67
votes
How should I make a 6 year old think more?
What else can I do to make her understand this
Wait a few years. A 6 year-old's mental capacity is very limited. The good news is that at that age and for several years to come her mental capability ...
- 88k
39
votes
How to learn chess if you're still a 3-digit rating after a few years
Very simple.
Join a chess club and play people face-to-face. You'll improve rapidly after that.
- 88k
38
votes
Accepted
What should I do when I have no ideas and no strategies?
This is very hard to answer since the question is very broad, but in the opening, always ask yourself "what piece haven't I moved out yet?" If you move pieces twice or three times in the opening, and ...
- 32.3k
36
votes
What is a good strategy for blocking your opponent from checkmating you even though they always win?
There is a tried and tested strategy which works better than all others although it takes some time.
That is quite simply to get your opponent to go over the game with you afterwards and point out to ...
- 88k
31
votes
Accepted
How should I make a 6 year old think more?
From my 15 years experience as a chess teacher - and then chess dad.
Stop telling her to think longer !
This is the wrong thing to do.
First, it is useless: as you have noticed, even telling her so ...
- 14.2k
30
votes
Accepted
Did Bobby Fischer actually write "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess"?
Basically, no.
It was co-authored by Stuart Margulies and Don Mosenfelder, and while Fischer may have contributed a little, it is generally accepted that he just lent his name to the project.
Soltis,...
- 32.3k
27
votes
How should I make a 6 year old think more?
Math educator here. It's very difficult for children at this age to think much ahead in their heads.
According to Piaget's theory, they don't even reach "concrete operational" stage at this age, ...
- 371
27
votes
Why is 1. d4 2. c4 3. b3 so bad for white?
Stockfish evaluation is not the only criterion to determine whether a move is sound or not. The main issue with committing so early to 3.b3 (against this particular Black setup) is that there are no ...
- 15.6k
26
votes
How to learn chess if you're still a 3-digit rating after a few years
The first thing to learn once you know how the pieces move is basic tactics and general strategy.
Tactics: In certain positions it is possible to gain an advantage doing a certain move or sequence of ...
- 20.6k
26
votes
Accepted
As a beginner, how do I learn to win in "won" positions?
There are two key things you need to do.
The first is to know how to win a won endgame. You do that by studying endgames. That will do two important things for you. Apart from teaching you how to win ...
- 88k
26
votes
Basic "mate in one move" puzzle - what am I missing?
You are absolutely right! The black king can move to d8 and e7 and then there's no follow up mate. Most probably there's a white queen/bishop on h4 to prevent the black king from escaping (which is ...
- 1,410
24
votes
Accepted
What is so great about Bxa3?
Black wrecks white's pawn structure
Black gains in development since he's trading an undeveloped piece for a developed one.
Although the center is sill fluid, black's dark square bishop is currently ...
- 4,249
24
votes
Accepted
Why is g3 a bad move here?
Pawn structure.
Allowing the exchange ...Nxf4 gxf4 simply weakens your structure considerably. The pawns on f2, f4 and h2 are disjointed and cannot protect each other anymore.
Black can immediately ...
- 5,878
22
votes
Accepted
Why is Qf3 better than Nf3?
It comes with the threat of Qa8+, which forces black to return the knight.
And white is up material, so exchanges are good.
- 27.2k
21
votes
Accepted
Why is 4…Bb4 an inaccuracy in the Berlin Defense?
Easy: The bishop not only shoots thin air, but also asks to be kicked around with c3, such that White wins a tempo with a move he likes to play anyway in Italian/Spanish positions to make a big center ...
- 13.8k
20
votes
Accepted
What should you do when opponent opens with excessive pawn moves?
The thing is, in this example you opponent didn't play all that badly. h6 and g5 looks too risky to me, but blunting your bishop (with d6) and gaining space on the queenside makes some sense. Right ...
- 19.1k
19
votes
How to learn chess if you're still a 3-digit rating after a few years
I recognize that attitude.
Remember, first, that chess is HARD. That's why it took so long to get computers to be able to play it well. The rules are simple enough but understanding how those rules ...
- 291
18
votes
Accepted
Moving the queen early in the game - beginner
The main issue with developing your queen early is that it is a very valuable piece, so pretty much any time your opponent threatens to take it, he is threatening to win material. (Contrast with ...
- 14.8k
18
votes
Accepted
How are the scores decided in Chess?
Those aren't scores; there are just three possible scores in chess: White wins, Black wins, and draw.
Those are evaluations of the chess engine; a score of +0.62 means the engine thinks White's ...
- 24.5k
18
votes
Accepted
En passant for beginners
How can we teach this rule to a Beginner? (in a plain language or
simplified way or associating any story to it)
The history gives the story.
At one time pawns could only move one square at a time ...
- 88k
18
votes
As a beginner, how do I learn to win in "won" positions?
I remember reading about this from one of GM Yasser Seirawan's books. What you want to do is:
Pick a target
Figure out how to attack it
In this case the obvious target is the White pawn on a3. Why ...
- 24.3k
18
votes
Why is 1. d4 2. c4 3. b3 so bad for white?
There are 3 main reasons for this move to be inaccurate.
It doesn't place any pressure on black's position.
It weakens c3, allowing black to "force" your knight to the more passive square ...
- 5,151
18
votes
How to pass 1000 elo
Probably the number one thing that can improve your chess at that level is better tactical awareness, both offensively and defensively. Here are some positions from just one of your games:
[FEN "...
- 17.3k
17
votes
What should I do when I have no ideas and no strategies?
Some typical things to look out for in the middle game in order to develop a plan... This assumes that it is a relatively quiet position without any imminent tactics that need to be taken care of ...
- 20.6k
16
votes
Can playing blindfold chess be learned or is it a natural skill?
It is obviously a learned skill. No-one pops into the world after gestating for 9 months able to play blindfold chess! Just as no-one arrives destined to be an International footballer, genius ...
- 407
16
votes
Accepted
Beginner Tactics - Why Isn't This Mate?
1...Qb2 is not a legal move because black is in check; 1...Rc6 blocks the check. Another alternative to block the check is 1...Qc6, but that would drop the knight on d3.
[FEN "k1r4r/p6p/5p2/3Q4/1R5P/...
- 6,536
16
votes
What is so great about Bxa3?
Strong positives:
Damages white's pawn structure.
Paves the way for quick kingside castling.
Prevents Nc4, which would centralize the knight and attack e5.
Mild positives:
Removes a potentially &...
- 955
16
votes
Accepted
Why is 3...c5 a blunder in the Center Game Accepted?
3...c5 gets two question marks deservedly, not because it loses material, but because it is extremely antipositional and a strong player would win as White on autopilot. The c5 pawn is weak itself, it ...
- 7,741
16
votes
Are hypermodern openings not recommended for beginners?
Hypermodern openings are typically not recommended to beginners.
They disregard some opening principles (prima facie) which beginners need to understand before "breaking" them. (That is &...
- 5,294
15
votes
What should you do when opponent opens with excessive pawn moves?
Yes, you have a cramped position and your game will be difficult if you don't find a solution.
Advanced pawns are generally harder to hold on to. Your opponent has given you many targets and now he'...
- 20.1k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible