must be annulled.

CASTLING
The King can be Castled only:

• When neither the King nor the Castling Rook has been moved, and
• Where the King is not in check, and
• Where all the squares between the King and Rook are unoccupied, and
• Where no hostile man attacks the square on which the King is to be placed, or the square he crosses.

In Castling, the King must be moved first, or before the Rook is quitted. If the Rook be quitted before the King is touched, the opposing player may demand that the move of the Rook shall stand without the Castling being completed.

The penalty of moving the King prohibits Castling.

EN PASSANT
Taking the Pawn "en Passant," when the only possible move, is compulsory.

PROMOTING THE PAWN
A Pawn reaching the eighth square must be at once exchanged for any piece of its own color (except the King) that the player of the Pawn may elect.

CHECK
No penalty can be enforced for an offence committed against these rules in consequence of a false announcement of "check." When check is given it is not obligatory to announce the check

"J'ADOUBE"
"J'adoube," "I adjust," or words to that effect, cannot protect a player from any of the penalties imposed by these laws, unless the man or men touched, obviously need adjustment, and unless such notification be distinctly uttered before the man, or men, be touched, and only the player whose turn it is to move is allowed so to adjust.

The hand having once quitted the man, but for an instant, the move must stand.

Men overturned or displaced accidentally may be replaced by either player, without notice.
A wilful displacement, or overturning of any of the men, forfeits the game.

PENALTIES
Penalties can be enforced only at the time an offence is committed, and before any move is made thereafter.

A player touching one of his men, when it is his turn to play, must move it. If it cannot be moved he must move his King. If the King cannot move, the offender must move a man selected by his opponent.

For playing two moves in succession the adversary may elect which move shall stand.

For touching an adversary's man, when it cannot be captured, the offender must move his King. If the King cannot move, the offender must move a man selected by his opponent. But if the man touched can be legally taken, it must be captured.

For playing a man to a square to which it cannot be legally moved, the adversary, at his option, may require him to move the man legally, or to move the King. If the latter penalty be exacted, and the King cannot legally be moved, the offender must move any piece designated by the opposing player.

For illegally capturing an adversary's man, the offender must move his King, or legally capture the man, as his opponent may elect. If neither is possible, the offender must move a man selected by his opponent.

For attempting to Castle illegally, the player doing so, must move either the King or Rook, as his adversary may dictate.

For touching more than one of the player's own men, he must move either man that his opponent may name.

For touching more than one of the adversary's men, the offender must capture the one named by his opponent, or if eitherneither can be captured, then the King must be moved.

A player moving into check may be required, by the opposing player, either to move the King elsewhere, or to move some other piece designated by the opposing player.

For discovering check on his own King, the player must either legally move the man touched, or move the King at his adversary's option. In case neither move can be made he must move a piece designated by his adversary.

While in check, for touching or moving a man which does not cover the check, the player may be required to recover with another piece, or move the King, as the opposing player may elect.

ADJOURNED GAME
Upon a game being adjourned, the player whose turn it is to move shall seal his move. Sealing a move consists in writing it legibly on a piece of paper which shall remain in the keeping of a third party during the adjournment.

Upon the resumption of an adjourned game the position existing at the time of adjournment shall be set up and the sealed move made on the board.

If the position existing at the time of adjournment cannot be ascertained the game shall be annulled.

If upon opening a sealed move the record cannot be interpreted as expressing a legal move, the offending player may be required to move his King, or, if the King cannot legally be moved, a piece designated by his opponent. If the record can be interpreted as expressing either of two moves, the offender shall make the one selected by his opponent.

DRAWN GAMES
A game is drawn:

1. When the players agree to treat it as drawn.
2. Upon the proof by either player that fifty moves have been made on each side without a piece being captured.
3. When either player claims a draw upon his turn to play, and proves that the existing position has occurred at least twice before during the game.
4. When either player claims a draw and demonstrates that he can subject the opposing King to an endless series of checks.
5. When a stale-mate occurs.

TIME LIMIT
The penalty for exceeding the time limit is the forfeiture of the game.

It shall be the duty of each player, as soon as his move be made, to stop his own register of time and start that of his opponent, whether the time be taken by clocks, sand-glass, or otherwise. No complaint respecting an adversary's time can be considered, unless this rule be strictly complied with. But nothing herein is intended to affect the penalty for exceeding the time limit as registered.

ABANDONING THE GAME
If either player abandon the game by quitting the table in anger, or in an otherwise offensive manner; or by momentarily resigning the game; or refuses to abide by the decision of the Umpire, the game must be scored against him.

If a player absent himself from the table, or manifestly ceases to consider his game, when it is his turn to move, the time so consumed shall, in every case, be registered against him.

DISTURBANCE
Any player wilfully disturbing his adversary shall be admonished; and if such disturbance be repeated, the game shall be declared lost by the player so offending, provided the player disturbed then appeals to the Umpire.

THE UMPIRE
It is the duty of the Umpire to determine all questions submitted to him according to these laws, when they apply, and according to his best judgment when they do not apply.

No deviation from these laws can be permitted by an Umpire, even by mutual or general consent of the players, after a match or tournament shall have been commenced.

The decision of the Umpire is final, and binds both and all the players.

RULES FOR PLAYING THE GAME AT ODDS

1. In games where one player gives the odds of a piece, or "the exchange," or allows his opponent to count drawn games as won, or agrees to check-mate with a particular man, or on a particular square, he has the right to choose the men, and to move first, unless an arrangement to the contrary is agreed to between the combatants.
2. When the odds of Pawn and one move, or Pawn and more than one move, are given, the Pawn given must be the King's Bishop's Pawn when not otherwise previously agreed on.
3. When the odds of two or more moves are given, the player receiving the odds shall begin the game with these moves, but may not, in making them, advance any piece beyond his fourth rank.
4. When a player gives the odds of a Rook he may move his King as though to castle with the Rook given, provided the square of the missing Rook has been unoccupied throughout the game, and provided the ordinary conditions as to squares and the King are complied with.
5. When the odds of a Pawn, Knight, Bishop, or Rook, are given, it is understood that the King's Bishop's Pawn, or the Queen's Knight, Queen's Bishop or Queen's Rook, is intended unless special agreement to the contrary is made.

Check back for the next post in this free learn how to play chess series when I explain some general chess observations about chess strategies and chess tactics.