How To Play Chess?

Chess is a game that needs no introduction. With an origin that can be traced back some 1500 years, it has adopted various iterations as it spread across the globe, before settling on the variation we all know and love in the early 16th century. To say it is popular would be a vast understatement, given the fact that over 70% of the entire world’s population have played chess at some point in their lives, and an estimated 605 million actively play on a regular basis!

Enough talking! If you just started to play chess, here is a quick guid ⬇️

First, learn how the pieces move:

• The King: The VIP of the game. He’s not the fastest, moving only one square at a time, but lose him, and the game's over. Guard him like your favorite playlist.
• The Queen: She’s the powerhouse, moving any number of squares in any direction. Think of her as the ultimate multitasker.
• Rooks, Knights, Bishops: These are your heavy hitters. Rooks slide across the board in straight lines, bishops glide diagonally, and knights? They’ve got the fanciest move – an L-shaped jump that can leap over other pieces. Talk about crowd surfing!
• Pawns: They might seem small, but they’ve got big dreams. Moving forward one square at a time, with the option to go two on their first move, they're the unsung heroes waiting to become queens.

Once you know how the pieces move, you need to learn how to start a game. It always starts with an opening, corresponding to the first moves of the game. It's very important as it sets the foundation for the rest of the game. Your objective during the opening is to develop your pieces, control the center, and keep your king safe.

You should pick one opening as the White pieces. To do so, start your first games with 1.e4 or 1.d4, and see what suits you best. Then, you can pick an appropriate opening. As Black pieces, you should have a response to 1.e4 and 1.d4. These two moves are the most popular.

After the opening comes the middlegame and this is where the real game begins. Keep an eye on your opponent's moves, look for opportunities, and always think a few moves ahead. It’s like planning your next three weekends. One thing you have to know is the difference between strategy and tactic. Strategy refers to the plan you have for the overall game. Tactics skills on the other hand refers to some moves combination (2-5 moves deep) with which you obtain some advantage.
A blend of strategy and tactics should make you win the game! However sometimes it's not enough, and you will reach the endgame.

The endgame is the final stage of a chess game. It begins when few pieces are left on the board. However, there is no strict criterion for when an endgame begins. In any case, what you need to know is that in an endgame, the pawns are fearsome. Generally speaking, the aim is to be the first to promote your pawns to queens. If you do so, the game is won (most of the time 😉).

How to win at chess?

• Checkmate: Any game position in which a player's king is in check (threatened with capture) and there is no possible escape.
• Running out of time: If a player runs out of time, he loses the game.
• Resigning: A player can give up and therefore lose the game instantly.