30 Chess Principles for the Novice Chess Player

Recommended For Beginners in Chess

1. DON'T bring your KING out with your OPPONENT'S QUEEN on the board.

2. The KING must be ACTIVE in the ENDING.
3. IN SUPERIOR POSITIONS, to ATTACK the ENEMY KING, you must OPEN a file (or less often a diagonal) for your HEAVY PIECES (QUEEN and ROOKS).
4. IN INFERIOR POSITIONS, the best DEFENSE is COUNTER-ATTACK, if possible.
5. IN EVEN POSITIONS, CENTRALIZE the action of ALL your PIECES.
6. Try to maintain at least ONE PAWN in the center.
7. PASSED PAWNS must be PUSHED.
8. ROOKS belong BEHIND PASSED PAWNS.
9. DEVELOP with threats.
10. ALWAYS PLAY TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE CENTER.
11. KNIGHTS before BISHOPS.
12. Have all your moves fit into definite plans.
13. If you are ONLY ONE PAWN ahead, EXCHANGE PIECES, not pawns.
14. When you are material AHEAD, EXCHANGE as many pieces as possible, especially QUEENS.
15. The EASIEST endings to win are PURE PAWN endings.
16. DON'T SACRIFICE without a clear and adequate reason.
17. It is usually worth GIVING UP A PAWN to get a ROOK ON THE SEVENTH RANK.
18. CASTLE as soon as possible, preferably on the KING SIDE.
19. If your opponent has ONE or MORE pieces EXPOSED, look for a COMBINATION.
20. All COMBINATIONS are based on DOUBLE ATTACK.
21. DON'T bring out your QUEEN too early.
22. BLOCKADE PASSED PAWNS with the KING.
23. To win WITHOUT PAWNS, you must be at least a ROOK or TWO MINOR PIECES ahead (two knights excepted).
24. AVOID serious pawn WEAKNESSES.
25. DON'T move the same piece twice.
26. DON'T place your PAWNS on the SAME COLOR SQUARES as your BISHOP.
27. OPEN with a CENTER PAWN.
28. BISHOPS are BETTER than KNIGHTS in all but BLOCKED pawn positions.
29. Make as FEW PAWN MOVES as possible in the opening.
30. In CRAMPED POSITIONS free yourself by EXCHANGING.

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