Chess - The Essence of Strategy in 64 Squares

If you think about it, there are only 64 squares on a chessboard, half of which are occupied by pieces, yet chess theory continues to develop. An unwritten chess principle is to capture more space first and impose your game on the opponent, as defending is much harder than attacking. However, there is also the option of giving up the center to undermine it with pawns and a fianchettoed bishop.

The game process is divided into three stages: the opening, the middlegame, and the endgame. The opening ends when all pieces are placed on active squares and both rooks are connected. The middlegame transitions into the endgame when few pieces remain on the board, the king becomes an active piece, and the main priority is advancing pawns to queens.

Pieces

♕ Queen = 9 ♙
♖ Rook = 5 ♙
♗ Bishop = 3 ♙
♘ Knight = 3 ♙

As mentioned earlier, the bishop is strongest in the corner of the board. The knight, on the other hand, should be in the center, as it controls more squares there. Rooks work best in pairs. In the endgame, advancing pawns is most effective when supported by rooks from behind; the same principle works against enemy pawns, where the rook should stand behind the opponent’s pawn.

Castling is recorded as two 0-0 or three 000 zeros, short and long respectively. In both cases, the king moves two squares.

It is impossible to deliver checkmate with two knights or one minor piece if no other pieces remain on the board. In all other cases: with the queen, rook, two bishops, or a bishop and a knight, checkmate is possible.

The game ends in a draw in case of a threefold repetition or 50 moves without captures.

Terms

Gambit – sacrificing a piece (or quality) for positional advantage.

Fianchetto – placing a bishop in the corner of the board on the central diagonal.

Zeitnot – a situation of time pressure in chess, lack of time in a difficult position.

Zugzwang – a situation where any move worsens the position.

En passant – capturing a pawn en passant when it has moved two squares near an opponent’s pawn.

Promotion – promoting a pawn to any piece.

Time Control

There are four types of time control with and without increment: bullet, blitz, rapid, and classical.

Bullet ~1-2 minutes
Blitz ~3-8 minutes
Rapid ~10-20 minutes
Classical 30 minutes and more

It is important to note that this time is for the individual player’s moves, not for the entire game.

Openings

There are many openings, and it is impossible to learn them all, but I recommend studying the Queen’s Gambit and French Defense, as they can be played against any setup. These helped me go from a rating of zero to +1500 in just four months.

I strongly advise beginners not to play e4. First of all, it’s a move that Black is most prepared for. Secondly, Black has many response options with endless variations. For the same reasons, I also advise against playing e5 in response to e4.

FIDE Titles

GM (Grandmaster) – +2500
IM (International Master) – 2400-2499
FM (FIDE Master) – 2300-2399
CM (Candidate Master) – 2200-2299
Candidate for Master of Sports – 2000-2199
First Class – 1800-1999
Second Class – 1600-1799
Third Class – 1400-1599

To achieve the Grandmaster and International Master titles, one must achieve three corresponding norms. For all other titles, it is enough to reach the required rating by playing in official FIDE tournaments.

For what?

Chess is primarily a sport. And so, all the benefits that sport offers are relevant for chess as well. Your success depends on four pillars: strategy, calculation, mnemonics, and psychology. It’s not only about the moves you make, but also how you make them. The speed at which you make them, whether you show your opponent confidence, making them spend more time on calculations, allowing you to think using their time.

If a person doesn’t consider chess a sport, they know nothing about sports. If they don’t consider it a full-fledged sport, they know nothing about chess.

– Mirai Kumiko

But I don’t play for that reason. I simply enjoy them. Unlike other games, whether computer or gambling, 100% of your success depends on you, not on the power of your hardware, your team, or luck. There’s always room to grow. People who started playing them as children play throughout their lives. So, if chess has caught your attention, it’s for the long haul =)

And is it not an art to fit the entire essence of strategy into 64 squares?