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Kerry McDermott’s GOOD CHESS BASICS
OPENING (about moves 1-10)
CHECK THE THREATS - captures, checks, forks, pins, discovered attacks.
Open with king and/or queen pawn up 2 spaces. Move 3 pawns at most in
opening.
Develop most of your pieces (not pawns) before doing anything else.
Control the four center squares with pawns and pieces.
Castle king into safety early.
MIDDLE GAME (about moves 11-35)
CHECK THE THREATS - captures, checks, forks, pins, discovered attacks.
If no obvious plans or threats - move least active piece to a useful place.
Avoid isolated/backward/doubled pawns ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF KING.
Trade when ahead, not when behind (P=1, N=3, B=3, R=5, Q=9).
Move several pieces into an area first, then attack that area.
If a piece has more attackers than defenders then it will probably be lost.
END GAME (about moves 35-50)
CHECK THE THREATS - captures, checks, forks, pins, discovered attacks.
Create and advance a 'passed pawn' to make a queen.
Place rooks BEHIND advancing pawns OR on opponent's line (rank) of pawns.
Move king down IN FRONT of pawn to clear the way to queen.
IF no obvious plans or threats - move king to center and force other king
back.
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