Month: September 2009

Useful tips to win a game in chess

Posted by – September 10, 2009

One of the easiest games to learn but very difficult to play and master is the game of Chess. Though played since the 6th century AD, each game is a challenge in itself and creates new ideas, probabilities and indefinite number of opportunities making it the most fascinating game in the world. Now, with the advent of technology, chess is literally taken to the masses through the medium of Internet. Now learning the game and mastering the same is made much easier by online chess. Any person interested in either learning the game or improving his skill in this noble game can use the Internet to do that in a relatively quick time. Playing chess online has many advantages, the most important of them being there is no need to search for partners and allocate some specific time and place for a game of chess.

What is there in the game that fascinates the people?

Well. Chess is viewed as a miniature of life. One looks at chess to learn invaluable lessons from life. Life provides the imagination and creativity to the game of chess. Both are intertwined. In life, we face both success and failure at some part of time. In other words, success and failure are part of life. In chess as well, not all tactics will yield the desired result at all times. Some tactics fail and some succeed. If we face failure in life, we do not end our life but take a different approach and mend our ways. Similarly, if one of our tactics did not yield result or the opponent nullified the attempt, we do not forego the game. Instead, try to implement other viable tactics and make a fresh attempt. Might be, this is one reason why the game of chess is still surviving and gaining more popularity despite the advancement in technology.

There is no scope for chance or luck in a game of chess. No outside interference, such as pitch conditions or humid climate in a game of cricket, will have any influence on the game of chess. It means you have to think deeply with concentration and utilize your skills before deciding to make a move.

It follows that you should have a thorough understanding of the game, the various pieces, the intricacies of the positional influence and such other things. How one can improve his level of understanding in the game? It is simple. Play more games. Practice the games. Analyze the games you played earlier and find out what went wrong and why. By critical analysis of the game, one can improve and ensure that mistakes committed in the past are not repeated.

In the game of chess, it is essential that the need for and importance of capturing the minor pieces of the opponent and sacrificing some of your pieces in pursuit of the broader objective is understood and used effectively. Though the primary objective of the game is to corner the opponent’s King, it cannot be done in isolation. Because, both the players are provided with equal number of pieces and there is no discrimination at the start of the game. Instead, there is equilibrium between the two players. Arm-twisting the opponent by other means is not possible and you should strive for victory purely based on your thinking and your capacity not to make mistakes.

The shrewd application of chess tactics and strategies differentiates the two players and the one with a better display of tactical ability will rein over the other. Though there are 64 squares in the board, 32 are already occupied and the balance 32 squares are left blank to start the fight between the two players. Of these, the four squares in the middle of the board, especially the e4, e5, d4 and d5 squares play a vital role. One of the objectives of a player is to have effective control over all or some of these four squares to have a better advantage over the opponent.

As such, one of the tips to win a game of chess is to have effective control over the center of the board or at least some of the squares in the center.

Want to improve your expertise in chess? Play chess online

Posted by – September 5, 2009

Chess is a thinking game. It is also a fair game in that there is no room for chance or luck whatsoever. The onus lies on the players to decide the fate of the game. It is one game that punishes you instantly for any mistake you do in the course of the game. In other words, as a successful chess player, you are not expected to make any mistake in the moves you make. If you make a random move or a move not backed by any logic or reason, then you will have to face the consequences of the same. Either you may loss advantage over the square, or have to lose a piece or at the worst case, lose the game and hear the word “checkmate” from the opponent.

Chess, also referred to as the King of Games, is a very easy game to learn. Anybody can learn the basics of the game in no time. But the real challenge comes when he starts playing the game and tries to gain expertise in the game.

The noble saying “Practice makes Perfect” is apt for the game of chess. One needs to have a thorough understanding of the basics of the game and need to play at regular intervals to stay on top of the game and improve upon his skill. While it may not be prudent or advisable to memorize the moves under the various types of openings and their innumerable variations, it is but essential that the basic capabilities of the pieces, the positional factors and the rules and well understood.

The game of chess is basically a two-player game and as such requires a partner. The second aspect is that there is no specific time limit for the game, atleast in the amateur level where you want to gain expertise. In other words, it may last less than 15 minutes or it might even take more than 3 or 4 hours, depending upon the level of skill set of the players and the style of playing.

In this fast-paced world, it is but next to impossible to get a partner and make him spend reasonable time with you to play a game of chess. Another drawback is with regard to the mismatch of skills. It is a difficult thing to find a partner who has equal skills as you possess and play a game with him, which will be very challenging and self-fulfilling. If there is a mismatch, either you end up winning without a major fight or end up losing meekly to the opponent. Both the propositions do not augur well for enhancing your skill set effectively.

It is in this context, the role of online chess comes to the fore. Thanks to the advancement of the technology and the increased usage of the Internet in the world, you can play chess online and strive to gain the much needed practice whenever you want to play chess, without looking out for a partner.

With online chess, you have the option of choosing the partner who possesses equal skills as you have. In other words, if you are a novice, you can choose another novice player as your partner. In that way, the game will be more interesting and stimulating to your mind. In online chess, players available in the virtual chess rooms might be from different countries or from different places. Interacting with them will help you learn new ways of approaching the game. You can exchange views on the game, the specific position and such other intricacies in the game. These minor things can go a long way in helping you master the game. It may not be feasible to play a single game on chess online with a virtual partner for a prolonged time of 3 to 4 hours. As such, you may be involuntarily forced to consume less time between the moves, thus making you to thinking fast and act quickly. This also helps you to sharpen your mind and be alert.

Playing chess online is the best way for budding chess players to enhance their skills. Many online chess sites conduct tournaments and award grades and even monetary awards.