Chess 101

StrategyStrategy refers to an overall plan to achieve a goal

In every game you play your goal should be to checkmate your opponent, to win the game.

Some chess strategies include:

• the use of pawn structure (positions)

• defensive strategies

• offensive or attack strategies

• controlling the board (space)

• creating material imbalances

• maintaining material imbalances

• don’t move the queen out to soon in the game

Module 3

Chess 101Strategy

Controlling the center of the board- d4, d5, e4, e5- pieces closer to the center tend to be more mobile/have more options

Bishop at e5 (Be5) vs. Bishop at b2 (Bb2)- Be5 can move to 13 other squares- Bb2 can move to 7 other squares

Nd5 vs. Na1 - 6 vs. 2 moves

“a knight on a rim is usually dim”

Module 3

Chess 101StrategyWhite would like to gain control of the center using his d & e pawns …as would black.

Black has a better opening due to his knights being active before his bishops

If white were to move thebishops before the knights, there may be confusion as to where is best to move the bishops.

Module 3

Chess 101

Strategy

White begins the game:1. e4

Black opens with e5:1. e4 e5

White continues:1. e4 e52. Nf3

White begins to establish control of the central board while black countersand establishes equal control. White’s second move develops the knightwhile attacking black’s e-pawn.

Module 3

Chess 101

Strategy

Drill 3-1

1. Moving a chess piece twice, or more, during the beginning of a game is ______ strategy. (good or bad)

2. It is _______ chess strategy to develop knights before bishops. (good or bad)

3. A good strategy in chess is to ________ develop your pieces exclusively on one side of the board. (definitely or not)

4. A good chess strategy is to ________ trade pieces in a way that develops another piece for your opponent. (definitely or not)

5. Trading a weaker piece of yours for a stronger opponent piece is ______ strategy. (good or bad)

6. Early attacks that result in no advantage is usually a _______ strategy. (good or bad)

Chess 101

Strategy

3-1 Answers

1. Moving a chess piece twice, or more, during the beginning of a game is bad strategy.

2. It is good chess strategy to develop knights before bishops.

3. A good strategy in chess is to not develop your pieces exclusively on one side of the board.

4. A good chess strategy is to not trade pieces in a way that develops another piece for your opponent.

5. Trading a weaker piece of yours for a stronger opponent piece is good strategy.

6. Early attacks that result in no advantage is usually a bad strategy.

Chess 101Create Your Own

STRATEGY

Here is where YOU become a teacher!Whoa, those last drill questions were a bit tricky. Time to do a little thinking about strategy.

In just a few sentences, try to explain the truth behind each of the previous drill’s questionsand answers.

Be creative, have fun…

…show your teacher and the world what you can figure out about chess strategy.

Chess 101

StrategyMaterial Advantage: the beginning of the end

Material advantage refers to having a stronger army than your opponent and using this advantage to dominate and win the game.

Relative point value of the pieces:• pawns are each worth one point• knights are each worth three points• bishops are each worth three points• rooks are each worth five points• the queen is worth nine points• the king is priceless!

Module 3

Things to remember for you’ll learn them one way or another:• a weaker army that is very well positioned can win the game• as pawns near promotion they gain value in their potential to be promoted• near the end of a game, with few pieces left, the king becomes an offensive weapon

Chess 101

Strategy

Drill 3-2

1. How many points is the black army worth?

2. How many points is the white army worth?

3. Its white’s turn to move: with about 40 choices there are a few good choices and one that is the absolute best move to make. What is white’s absolute best move to make?

4. Its black’s turn to move: with about 20 choices there are a few good choices and one that is the absolute best move to make. What is black’s absolute best move to make?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUTThis one position and the questions above can lead to some interesting theories of the game. How many theories (possible strategies or methods of thinking about every move in every game) can you come up with?

Chess 101

Strategy3-2 Answers

1. Black’s army is worth 7 points: R = 5, each pawn = 1.2. White’s army is worth 15 points: Q = 9, B = 3, each pawn = 1.3. White’s absolute best move to make is: Qxg7++.4. Black’s absolute best move to make is: Rb1+, white can only delay defeat by blocking the check with the bishop at e1 which the rook takes for checkmate or with the queen at c1 which the rook takes followed by the bishop block.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT1. When its your move look for a checkmate and take it (why do anything else?).2. A well positioned army that is weaker can still win the game.3. Mating ‘nets’ (checks that force further checks that lead to mate) are worth finding.4. A back door, an escape route, for the king in the endgame can save the game.

Chess 101

Successful players know that losing pieces for no reason leads to defeat while the opposite is also true: capturing more of your enemy army creates an advantage in material that can lead to victory.

Trading pieces of equal value throughout a game creates no material advantage. Trading lesser valued pieces for higher valued pieces creates material advantage.

If a piece of yours is trapped, is going to be captured, it is often better to capture any enemy piece and ‘die’ then just letting it be captured for free.

The general who wins the battle makes many calculations before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand. -Sun Tzu

StrategyModule 3

Material Advantage

Chess 101

In chess material refers to soldiers in an army, the pieces, their number and strength. The masters have learned that each piece has different strengths and weaknesses and therefore, different values.

The standard scale of piece power is:

Pawn 1 point

Knight 3 points

Bishop 3+ points

Rook 5 points

Queen 9 points

If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril. - Sun Tzu

Note that the King has no point value for to lose it means defeat; yet, it often is an offensive weapon in the end game. Remember to always protect your King!

StrategyModule 3

Material Advantage

Chess 101Drill 3-3

MATERIAL ADVANTAGE1. What is the point value for a pawn?

2. What is the point value for a queen?

3. What is the point value for a knight?

4. What is the point value for a bishop?

5. What is the point value for a king?

6. What is the point value for a rook?7. What is the point value for each army at the beginning of a game? (not including the king) 8. For the position at the right, what are

the point value totals for each color? (not including the kings)

Chess 1013-3 Answers

MATERIAL ADVANTAGE1. The point value for a pawn is one.

2. The point value for a queen is nine.

3. The point value for a knight is three.

4. The point value for a bishop is three.5. The point value for a king is priceless or nothing.

6. The point value for a rook is five.7. Each army starts with a point value of 39 not counting the king.

8. For the position at the right, the point value for white is 30 and black is 28.

(not including the kings)

Chess 101Create Your Own

MATERIAL ADVANTAGEHere is where YOU become a teacher!

Create, save, and turn in at least five questions and answersconcerning material advantage. Make up a story, or two, about material advantage.

Be creative, have fun…

…show your teacher and the world what you know about material advantage!

Chess Module Review

The previous drills were for you to know the material in this module before being tested on it. You can always review the course material that you’ve learned…and you should do this if you miss ANY of the drill exercises.

Play at least three games for practice or ratingSubmit notated games for grading

Module 3 Chess 101

Chess 101

Strategy1. What does strategy refer to?2. What is the ultimate strategy in chess?3. Controlling the center of the board refers to what four squares on the board?

Questions 4 - 14: True or False4. Moving a chess piece twice or more during the opening game is good strategy.5. Developing knights before bishops is bad strategy.6. It is good strategy to develop your pieces on only one side of the board.7. Trading pieces of even value in a way that develops an additional piece for you

but not your opponent is good strategy.8. Trading a stronger piece of yours for a weaker opponent’s piece is good

strategy.9. Early attacks that result in no advantage is usually a bad strategy.10. If it is your move and you are not in check, the best thing to do is see if you have

a checkmate move to make against your opponent.11. A well positioned army that is very weak compared to the opponent can still win

the game.12. It is usually good strategy to have a back door, an escape route, for your king.13.Two rooks are worth more than a queen.14.Two knights, or a bishop and a knight, are worth more than a queen.

Test #4

Chess 101

Strategy

1. Strategy refers to an overall plan to achieve a goal.2. The ultimate strategy in chess is to win the game.3. The squares d4, d5, e4 and e5.4. False5. False6. False7. True8. False9. True10.True11. True12.True13.True14.False

Answers

Chess 101TacticsPIN

MOVESA pin locks an enemy piece (defensively) where it is so it can’t be moved.

Black’s bishop is pinning the white rook which can’t be moved because its king would then be in check.

Black’s queen is pinned by the white rook. Since it will be captured its best move would be to capture the rook even though white’s bishop would then take it.

Module 4

Chess 101

White’s queen is pinning black’s rook and bishop. In this position black can not save both pinned pieces.

Black can gain a material advantage by pinning the white queen with Bb4.

TacticsPIN

MOVES

Module 4

Chess 101

White pins the rook at d5 with 1. Bb2Can you find the mating net if for black, if black were to move first?

White is down in material but can pin and win the black rook with Bb2.

TacticsPIN

MOVES

Module 4

PIN MOVES

Chess 101Drill 4-2

1. White to move and gain a material advantage. How can white do it?

2. How can black save the game?

3. How can black win a piece?

Chess 1014-2 Answers

1. Nxf5…NxN 2. Rf2

2. 1. …QxQ+ 2. KxQ Bb7

3. 1. …Qxe2+ 2. QxQ RxR

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory. - Sun Tzu

PIN MOVES

Chess 101Create Your Own

PIN MOVES

Here is where YOU become a teacher!Create, save, and turn in at least five questions and answers concerning pin moves. Make up a story, or two, about pin moves.

Be creative, have fun…

…show your teacher and the world what you know about pin moves!

TEST #6 CHESS 101TACTICS: Pin

1. What move is black’s to pin?

2. What move is black’s pin?

3. What move is white’s pin?

4. What move is black’s pin?

5. What move is white’s pin?

6. What move is black’s pin?

7. What move is white’s pin?

8. What move is white’s pin?

#6 answers CHESS 101TACTICS: Pin

1. R x R2. Bb73. Bb24. Rd85. B x N6. Rd27. Bg58. Rc7