According to research, a lot of gamers tend not to love chess due to the straightforward fact that they consider it to be a very difficult game. Playing chess is, however, not too difficult, as opposed to the perception of many people. Thus, this article is aimed at revealing how to play chess and how to become a professional chess player within a few days of practicing.
As the saying goes, “practice makes perfect’’. Doing a particular job or skill often makes you an expert or specialist in that field. So does it apply to learning chess. If you play chess often enough, with time, you’ll definitely become a chess grandmaster. But before we show you how to learn chess, let’s tell you what chess is all about.
Chess is a free online and offline game that is centered on strategies and tactics between two players. When we say online and offline, it means you can play it online by visiting chess.com. At the same time, you can also download it on your mobile device and play it offline.
Thus, Chess is a board game that contains 64 boxes, with pieces placed into the first and last sixteen boxes. Each player has 16 pieces at their disposal to checkmate their opponent’s king.
To be blunt, playing chess requires being able to think well, as a wrong move from a player allows the opponent to dominate the game and also checkmate the king in no time.
What is Chess Made Up of?
It’s never too late to learn how to play chess. You can learn how to play this game effectively in a few days. Reports have made it known that many chess players of different levels have a high intelligence quotient of over 100.
Chess can increase your IQ, as it is seen as a game for brainiacs. As stated above, each player has 16 pieces at their disposal, with the pieces arranged symmetrically or in a mirror between the two players. The first rows are filled with pieces called pawns. While the pieces behind are the ranked pieces.
The ranked pieces are made up of the King, Queen, Bishop, Rook, and Knight. Each piece can move into an empty square on the board or a square occupied by an opponent piece, which is then captured and removed from the game. Hence, we’ll be showing you the importance and ability of each piece in a game of chess.
Pawn
In chess gameplay, the pawn signifies laborers or soldiers. Pawns move in a straightforward direction, and they can only take one step at a time. However, on its first move, the pawn can also take two steps and one step thereafter.
A Pawn can move in a diagonal direction only if it wants to checkmate another piece. And when a pawn gets to the other side of the board, it can be transformed into any of the ranked pieces [Queen, Rook, Knight, and Bishop].
Bishop
Unlike a pawn that can only take a step at a time, the bishop can move any length it wants forward and backward. However, it is limited to moving in a diagonal direction. Each bishop starts on a specific color [either white or black] and can never switch colors.
Rook
The rook is a more formidable piece than the Pawn and Bishop. It combines two-movement. The rook can move on several squares vertically and horizontally. And it can move forward and backward. But it cannot move diagonally.
Knight
The Knight’s movement is unusual as it is entirely different from the movements of all other pieces. The Knight moves in an L-Shaped direction. This movement allows it to jump over pieces of the same kind or opposing kinds.
Knight moves two steps forward and one step sideward, or one step forward and two steps sideward. If a knight starts its move on a light square, it will land on a dark square, and vice versa.
Queen
The queen is the most powerful piece in the game, as it combines the movements of the rook and bishop. It can move vertically, horizontally, and diagonally on any length of the board as long as it is not blocked. You can move in any of these directions: forward, backward, or sideward. Hence, the queen is also a formidable piece.
King
The King, however, is not one of the most powerful pieces, but it is the most important piece in the game. Once the king is checkmated, the other player wins the game. Like the queen, the King can move in all directions but can only take one step at a time.
How to Play Chess
It is expected that a player knows the rules of any game before they start playing it. Before you start to play chess, you must know what to do to be victorious in the contest. Unlike other games, chess gameplay can come to an end in a few minutes if not properly played.
Before you start playing chess, you should know that your ultimate goal is to checkmate your opponent’s king while protecting yours at the same time. Hence, we’ll be giving you some basic tips that can help you learn how to play chess and become a chess grandmaster.
1. Be Mindful of the Piece you Move First
Your first move in chess lays the foundation for perfect gameplay. Maybe you’re trying to decoy your opponent or checkmate the king; your first move sets the tempo of the game. Therefore, you should be careful when moving a piece. It is always advisable to move the pawns first, although not all pawns should be moved. They are also crucial in protecting the king.
2. Always Have a Backup Piece
Don’t move pieces recklessly. You need to be very careful before losing a piece, as it not only weakens the attack but also the defense. When you move a pawn or any other piece, it must always have a backup piece. In the sense that if a piece is eliminated from the game, another piece should be able to avenge it immediately.
3. Avoid Using Your Queen First
The queen is the most important piece in the game. Should you make an attack on the opponent and it fails, you will be left with no backup to protect the queen.
Lastly, try to always be in control while playing. The player who controls the center is the one who is always dominating the game. It allows them to move pieces around and prevents opponents from finding good attacking positions.