Chess Strategy

Chess is one of the world's most popular games. The origins of the game are unclear, but a common view is that it originated in India and eventually spread Westward through Europe. It has spawned numerous variants around the world, going through many minor changes, mostly to the names and abilities of the individual pieces. The genesis of chess' spread through Europe is marked by the enhancement of the powers of the queen.

Chess openings are a sequence of moves designed to put a players pieces into the field of play in a manner which will give them the advantage while trying to take away their opponent's advantage. These opening moves, usually memorized are designed to take control of the center of the board. In modern chess, the goal is to move one's pieces quickly onto the field in order secure the center and give their pieces maneuvering room, while simultaneously trying to stop their opponent from doing the same.

Classic strategy employs the pawns as a means of controlling the center, while modern strategists believe that the center should be controlled by the larger pieces from a distance. Positioning of the pieces is done in order to create opportunities for taking the opponent's pieces while maneuvering to secure victory. This is done by making accurate calculations of sequences of moves that will lead to check or checkmate, the taking of the opponent's king.

Good positioning of pieces only creates opportunities for victory. In order to close the game and win, a player must make accurate calculations of sequences of moves (variations) that lead either to outright victory, or to a significant advantage, all the while preventing such sequences from being played by the opponent. The first goal is to control the center of the board. The second goal should be to take the king out of its vulnerable position in the center by castling. The third goal is to mobilize as many pieces as possible. The queen should not be moved into the playing field too early or too deeply, as the opponent will be able to make mobilizing moves while threatening the queen. If the queen is threatened, then that forces you to deal with the threat rather than with your own choices of moves.

The objective of mobilization is threefold. Move your pieces into positions of power in order to control a larger section of the board, put pieces into positions which will allow you to make moves to threaten of check the king and to place pieces which will protect or defend your major pieces. This is done while also analyzing your opponent's pieces and making moves to threaten or take them.

In some instances it is necessary to exchange pieces, or to take one or your opponent's pieces while losing one of your own of equal value. This sacrifice of players is sometimes seen as a way to simplify the game by taking from the number of pieces on the board, but this is considered a weak tactic. Many players work on a point system, assigning each piece with a value. This value determines the piece's worth to the player and aids them in their decision making. The actual value of a piece will change, depending upon its position on the board. The value's change from book to book, but generally the queen is worth 9 points, rooks 5 and bishops and knight 3. Pawns are worth 1 point and kings, since the losing of the king ends the game, are not assigned a value. Losing them is not an option.