Table of Contents

1. Overview
1. Typical Chess Journey
2. Where to Begin
1. Board Setup and How Pieces Move
2. Basic Moves and Tactics
3. Special/Advanced Moves and Stalemate
4. Openings and Defenses
5. Lookup and Review Historical Grandmaster Games
3. Daily Practice
4. Middlegame - Pawn Structures
1. Isolani
2. Isolani (reverse colors)
3. Hanging Pawns
4. Hanging Pawns (reverse colors)
5. Carlsbad - Orthodox Exchange
6. Carlsbad - Orthodox Exchange (reverse colors)

Where are you on your Chess Journey?

The path detailed below is fairly typical for those learning to play chess. It is important to point out, that the journey listed below takes time. Some will traverse it faster than others, but it takes years, even decades to master in most cases.

The ultimate goal of anyone who plays chess is to 'win and have fun doing it'. Let's be clear, nobody plays chess in the hopes of losing or even to obtain a draw. Anyone who approaches the chess board to play would like to win. What keeps people coming back to the game is whether or not they are enjoying it or 'having fun' playing it.

Having fun does include that feelilng of winning, but it is so much more. It also includes that feeling when you lose; that moment when you want to try again because you know you will do better. To truly 'have fun' at anything, you must enjoy the struggle to become better. Losing no longer is the enemy, but a reminder that there is still more to learn. It takes time to master any activity, and chess is no exception. You know you are enjoying chess when in those moments of frustration and wanting to walk away, you find yourself complelled to come back again and again. Having fun involves getting to know others in the chess community and together bonding over the common struggle. The players of our club have begun friendships and become mentors/mentees over this shared journey.

If you are willing to grow at any activity, willing to put in the time, not afraid to lose and take some lumps along the way, willing to get know others who have similar goals and desire in the community, you too will find the meaning of 'having fun' as you proceed through your journey of success.

The Typical Chess Journey

• Beginning Your Journey:
  • Setting up the board
  • How pieces move
  • Central Squares/Control


• Taking your first steps:
  • Playing against others (or a bot)
  • Randomly making moves that look okay
  • Learning that there seems to be a pattern to starting the game
  • Central Squares/Control


• Gaining momentum:
  • Learning an opening for white
  • Learning a defense (or two) for black
  • Begin studying endgame tactics and mating patterns


• Moving beyond the basics:
  • Expanding your study of openings and variations for white
  • Expanding your study of defenses and variations for black
  • Daily practicing puzzles of tactics and endgame mating patterns


• Moving toward mastery:
  • Understanding the purpose of your openings/defenses
  • Begin to study the transition to the mid-game strategy (pawn structures)
  • Mastery of the basic tactics and exploration of advanced tactics and endgames
  • Review prior Grandmaster games for specific positions and openings


• Entering into mastery:
  • Being able to transpose from one opening/defense into another (or more)
  • Understanding the difference between strategy (pawn structures) and taking advantage of tactics
  • Understanding how to play to and during the endgame


• Mastery - The moment you realize there is still more to learn and experience:
  • Consistency of play in the opening, mid-game and endgame
  • Moving between strategy (positional play) and tactics is seamless

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Where do I begin?

Lichess provides free access to what any novice needs to start playing the game. Start your journey today and take those first steps.

Learn the basics here:

• How do the pieces move?
• How do I play?
• How do I setup the board?
• What is castling?
• What is En Passant?
• What are pieces worth? Was that a good trade?

Board Setup and Moving Pieces

Learn how the relative importance of each piece and how they move. Also learn how to setup of the board for your first game. Lichess gives free access to learning how the pieces move. Once you know how the pieces move, play Fritz on the beginner level.

Piece Name - Value	Click to Learn More
Setup the Board	Board Setup
Pawn = 1pt	Pawn
Knight = 3pts	Knight
Bishop = 3pts	Bishop
Rook = 5pts	Rook
Queen = 9pts	Queen
King = The Game	King

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Basic Moves and Tactics

When playing, you need to know how to get your pieces to move and work together to build an attack. If it is your move and you can get checkmate, then finish the game with a win or else your opponent may get you the very next turn. Try to make moves that force your opponent to move pieces where they may not want to go (gain a tempo) or to create multiple attacks that can not be easily stopped.

A good beginning while playing is to ask yourself these basic questions before each move to find the best move, while avoiding making a mistake and losing:

1. Checkmate
1. Can I checkmate my opponent and win the game?
2. Can my opponent checkmate me and win the game?


2. Check or Gain Tempo
1. Can I check my opponent and force a move or win a piece?
2. Can my opponent check me and force a move or win a piece?


3. Hanging Pieces or Bad Trades
1. Are any of my pieces being attacked and if so, are they unprotected and can I win a trade materially and/or positionally?
2. Am I attacking any of my opponents pieces and if so, are they unprotected and can I win the trade materially and/or positionally?

Moves and Tactics	Click to Learn More
Checkmate	Mate in 1
Check Tempo	Check in 1
You're in Check	Out of Check
Combat Each Other	Combat
Capture a Piece	Capture
Defend a Piece	Protection

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Special/Advanced Moves and Draw/Stalemate

You now know the standard moves; try these special moves to improve your game.

Special Moves	Click to Learn More
Castling - King Safety	Castling
En Passant	En Passant
Draw/Stalemate	Stalemate

All the above information can be found on Lichess.org: Lichess.org
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Middlegame Preparation - Pawn Structures

You play your favorite opening. You have memorized all the variations.

But why?

The point of a good opening is to prepare your pieces for the middlegame. Beginners at Chess focus on the openings and endgame tactics. What happended to all that stuff in the middle? How do you know your opening was successful? How you do you prepare for a successful endgame?

The answer lies with what many beginners and intermediate players take for granted: the humble pawn. Though it has the lowest value in the game, there are more pawns than any other piece and they are the only pieces that can not move backward. A single pawn can make or break a winning position. We are taught or learn early on that controlling the center, especially with pawns, is critical with winning at chess. What many beginners and intermediate players do not realize is that the point of your opening is to build a 'good' pawn formation and support it with the other pieces. The pawn formation dictates your attacking chances, location of your supporting pieces and prepares you for those endgame positions you have been practicing so hard at mastering.

So what is a 'good' pawn formation? The following section is going to show the common pawn formations and discuss the attacking and defensive ideas for each. Memorizing these will help improve your opening and transition to middlegame play.

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Isolated d-Pawn / Isolani

White Goals	Black Goals
Isolated d-Pawn or Isolani Pawn Structure Queens Gambit French Defense – Tarrasch Defense London System Note: Isolani pawn is a strength in the middlegame, but a weakness in the endgame.
Middlegame Potential Knight Outposts on e5/c5 Must create an attack before pieces are traded down d4-d5 pawn break after d-pawn exchange, no-pawn center pawn structure only when you have a lead in development only if your pieces are more active in the center NOTE: side with the more active pieces in the middle when cleared has the advantage Example of ideal piece position for d4-d5 break: Kingside attack Attack f7 weakness; possible Knight sacrifice Remove e6 pawn with f2-f4,f5 push Rook Lift to 3rd rank; position on f, g, or h-files Queen Lift to 3rd rank; position on h3 Advance the h-pawn; especially if g6 is played Potential sacrifice of dark-square bishop on h7 or h6 Queenside attack Bishop to a6 to control c8; support with Rook on c-file if b-pawn moves b7-b5, then use c5 as a Knight outpost Rook to c7, if possible Pawn on c3 (e.g. due to Knight exchange) - aka Isolated Pawn Couple Push pawn to c4 to control critical c4-d5 squares Extra support for d4-d5 push Opens up Kingside attack for more aggressive play Endgame Hard to defend an Isolani with a Knight in an endgame Opposite Color Bishop endgames with an Isolani on the same color as its bishop are typically drawish Trade Rooks and Queens as these make the isolani a huge weakness	Middlegame Control the square directly in front of the Isolani; ideally with a knight Trade down pieces and get to an endgame Build up an attack on the isolated pawn;force white to defend it Only push g6 or h6 if absolutely necessary; otherwise you are weakening your position d4-d5 pawn break defense Place minor piece, idealy a knight on d5 Trade down pieces Move Rooks to control c-file and center (d or e-file) Exchange Rookds, if possible NOTE: side with the more active pieces in the middle when cleared has the advantage Queenside attack Keep white's bishop out of a6 Be certain before playing b5; creating an outpost on c5 for white Get rook to c8 as quickly as possible Endgame Control the square directly in front of the Isolani; ideally with a king Create a second weakness (the Principal of Two Weaknesses); Isolani will fall If Rooks or the Queen are the only remaining pieces, do not trade down as the isolani becomes a weakness for the owner in the endgame
Reverse Colors:

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White Goals	Black Goals
Reverse Colors:

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Carlsbad - Orthodox Exchange (w/ Reverse Colors)

White Goals	Black Goals
Carlsbad - Orthodox Exchange Queen's Gambit Accepted Nimzo-Indian Defense Grunfeld Defense Semi-Slav Caro-Kann Advance Variation
Note: This structure is similar to the e5/d5 Pawn structures; they are different Break Open the Middle: e3-e4 push Note: Unprotected e3-e4 push may transpose to Isolani Pawn Structure White must shift attacking ideas if Isolani forms Could use f2-f3 prior to e3-e4 push Note: f2-f3 protection can transpose into a Hanging Pawn Structure. White must be able to support the center pawns >Minority Attack on Queen-side Queen-side Attack: Direction of Pawns Control Semi-Open c-file Potential c5 Knight outpost	Break Open the Middle:c6-c5 push Note: c6-c5 push can transpose into an Isolani-reverse color Pawn Structure Black must be prepared to adjust the attack for this change in structure. Could use b7-b6 to support c6-c5 push Note: b7-b6 protection can tanspose into a Hanging Pawn Structure Black must be able to support the center pawns Control Semi-Open e-file King-side Attack: Direction of Pawns King-side pawn storm needs to be slower to protect the King Lead with pieces then advance pawns Potential e4 Knight outpost b7-b5 after white starts the minority attack protect backward c6 pawn potential c4-Knight outpost
Reverse Colors: Carlsbad - Orthodox Exchange London System Caro-Kann Exchange Variation
Example from the London-System
Reverse Ideas from above Break Open the Middle:c3-c4 push Note: c3-c4 push can transpose into an Isolani-reverse color Pawn Structure White must be prepared to adjust the attack for this change in structure. Could use b2-b3 to support c3-c4 push Note: b2-b3 protection can tanspose into a Hanging Pawn Structure White must be able to support the center pawns Control Semi-Open e-file King-side Attack: Direction of Pawns King-side pawn storm needs to be slower to protect the King Lead with pieces then advance pawns Potential e5 Knight outpost b2-b4 after white starts the minority attack protect backward c3 pawn potential c5-Knight outpost	Reverse Ideas from above Break Open the Middle: e6-e5 push Note: Unprotected e6-e5 push may transpose to Isolani Pawn Structure Black must shift attacking ideas if Isolani forms Could use f7-f6 prior to e6-e7 push Note: f7-f6 protection can transpose into a Hanging Pawn Structure. Black must be able to support the center pawns >Minority Attack on Queen-side Queen-side Attack: Direction of Pawns Control Semi-Open c-file Potential c4 Knight outpost

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