Questions tagged [beginner]
Questions of interest to or relating to new players.
21
questions
39
votes
17
answers
39k
views
Good openings for a beginner (for white)
I am a beginner in chess and I like to play some of my friends who are basically at the same level. Usually who wins is based on who makes that one amazing (and lucky) move and quite frankly I want to ...
- 1,069
43
votes
15
answers
49k
views
Can playing blindfold chess be learned or is it a natural skill?
Any blindfold players here? Just wondering if blindfold chess is a skill that can be learned by amateurs like me or a natural skill by chess GM's, IM's, etc.
- 811
18
votes
3
answers
2k
views
En passant for beginners
When I started playing chess, I learned many of the rules of chess on my own.
I was playing chess online, and then I realised that pawns can capture in such a fashion. At first, it was weird to me. ...
- 307
4
votes
5
answers
932
views
What advice would you give a novice in Chess?
I am a bit of a new blood when it comes to Chess. Oh I know how to play but before I started getting more serious it was more like flailing about and hoping for the best. Recently I came to the ...
- 49
31
votes
16
answers
11k
views
How to learn chess if you're still a 3-digit rating after a few years
I know how all the pieces move and I've learned about castling and en passant. But all I do is play online against other people and get wrecked because I don't know how to "play."
I make ...
- 411
9
votes
5
answers
36k
views
Is there any good app for learning openings?
My great fail is that I cannot learn opening or initial play.
Normally I only play when I can connect to my mobile app (Chess Free on iOS), and play at a very low level (adjusted as a single bar), ...
- 193
10
votes
3
answers
6k
views
How are the scores decided in Chess?
Consider the following pictures:
I would like to understand the following:
My understanding is that it depends on the opponent's move against our move. Am I right?
What is the minimum and maximum ...
user10872
3
votes
2
answers
646
views
How to analyse an endgame quickly?
I am a relatively new player (less than 1 year, ungraded) but I feel I have made good progress so far. I am playing competitively with players in the 1300-1500 region and would like to continue my ...
- 335
3
votes
1
answer
283
views
Chess programs that mimic some amateurs
Is there such a thing as a chess program that at random times can vary it's strength of play between say a beginner and an expert? Or maybe a program that a certain random times makes subtle or ...
- 369
15
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What book should I refer to to begin learning chess?
I'm a highschool student and want to play chess seriously. A friend of mine taught me the basic rules of the game. What book should I refer to to begin learning chess?
I tried Capablanca's Chess ...
- 253
58
votes
14
answers
21k
views
How should I make a 6 year old think more?
I have been teaching my 6 year old daughter chess for past 2 years. She plays reasonably well. She often defeats level 25 in Chess Lv 100 app and sometimes Level 6 in Chess.com app. So I am guessing ...
- 691
5
votes
7
answers
2k
views
Does chess improve our intelligence?
This is my first question in Chess, so I hope my question is simple.
I know about chess but I am not a regular player. But my friend told me that everyday play chess is good for your mind and also ...
- 159
30
votes
4
answers
7k
views
As a beginner, how do I learn to win in "won" positions?
I'm fairly new to chess (~3 months) and I have almost entirely been playing on chess.com where my rating sits somewhere between 1000 and 1100. Recently, I decided to sign up for lichess.org, where I ...
- 970
8
votes
4
answers
707
views
Beginner Chess Question: Bringing out my queen early?
Sometimes I bring my queen out early, however GMs say "Queen is vulnerable to attack and hinders development" I agree with that but most of the time I only bring it to f3 or around the 3rd-rank ex. b3/...
- 379
2
votes
1
answer
270
views
What are some good tactics books?
I am looking for books with exercises to improve at tactics. It seems that there are lots of options.
My definition of what constitutes a “good” tactics books is variety. Even if the book focuses on a ...
- 1,050
10
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Which of these two endgame books?
I am a beginner (approximately 1400) seeking to improve my endgame technique. Which one of these books would you recommend as suitable for my strength and why?
100 Endgames you must know by Jesus de ...
- 499
3
votes
3
answers
732
views
What are some resources for someone past beginner but not yet intermediate?
I've been playing chess off and on for the better part of 15 years, however, I've never done it enough to count myself as any good at it. I'd like to get better, but intermediate guides go over my ...
- 133
3
votes
2
answers
637
views
How to start learning chess? [duplicate]
I have always wanted to learn how to play chess, but I don't know how to start. I downloaded chess apps on my smartphone and PC but I didn't learn anything. I also contacted some local chess clubs to ...
- 229
3
votes
1
answer
583
views
Commented games for beginners
I'm looking for a website where we can find annotated games for beginners. I mean games with basic comments and lenght of the game is short.
The best would be that we can see the pieces moving but ...
- 905
2
votes
6
answers
441
views
Best practical chances after g5 forking knight and bishop
I am a beginner playing white and it's my turn to move. What is the best possible move in response to this fork?
[title "Game position after fork:"]
[fen "r1bqr1k1/ppp2p2/2n1pn1p/3p2p1/1b1P1N1B/...
- 145
2
votes
5
answers
880
views
Programs to help beginners to practice Chess
I'm a beginner in chess and I want to get better at this game. I was wondering if there are some programs that help you to practice your game. For example: practicing the openings, that contains ...
- 121