The Basics of Chess
by: Ron King

Chess is a fascinating board game that was invented thousands of years ago. Throughout its long history, it has earned acclaim and is considered to be the 'king' of board games. Several famous personalities were known for their chess skills. Napoleon, Nikola Tesla, Charlie Chaplin and Einstein were among them.

Chess can provide many hours of pleasure, not to mention intellectual exercise, since the game is known to improve analytical thinking, creativity and judgment.

In the past chess was mainly played by courtiers. Now everyone may enjoy this privilege. Chess attracts people of all ages from all over the world. Chess is intriguing, for it allows players to pit their wits, experience and inspiration against a competitor.

All you need to start playing chess is a chessboard and chess pieces -- or if you wish to play online, you need nothing more than your computer. The chessboard is an 8"x 8" board with alternating black and white squares; nearly everyone is sure to have seen one.

There are 32 chess pieces in total; 16 white pieces and their 16 black counterparts. One player owns the white pieces (we call this player WHITE) and the opponent (the BLACK) gets the black ones. The 16 pieces are: the King, the Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and eight Pawns.

When the game starts these pieces are placed in their initial, predefined positions. The arrangement is as follows: each player has his own pieces positioned along the two rows of the board (called ranks) that are closest to him. All 8 pawns are placed on the innermost rank of the 2. The rest of the pieces are placed closest to the player in the following order: Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, and Rook. This order is from left to right for WHITE and from right to left for BLACK, so that the same pieces are opposed on each column (called a file) of the board.

To facilitate descriptions of chess positions the 'algebraic chess notation' was invented. It is easy to learn and helps to identify squares and pieces on the board. It works like this: viewing from WHITE's perspective, the leftmost file is designated 'a', the next one 'b' and so on until we reach the rightmost file, which is file 'h'. The rank that is closest to WHITE is 'rank 1', or the first rank. Next comes 'rank 2' (the second rank) and so on until we get to the eighth rank, which is the rank closest to BLACK.

Now that we have appropriately designated the ranks and files we may identify a square by looking up the rank and the file to which it belongs. Thus, still viewing from WHITE's side, the bottom left square is the square 'a1', since it belongs to file 'a' and to the first rank. Its adjacent squares are 'b1' on the right and 'a2' just above it.

Your goal is to trap the enemy King -- it's that simple. But that is a story for another day.
About The Author:
Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit http://www.learn-chess-now.com to learn more about this fascinating game.
Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.
Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer.

How to Understand Algebraic Notation in Newer Chess Strategy Books
by: chad kimball

"Notation" is a method in chess strategy books that is used to describe the movement of pieces on the chess board, without needing a visual diagram of the chess board for each move. It greatly increases a chess author's ability to describe a large number of chess games in compact form, leaving more room for game analysis. It also allows the author to concentrate on chess strategies and tactics, rather than requiring hundreds and hundreds of cumbersome diagrams of the chess board for each move.

If you are a chess player, aspiring to improve through strategy books, understanding the two chess notation styles is crucial to your improvement. Most chess strategy books are either written in "Descriptive Notation," or "Algebraic Notation."

Descriptive Notation, in general, was used in older chess books and magazines, although it is possible to run into more current chess literature using this notation style as well. Nevertheless, the fact that any book or magazine written before 1970 probaby uses descriptive notation makes it worth knowing.

However, Algebriac notation is the topic of our current discussion. Algebraic notation is the most widely used form of notation today, found on websites, in chess software, in chess books, magazines, and other literature. Understanding algebraic notation is crucial to your growth as a chess player.

I've posted a visual diagram of a chess board describing algebraic notation on my chess game strategies site. Scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link to access the diagram.

In chess literature, the term "rank" refers to the rows of the chess board. "File" refers to the columns. If a chess book talks about the "1st rank" it means the "first row." The "a file" refers to the "a column."

In algebraic chess notation, each row (rank) of the chess board is assigned a number from 1 to 8, beginning with the white side. Each column (file) is described with a letter from a to h, going from left to right from the white side. Each square is described by a letter/number combination according to the intersection of the column and row that both contain that square. As you will see from the diagram on my website that I mentioned above, the uppermost square, farthest to the right a1. The lowermost square, farthest to the left is h8. (If you are sitting on the "white's" side of the board).

Each piece is denoted by a single letter: R for rook, N for knight, Q for Queen, and so on. A move is described by first listing the piece that is moving, then the square that it is moving to. In algebraic notation, the letter for pawn is always left out.

Examples: Qe8 means the queen moved to square e8. If you see f4 by itself, that means a pawn moved to f4.

You may ask, how can I tell if a white piece or a black piece is the one moving? This is a good question if you are just starting out, however, you will find that when you are reading algebraic notation of a game, following it move by move, it will be very clear which piece is moving because 1) most of the pieces can only move on certain squares of the board (for instance, the bishop must stay on its own colored squares) and 2) as you are following a game closely, you will find yourself remembering the positions of the pieces from move to move, and it will be clear which piece is the one moving, whether white or black.

However, there are times when, even given the above facts, it will be unclear which piece is moving. In this case, the file of the moving piece is inserted immediately after the letter describing that piece. For instance instead of Rb6, Rdb6 would be used to indicate that the rook in the d column (file) is the one that is moving to b6. In the event that the file is the same for both pieces, rank is used instead of file, again, immediately after the letter describing the piece that is moving.

Important notes: Castling is shown by O-O or O-O-O. Pawn promotion is described by adding the letter of the promoting piece to the move: f1Q means that the pawn moved to f1, and was promoted to a queen. Pawn promotion could also be described with an equal sign or a slash (f1/Q, or f1=Q). Capture and check are sometimes noted, but often they are simply implied by the square that the piece is moving to. When described, capture is denoted with a "+" (RxB7 means a rook moved to square B7 and captured a piece. Without the x, the capture is simply notead as Rb7). Check is described with a "+" as in Rf6+, which means that a rook moved to square f6 and gives check. Without the +, this move which gives check is simply Rf6. En passant with pawns is simply described by following the move with the letters "e. p."

The best way to become familiar with algebraic notation is to go to my chess strategies and chess tactics site, http://www.chessvictory.com , scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link. On that page I've posted a diagram for the chessboard in algebraic notation, as well as part of a game written in algebraic notation. This partial game includes clear diagrams of the chess board to make it clear which piece is moving. Once you get the hang of what the symbols mean, I'd encourage you to find some sample games written in algebraic notation and sit down with a real, physical chess board and go through the whole game, moving the pieces as the notation describes. After doing th at a few times you'll find yourself more comfortable with this style of notation than you imagined! In fact you'll get so good at it that you can read it as fast as you are reading this sentence, and you'll see the movements of the pieces clearly in your mind!

About the author:
Chad Kimball has been playing chess since he was a young boy, and is now an editor and publisher, publishing chess instruction books and courses on the Internet. He is responsible for bringing an exciting resource to the Internet: "The Grandmaster Strategy Training Library."

This 14 Volume Set of Training Books contains 2,213 Pages of Winning Chess Strategies for the price of a single chess tips book at the bookstore. These 14 books enable you to confidently sit down at the chessboard, knowing that you are prepared with years of tested strategies to DEFEAT your opponent. Click here for more information about this exciting chess resource: http://www.chessvictory.com

How to Use the Internet to Dramatically Improve Your Chess Strategy
by: Chad Kimball

I've listed many resources in this article, which can all be accessed by visiting my chess strategy website http://www.chessvictory.com, scrolling to the bottom, and clicking on the "resources" link.

If you are a chess student or even an experienced player, the power of the Internet to improve your game cannot be denied.

However, anyone who has typed "chess strategies" or "chess tactics" into a search engine will agree with me that the results can be confusing. Where do I start? What kind of chess strategies websites are out there? Are any of them useful? Which chess strategies information is accurate, and which of it is misleading, incorrect, or erroneous? Which chess products are worth buying?

Well, there are a few crucial pieces of information that I'd like to give you to simplify your search for chess strategies. This information will enable you to use the Internet to the maximum, so you can find the exact chess strategies information that you need to increase your chess rating.

The first thing to remember, is to do a quick bit of research on the author of the text you are reading. Have they posted their chess rating? If they are a coach, how long have they been coaching? Have their students demonstrated success at the chess board? Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

The second thing to do is to do a quick search at the chess exchange forum (http://www.chessexchange.com) for the writer's name or the resource that you are recommending. I've found the chess exchange forum to be a great resource. There are a large number of experienced players posting chess strategies, chess tactics, and tips on this forum. Again, you can't believe everything you read, meaning, just because someone said it on a forum doesn't mean it is 100% accurate. However, if a majority of forum posts are positive about the resource or author in question, you can usually trust the majority consensus. You can also click on the forum poster's profile (usually if you click on their name to the left of the post) where they often provide their experience level, chess rating, and other information. This information can help you evaluate the validity of their post. (You can access the Chess Exchange Forum by going to my chess strategy website http://www.chessvictory.com, scrolling to the bottom of the page, and clicking the "resources" link.)

I've also found the chess exchange forum to be a great place to discover new resources for chess improvement, as well as a great place to ask chess strategies related questions. The forum contributors are very generous with their time. They will often discuss your questions at length, providing great answers that you won't find anywhere else (especially for free).

The third way to leverage the Internet to improve your chess game is to simply play chess online! One of the best places to play is the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS). FICS requires that you install a small program on your computer in order to play, but it is well worth it. This allows you to gain experience at the chess board whenever you have a free moment: lunch break, late at night, after work. Study is important, but in order to improve you must actually play chess against real opponents! (You can find more information about the Free Internet Chess Server by going to my chess strategy website http://www.chessvictory.com, scrolling to the bottom of the page, and clicking the "resources" link.)

Online chess coaching is the forth way to utilze the Internet to gain valuable chess strategies and chess tactics. A simple google search can bring up many chess coaches who will charge you a fee to analyze your games and coach you to improve. Often you can email them your previous chess games, and they will respond with a written analysis of the games, including tips for how to improve. Again, remember what I've shared already about evaluating information you read on the internet, and apply those principles to choosing your chess coach. The chess exchange forum is a great place to research and contact prospective chess coaches.

The last way to use the Internet to improve your chess game is by downloading chess software. There are a few pieces of chess software that are crucial to have:

ChessBase. The ChessBase format is quickly becoming a standard on the Internet. Many resources, annotated games, tutorials, etc... are being produced in this format. ChessBase has a full version that you can purchase online, but they also provide a free, pared down version which is more than enough to open and view resources that are in ChessBase format. (Download ChessBase by going to my chess strategy website http://www.chessvictory.com, scrolling to the bottom of the page, and clicking the "resources" link.)

Finally, a Good Chess Engine is also essential for improving your game. A chess engine refers to the part of a chess program that deals with the intelligence of game play. Chess engines can analyze games, moves, mistakes, and more. Most chess engines use the common approach of attempting all possible moves from a given position and then choosing the best one with the help of a search. (Access a long list of chess engines by going to my chess strategy website http://www.chessvictory.com, scrolling to the bottom of the page, and clicking the "resources" link.)

About the author:
Chad Kimball has been playing chess since he was a young boy, and is now an editor and publisher, publishing chess instruction books and courses on the Internet. He is responsible for bringing an exciting resource to the Internet: "The Grandmaster Strategy Training Library."

This 14 Volume Set of Training Books contains 2,213 Pages of Winning Chess Strategies for the price of a single chess tips book at the bookstore. These 14 books enable you to confidently sit down at the chessboard, knowing that you are prepared with years of tested strategies to DEFEAT your opponent. Click here for more information about this exciting chess resource: http://www.chessvictory.com.

Chess Aptitude Test: How Do You Score?
by: chad kimball

Jonathan Levitt, an GM with a lot of chess experience under his belt, created what I believe is one of the most effective and simple, "self-tests" to determine chess aptitude. This test is discussed in his book, "Genius in Chess."

To take the test, you first need to know how to understand the diagram of a chessboard in algebraic notation. If you are an experienced chess player who is familiar with chess notation, you can skip this paragraph and move to the paragraph where I describe the test. In algebraic chess notation, each row of the chess board is assigned a number from 1 to 8, beginning with the white side. Each column is described with a letter from a to h, going from left to right from the white side. Each square is described by a letter/number combination according to the intersection of the column and row that both contain that square. The lowermost square, farthest to the left is h8. (If you are sitting on the "white's" side of the board). As you will see from the diagram on my website that I mentioned above, the uppermost square, farthest to the right a1.

I've posted a visual diagram of a chess board illustrating the algebraic notation method on my chess game strategies site. Scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link to access the diagram.

Now allow me to describe the test:

This test requires some sort of timer or clock, a chessboard, one white knight, and one black queen.

Place the white knight on square b1. Place the black queen on square d4. The knight has to move all the way around the board, visiting the following squares in this order: c1, e1, f1, h1, a2, c2, e2, g2, h2, and so on until you reach g8 (you won't be able to visit h8 because it is controlled by the black queen). During the test you cannot take the black queen, and you cannot put the knight en prise at any point.

It is acceptable to visit the squares in the list out of order, but only if you are using them to get from c1 to e1, for example. However, these squares must be visited again at the correct time in the order listed above. Only do the test once, and time yourself. Anyone who can complete the test in ten minutes or less on their first try reveals, according to Levitt, "real chess talent."

This test may seem simple at first glance, but it will surely require intense concentration, a spacial knowledge of the chess board, and the will to keep going. Some people even give up after the first stage, because it takes nine steps.

If you go to my chess tactics site, scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link, you can access the solution to this test, as well as results, in seconds, of some very accomplished chess players. Michael Adams, a world title contender, took 330 seconds (5.5 minutes). Many other GMs in the list required up to seven."

Take a break from your computer and try it!

If it takes you longer than 10 minutes, don't despair... this test requires that you are able to think strategically about the chess board, not simply memorize moves.

Most people who simply memorize moves, but don't understand chess strategy, will have trouble with the test. Strategic thinking (not simply memorizing moves and tactics) essential to REAL chess aptitude. Spacial aptitude is also quality that this test requires. Both of these skills are learned from experience on the chess board, good coaching, and consistent study.
About the author:
Chad Kimball has been playing chess since he was a young boy, and is now an editor and publisher, publishing chess instruction books and courses on the Internet. He is responsible for bringing an exciting resource to the Internet: "The Grandmaster Strategy Training Library."

This 14 Volume Set of Training Books contains 2,213 Pages of Winning Chess Strategies for the price of a single chess tips book at the bookstore. These 14 books enable you to confidently sit down at the chessboard, knowing that you are prepared with years of tested strategies to DEFEAT your opponent. Click here for more information about this exciting chess resource: http://www.chessvictory.com