The Most Usefull Chess Advice

Here is an updated list of chess advice posted to this forum:

1.  Every move should improve the quality of the position, gain material or gain time.
2.  Always assume your opponent will find the best move.
3.  When you see a good move, wait, look for a better one.
4.  It's all about good pieces, get good pieces.
5.  The hands are a chess players worst enemy.
6.  If your less then 1600 focus on reducing blunders. If your greater then 1600 focus on tactics.
7.  To improve focus on tactics, tactics, tactics.
8.a) Always look at the possible checks on the board first before anything else.
8 b)   In every position look at all checks and captures, and jump-mates, jump-checks, and jump-captures.
['Jump-moves' -- are moves that would be possible if an obstructing piece were removed.]
9. You can not develop by moving pawns.
10. Dont move your pieces twice in the opening.
11. Try not to lose and wins will come afterward.
12. Feed off your opponents mistakes.
13. Get a good mentor.
14. Analyze your games.
15. If you want to practice, play semi-rapid chess, not blitz.
16.  Most strong players don't read many chess books.
17.  Have your chess brain work at least 10 minutes every day.
18.  Check the opening theory on you completed games.
19.  Attack where your pawns point
20.  A knight on the rim is dim.
21.  Avoid Moving a Chess Piece Twice During the Opening is a good chess strategy.
22.  Develop the Knights before Bishops.
23.  Develop Both Knights before the Queen’s Bishop.
24.  If You Have Castled Do Not Permit the Opponent to Open a File on Your King.
25.  Avoid Making Exchanges which Develop Another Piece for the Opponent.
26.  The bishop pair is worth a pawn.
27.  Avoid Premature Attacks.
28.  Look at pawn structure as a way to create spots for your pieces.
29.  Play the board not the person.
30.  Attack where your pawns point.
31.  Play defensively until your oponent makes a mistake.
32.  Always check for King safety
33. Control the Center.
34. Develop your pieces quickly.
35. The best opening is the opening your opponent doesn’t know.
36. The winner of the game is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake.

Mine is every move should either:

1. Improve the quality of the position or

2. Gain Material or

3. Gain Time

Always assume your opponent will find the best move.

A shout from the crowd at a Junior State Championship in Mexico... "Sit on your g***mm hands!" :)

A crazed parent if you ask me... but a pretty good piece of advice... All the players heard it and some (even me) actually did it, literally :P

1. Go wide before you go deep

2. No position is so won it plays itself. (Silman)

Thats what she said...

"When you see a good move, wait, look for a better one." - Lasker

"You win some, you lose some"

In response to the question, "What happened... you are all of a sudden in form and playing great chess."

"I lost the fear of losing."  - Hikaru Nakamura.

I wonder what he meant by that ?

Don't waste time developing your pieces.

Alex Lenderman (GM-elect) gave the advice - it's all about good pieces, get good pieces!  That was helpful to me.  Of course once they're good you have to know what to do with 'em (tactics).  Great guy that Alex!

"Play the board, not your opponent"

(meaning be as objective as possible)

Do Nothing.

I can't remember whether I read this somewhere, or just made it up myself:

"When it's your move, pretend for a moment that it's actually your opponent's move. What good moves can your opponent make right now?"

This makes it much easier to see your opponent's threats, IMO.

I forget who said it

"The hands are a chess players worst enemy" or something like that.

When you see a check, always play it. It might be mate!

What was the saying before airplanes?

"A bad plan is better than no plan at all" stopped me playing aimless chess even when I had barely any knowledge..

Really? That seems like quite poor advise if I'm being honest!