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Introduction: When we’re in the learning process, a common saying often comes to mind: ‘Practice makes perfect.’ So, in order to be better in that we simply PRACTICE it a lot. That’s a great thing and we must do it to perfection. Similarly, people who are learning chess can also practice in order to get better at chess. It’s a good approach, but it can be significantly better if, instead of merely practicing, they examine improvements and take appropriate actions for more effective results. In this blog, we are going to discuss how to strategically play in order to get good at chess.

Try Understanding What Actually is Happening on Both Sides

Chess is a game that is played on an 8×8 grid known as a chessboard. Each player controls an army of 16 pieces, including one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The objective of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king, which means putting the king into a position where it is under attack and cannot escape capture – this is the basic aspect of chess, we all know about it.
But when we dive deeper into it, found chess is not just about current moves, it’s about long-term planning. So to be aware of the planning one needs to learn it from only by understanding this strategic game.

Beginner and don’t know the basics, read here chess pieces names and moves.

Reproduced Circa 1852 — Chess Game from Both Sides

By understanding what is happening on both sides of a chess game one can be aware about comprehensive balanced strategy and will be better equipped to anticipate opponent’s moves and formulate counter-strategies. So to become a strong chess player, one must be able to understand and evaluate both sides. This will help one to make informed decisions and avoid them to make tactical mistakes: thus would lead them to improved performance and success on the chess board.

Start Learning from Analysis

Analyzing chess has its significant importance for chess players at all skill levels. It involves reviewing and studying past games, gaining insights, being able to execute better attacking plans, and improve overall chess skills. Instead of learning from analysis, people often learn chess from results, this would straightly slow down the process.

Here’s important points to consider on how to start learning from analysis:

Play Regularly: Start playing chess regularly, whether it’s with friends, family, or online opponents. Practice is crucial to build experience and identify areas where someone need improvement. Chess puzzles are a valuable tool in the analysis process for improving one’s chess skills. Pick up a copy of 303 Tactical Chess Puzzles by Fred Wilson & Bruce Alberston.
Record the Games: Whenever one plays a game, they simply record their moves. This can be done with a physical chessboard and pieces, a chess notation app, or by using an online chess platform that automatically records games.
Join a Chess Club or Community: Consider joining an online chess community or local chess club. Interacting with other chess enthusiasts can create unbelievable learning opportunities.

Over time, by doing all these one’s understanding of the game will deepen, and their playing strength will definitely increase.

Start Embracing Dedicated Guidance

Suppose, someone wanted to become a proficient electrician. They could buy Voltage Tester, Circuit Tester and take a note on the presence or absence of electrical voltage in a circuit at a specific location and they would certainly learn “on-the-job”, but they would be likely to experience quite a few catastrophes. Also it would take them a long time and they probably find themself doing things in far too complex a way when there are simpler and easier solutions to use, if only they knew about it.

Would they learn about electrician like this? They wouldn’t! Because they don’t have enough confidence to tackle complex findings.

Guidance from experienced professionals plays a vital role in building the good fundamentals, be it a game or a profession. One must acquire guidance from a dedicated coach in order to become good at chess. Coach can identify an individual’s strengths and weaknesses and create a customized training plan to address them. Additionally, Coaches can review games and provide detailed feedback on the moves, helping understand individual thought processes and pointing out mistakes or missed opportunities. This guidance can be truly invaluable for any improvement perspective.

Leveraging Strength

Leveraging strengths is a crucial aspect of improving at chess. One can use their existing strengths to become a better chess player, by using these thing in mind:

Identify Strengths: Begin by identifying strengths in chess. These could be someone’s tactical abilities, positional understanding, endgame skills, or a proficiency in specific openings.
Experiment and Learn: While playing to strengths is important, don’t be afraid to experiment and learn from different styles and positions. Expanding chess plays can make a more well-rounded player than ever.
Set Goals and Work on it: Setting goals ingeniously helps leverage strength. After the goal is set up it’s time to be consistent about the goals.

Spend Time Discussing About The Game with Players or Expert

No doubt, playing chess with experts or well-established players is hugely beneficial. However, discussing chess with them can uncover in-depth insights about the game and hidden clues. Let’s take an example, whenever we discuss something interesting with one of our close friends, there are many more interesting things revealed automatically, like hidden secrets about that particular thing that we never knew about. So, whenever someone gets this opportunity of discussing – ins and outs, simply embrace it! A single significant idea steers individuals in the correct path.

Key Takeaways

Final thoughts on how to get good at chess

To get better at chess, there are no loopholes to follow. Instead, if people are on the path where they regularly play, learn from their mistakes, leverage their strengths, understand their weaknesses, seek guidance from experts, start learning from analysis, and focus on many other important factors, they can certainly prepare to become even better at chess, but only if they are consistent in achieving their goals.

If something helps you, we would love to hear your comments on our blog.

Creativity plays a significant role in chess and is often valued as a crucial element of the game. While chess is a deeply logical and strategic game, creativity allows players to think beyond conventional moves and come up with innovative ideas and plans. Here’s the extent to which creativity is needed in chess:

Opening Preparation: In the initial moves of a game, creativity can be employed to surprise opponents with uncommon or unusual opening variations. Creative players may develop new ideas, explore unconventional lines, or combine different opening systems to create unique positions on the board.

Also Read: Checkmate these 3 mistakes when studying chess: Tips for effective learning

Positional Understanding: Creativity is essential in evaluating and understanding the positional aspects of a chess position. It involves finding original and imaginative plans to improve piece coordination, control of key squares, or maneuvering strategies to gain a long-term advantage. Creative players often come up with unconventional and unexpected moves that challenge their opponents.

Related Post: Chess Pieces Names and Moves

Tactical Solutions: Creativity is vital in finding tactical combinations and exploiting opportunities on the chess board. Unorthodox sacrifices, unexpected checks, or surprising mating patterns often require thinking outside the box and seeing possibilities that others may overlook. Creative players excel in generating tactical complications that lead to favorable outcomes.

Endgame Techniques: Creative thinking can also manifest in the endgame, where players must employ inventive strategies to convert small advantages into victories or save challenging positions. Finding unique ways to exploit pawn majorities, create mating nets, or employ zugzwang (forcing unfavorable moves on the opponent) can make a substantial difference in endgame play.

Also Read: Chess Theory

Time Management: Creativity extends to time management, as players need to allocate their limited time effectively. Making quick, accurate decisions while under time pressure requires the ability to generate original ideas rapidly and evaluate their potential. Creative time management ensures that the best moves are chosen efficiently.

It’s important to note that creativity in chess must be grounded in a solid foundation of knowledge, strategic understanding, and calculation. Creativity alone is not sufficient to succeed; it must be balanced with strong positional awareness and accurate calculation skills.

Ultimately, chess is a beautiful blend of logical thinking and creative problem-solving. The ability to think creatively gives players an edge by enabling them to surprise opponents, discover hidden resources, and find unconventional solutions.

chess game

How to Get Good at Chess by Playing Strategically