John Herron - Author at TheChessWorld Blog
John Herron is a retired computer programmer & analyst who now works part-time teaching chess to children.
John has taught thousands of children to play chess with his 1-2-3 approach.
He finished tied for first place in the 1992 U.S. Open Chess Tournament, Class C. He also coached a two-time Scripps National Spelling Bee finalist. His interests include artificial intelligence, backgammon, chess, go, poker, scrabble, bicycling, sailing, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, and wallyball.
John is also the author of numerous chess books including Total Chess and Totally Puzzled.
Chess Articles by John Herron
Total Chess: Opening Mistakes
There are three things you should try not to do in the opening. They will hurt your game rather than help it. There are some exceptions, but generally these are mistakes you should avoid.Total Chess: chess piece’s maneuvers
Pawn Maneuvers Pawns are the weakest pieces on the chess board. They are slow moving and unable to retreat because they cannot move backward. They can be easy to attack and difficult to defend. It is no wonder that many beginners completely ignore their pawns and concentrate on their more valuable pieces. Yet, pawns are […]Total Chess: King & Rook vs. King
It is easier to checkmate with two rooks than with one rook. Therefore, this endgame is harder than the king and two rooks versus king endgame. However, if you follow the three steps for this endgame, you will always be able to get checkmate.Total Chess: King & Queen vs. King
This is the most common endgame in chess. It usually comes about when you promote a pawn to a queen, and then you have to checkmate the opponent to win the game. The best way to do this is to follow the three steps for this endgame. You will be able to force the opponent […]Total Chess: Midgame Strategy and Finding Checkmate
The midgame is the most complicated and difficult part of a chess game. All of the pieces are in play, and there are complex maneuvers and tactical battles. The game sometimes ends in the midgame. There are three main strategies for playing the midgame. 1) Attack: To win a chess game you must attack. If […]Total Chess: Finding Tactics
Tactics are moves that help you win pieces. When you win pieces, you gain points and take the lead in material. When you take the lead in material, you have a better chance to win the game. Tactics also make immediate threats to gain advantage. Sometimes, just the threat to use tactics can improve your […]Total Chess: Endgame Strategy
The endgame is the final phase of a chess game. It may seem easy since there are very few pieces left, but often it is not. Some of the most difficult play in chess comes in the endgame. Good endgame technique is the sign of a strong chess player. In the endgame, most of the […]Total Chess: Opening Strategy
A chess game begins with the opening. The opening is the first ten to fifteen moves. Get off to a good start and you will have a good game. Get off to a bad start and you will have a bad game. There are three strategies you should use to begin your games. These strategies […]Total Chess: Win, Lose or Draw
When you put the opponent in checkmate, you win the game. When the opponent puts you in checkmate, you lose the game. The game ends with checkmate. There is another way for you to win the game, though, and that is when the opponent gives up or resigns. It may not be checkmate yet, but […]Total Chess: Check, Checkmate, Stalemate
There are three ways to attack the king. It is very important to know all three ways, and the differences between them. 1) Check: When the king is under attack by one of the opponent’s pieces, the king is in check. When your king is in check, you must get out of check. You are […]
