Many of us, we play a game of chess now and then, we really enjoy the game, but we never really took the time to sit down and actually learn chess strategy. It's not that we're not passionate, it's just... Well, maybe we've got too much going on or we never really knew where to look, so the inner Sun Tzu stays dormant. If this is you, if you really want to know how to think and play like a pro, here are three things you can do that should help you to hone your strategic thinking and really know what you're doing on the checkered board...
Get a Teacher
Join a chess club or group in your area, play a few games, and see if anyone there is willing to show you the ropes. You can learn a lot on your own, but chess is... Like Karate. You don't become a black belt by punching a heavy bag forever, you need to get a sensei and actually learn what it's all about. The same goes for Chess. You can learn a lot being self taught, but having proper guidance will really help you.
Play Every Day
Start a chess club at the office, play online during your lunch hour, find some people at the park to play with, teach your wife or roommate how to play. Just make sure you get a game in every single day, even if it's you vs. You. If you don't play every single day, you won't remember what you've learned. And remember, you learn more from losing than you ever do from winning, so try to go up against people at a skill level slightly higher than your own.
Read Up
Get some books from the library, read online, and learn all the standard tricks and tactics. Obviously, the strategies you learn won't, alone, be enough to always guarantee a win, but having a good vocabulary of the common strategies, and their counter-strategies, will be a big help in getting you on your way and helping you learn how to think like a chess master. - 31483
Get a Teacher
Join a chess club or group in your area, play a few games, and see if anyone there is willing to show you the ropes. You can learn a lot on your own, but chess is... Like Karate. You don't become a black belt by punching a heavy bag forever, you need to get a sensei and actually learn what it's all about. The same goes for Chess. You can learn a lot being self taught, but having proper guidance will really help you.
Play Every Day
Start a chess club at the office, play online during your lunch hour, find some people at the park to play with, teach your wife or roommate how to play. Just make sure you get a game in every single day, even if it's you vs. You. If you don't play every single day, you won't remember what you've learned. And remember, you learn more from losing than you ever do from winning, so try to go up against people at a skill level slightly higher than your own.
Read Up
Get some books from the library, read online, and learn all the standard tricks and tactics. Obviously, the strategies you learn won't, alone, be enough to always guarantee a win, but having a good vocabulary of the common strategies, and their counter-strategies, will be a big help in getting you on your way and helping you learn how to think like a chess master. - 31483
About the Author:
Learning Chess Strategy is not as difficult as you might think. Learn how to play for free at beginnerchess.org.
