Stalemate is probably the most dramatic way of making a draw in a chess game. It is a common situation when a beginner tries to checkmate with lots of pieces against a lonely king, and then suddenly… stalemate and tears. But actually, this topic is much deeper than that. In this article, we will start with more basic stuff, and next, go to more advanced positions to see how wonderful a stalemate can be.
One of the concepts you’ve certainly heard or come across in your studying is planning. It is something every coach teaches their pupils right from the start, albeit with different words. Each move has to have an idea is something each of us has heard before. And while the level of difficulty of this idea will change with our chess understanding, this is still the essence of the word “plan”.
Chess Gambit is an opening where one side sacrifices material, hoping to achieve an advantageous resulting position. In most cases, in exchange for the material that side gets better development, weakens the opponent’s king, or opens some lines for an attack. If we compare chess gambits with life, it is like trying to prove mind over matter, trying to reject the philosophy of materialism. This is why there are so many fans of chess gambits all over the world. Besides being a truly romantic approach, it brings more fun into the game.
He has been number one in chess for over 10 years. He holds the record for the longest unbeaten streak in classical games. He is the current world champion in classical, blitz, and rapid chess at the same time. Many people consider him the best chess player ever. His name is Magnus Carlsen.
Even those who don’t know how to play chess are wondering what makes him so special, what qualities allow him to show such incredible results. Some assume that the secret is his phenomenal memory; others believe that he has an extremely high IQ level.
Working on strategic understanding is essential for players of any level if they want to improve. And club players know it as well, but they often prefer working on tactics instead. It is understandable; you can solve lots of puzzles to sharpen your tactical vision and then try to score some quick wins by spotting blunders. The strategy seems to be more complicated and less attractive, and so often it remains neglected. Although no one would argue that it is useful, it sounds too abstract. What are the specific benefits?
Once you’ve learned all there is to know about the chessboard and how to set it up, it’s time to see how those figurines you’ve just arranged on their starting squares move.
One thing to remember from the very beginning is that they have different values, so I’m going to start the presentation in ascending order.
If you have been playing chess for a while, you are probably familiar with the terms “evaluation” or “assessment” of the position. All variations in chess books and magazines end with an evaluation and you have surely heard players ending their lines with words like “white is slightly better” or “black is clearly better” or “this side has a decisive advantage”. Things may seem fairly simple when the evaluation is given to you by someone else, but it isn’t that easy in practice when you will have to do the same in your games, for example. Evaluating a position correctly is an important skill for a chess player, for a number of reasons.
The popular French writer/reformer Voltaire once said, “The danger which is least expected soonest comes to us.”
When it comes to chess, this quote is especially relevant. In order to limit the danger potentially thrown at us by our opponent, how can we ensure the best safety for our king? [hint: castling]
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You look at great attacking games in the history of chess and everything looks so easy and logical. Then you go to the game, inspired and ready to create a deadly attack, but somehow that’s not as easy to achieve as you thought in the first place. So, how do they do it? How come some players always seem to get positions where they can attack?
