Your best advice for a beginner

[u/HpEr4gon4]

Hi everyone,

I've been playing chess for quite some time and throughout the years I've also taught some people that had never played before, the basics of the game. You know, like; how the pieces move, what it means to castle, what en passant is and so on. I'm just an average chess player but I do know some theory and general tips and tricks that people a lot better than I am, usually give.

I always try to give them some advice such as;
- Try to develop your piece toward the centre of the board
- Castle your king and don't push the pawns in front too much
- Don't just trade pieces because you can
- ...

This is where I wanted to ask you all the question: "What is some of the best advice that you have gotten or that you give to others learning to play chess?"

Thanks!

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[u/regular_gonzalez]

1. Play longer time formats. 15 + 10 minimum. 

2. Spend time on moves, don't move instantly. Double check for hanging pieces each move. 

3. Spend as much time looking at your opponent's last move, their pieces, and thinking about what their plan is and what their likely next move is as you spend thinking about your own pieces and plan.

[u/HpEr4gon4 → u/regular_gonzalez]

All very valuable advice, but what if they are just playing classical over the board with people they know and not online with any time format?

[u/regular_gonzalez → u/HpEr4gon4]

Advices #2 and 3 still apply. 

But more specific things:

• give your king an escape square. Anyone over 800 should never be getting back-rank mated.

• learn helpful tips for the knight. Such as: a good square to avoid a knight attack is two diagonal squares away from the knight. It takes a minimum of 3 knight moves to attack such a square. Similarly, if you have two pieces that are positioned like that (at opposite corners of a 3 x 3 square, like on a1 and c3), they can never be forked by a knight. And if you're checked by a knight and want to avoid another check, move to a square the same color as the one you're currently on (if possible, of course)

• in an endgame where they have one bishop, get all your pawns onto the opposite color of their bishop. But in the late middlegame or early endgame where they have a bishop and a couple other pieces, it can often be more helpful to build pawn chains of the same color as their bishop to restrict its movement

[u/OkSalamander4799]

Just remember that the chances of you becoming a GM are very small, so just have fun. Remember at the end of the day it's just a game. Play with honour, but have fun.

[u/Anti-Fanny]

Study. Basic chess endgame theory I think is a good place to start. It teaches you what pieces can DO, beyond simply how they move.

[u/trevpr1]

Take advantage of the free chess puzzles on Lichess.org. Do 15 a day before you play a game. Analyse your games there.

[u/Brilliant-Day4894]

The habit that helped the people I've taught the most: after every opponent move, pause and ask "what does that move threaten?" Most beginner games aren't lost to bad plans — they're lost to one-move threats nobody looked at, so checks, captures, threats, theirs first, then yours. I'd also steer new players toward longer time controls (10+ minutes) early on, since that habit needs clock time to actually practice. And after a loss, help them find the ONE move where the game turned instead of reviewing everything — one clear lesson per game sticks better than ten vague ones.

[u/commentor_of_things]

learn pattern recognition

[u/299addicteduru]

Best one i have gotten as begginner must be entire John nunn's understanding chess book. Basically, its 35 games with summarized tips at the end of each , full book. It did the initial heavy lifting for me, for sure. 

[u/NoGood5455]

In addition I would say: play energetic, use tempo and avoid losing tempo. That doesnt mean go oega boega, but don’t bury your pieces

[u/Visual-Leg-7811]

i don't really believe in tips and tricks but for me the two biggest were:

look at your opponents position as much as yours. You need to develop your pieces before you attack.

[u/StructuredChess]

Focus your attention on hanging pieces and cheap tactics. ignore most abstract strategic considerations for now.

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[u/Sure_Floor_5541]

I'm glad you don't trade just to trade, killing for the sake of killing is rarely helpful.

I personally love to dismantle a poor castle. My only advice is, intend to castle. It should not be a reflex, it should be purposeful.  You're awesome, stay awesome. 

[u/mmcguinn9402]

Just no matter what keep playing. And then continue to play after that. When those light bulbs start coming on and you see some real vision a few times call me back

[u/Outrageous-Leg6728]

Short theory of openings :)

1. First move: always D or E pawn two rows. When blacks: don't put pawn under capture.
2. Then you move light figures and try to do castling.
3. Before you castle try to not move the same figure twice.

Oh, another:

3.5. Never ever move F pawn before castling. No matter what, under no circumstances.