Training – Page 6 – Easy Chess Tips

Category: Training

Why It Can Be Better To Promote a Pawn to a Knight

September 29, 2016

dh-drm-sept2016-1 — Black’s e-pawn is about to promote…

I had achieved a decisive advantage against my regular opponent in a recent “over the board” game of chess, but he was hanging in there and not resigning, even though I was about to promote my pawn (see diagram, left).

There were just a few minutes left on the clock, so perhaps he was hoping to survive until the flag dropped, but at best it was a forlorn hope.

The game could be easily finished off in a couple of moves by Black promoting the e2 pawn to a queen and then moving the rook to f2, so this game is not really a perfect illustration of the title of this blog post, but what happened in this game did make me think about those occasions when it can actually be better to promote the pawn to a knight instead of a queen.

Chess Castling: Look Before You Leap (2)

March 2, 2016

blackshouldntcastle — White has disrupted Black’s kingside pawn-structure and his Queen threatens the g6 pawn. It would not be advisable to castle on the kingside, but that is just what Black did!

Here is another look at how in chess castling can sometimes get you into trouble.

Click the link for my previous castling in chess blog post.

In this game, which I played on Gameknot against a player rated at the time in the lower 1600s (and with an all-time-high ranking of 1691), my opponent, playing Black, castled into danger on the kingside.

In the illustration, the critical moment has arrived. Black’s kingside pawn structure has been disrupted by an exchange of minor pieces, leaving an undefended Black pawn on g6. Now would not be a good time for Black to castle on the kingside, but that is exactly what Black did!

Castling In Chess: Look Before You Leap (1)

March 1, 2016

When it comes to castling in chess, we are usually taught to castle early, after developing some of the minor pieces.

The idea is that it can be dangerous to leave your king stuck in the middle of the back row where he may be exposed to an early attack. Generally speaking, it is more secure to get your king off to one side of the board, behind a barrier of pawns, and perhaps a knight, a rook and/or a bishop.

In the diagram both White and Black have castled early. White’s king is defended by three pawns, a knight and a rook. Black’s king is even more securely defended by three pawns, a rook, knight and bishop.

Quite often, however, other concerns cause one or both players to delay castling, or not to castle at all. In a situation where you have castled and your opponent has not, Jeremy Silman offers a “basic thesis” for you to follow, which is,

French Defense Advance Variation: How Black Wins In 7 Moves

December 30, 2015

French Defense Advance Variation - White loses in 7 — White needs to take care when playing the advance variation of the French Defense.

If you are playing Black, and White opens with “e4” (also known as the King’s Pawn Opening, or P-K4 in the old notation), one solid response that I prefer is to reply with “e6” – i.e. move your own King’s Pawn one space forward.

White’s second move is typically “d4” – i.e. moving the Queen’s pawn forward two spaces next to the King’s pawn. Black then plays “d5”, advancing his Queen’s pawn two spaces forward. Those are the opening moves of the French Defense (or French Defence in British English):

e4 e6
d4 d5

The Advance Variation of the French Defense

Stalemate In Chess: Grabbing a Draw from the Jaws of Defeat!

December 23, 2015

Stalemate in chess happens when it is your turn to move and your King is not in check, but you cannot move except into check. Here is a photograph of the conclusion of one of my recent games. I am Black and have just managed to secure a draw by inducing stalemate.

Honestly speaking, I was a little surprised that my ruse worked. After all, stalemate in chess is relatively rare. Indeed, I had been about to resign because the situation seemed hopeless. I was left with just the King and a pawn against a promoted Queen and four pawns…