Hey guys,

I am a complete fish @ chess, but i do have some spare time now (a few weeks) that i would like to invest in studying the game and improving as much as possible. Never did before.

What would you recommend? Are there any good materials on the interwebz?

Thanks

Probably best to start studying the endgame, which is boring. Then study the openings, which is fun. Learn one opening against 1.e4 and one against 1.d4. And chose one opening as white. After that study tactics, mainly through puzzels. Play a lor and analyze your games afterwards with Fritz or whatever engine you prefer.

repetition

and a few weeks probably won't do much...

Basic opening strategy would do the trick, considering time limitations. Get some idea how to place your pieces.

Try to get two central pawns in the center (with black you more likely get just one). Play the knights out (nearer the center if possible), and the bishops (with black more likely you get one bishop out, then close its path with a pawn to get the other bishop out, and if not possible, you can place it in e.g. b7 or g7, after b6 or g6 pawn moves).

Castle (put the king to better safety), that gets one rook more central also. The queen you also can "develop" to the 2nd rank or so, so your rooks connect, and at least one of those rooks generally is put on the open vertical line or behind some center pawn.

You will also need one tactics book, learn some basic endgames, and later about middle game (but for now you will push some pawn(s) further there, and the knight is often going further also).

There should be some basic chess book(s) teaching basic stuffs. When I was a beginner, never having read anything, but a better player than my friend, he took a look (in a library) into one chess book and just saw how the pieces are places in the opening, and beat me.

Thanks guys

Would you recommend any video series or books?
I know there is a lot of stuff out there, but i dont want to jump into some content that just isnt good. Since i am a beginner, i do not think i can make a correct judgement on what is good and what is not.

I am certainly a fish in chess, but it is not like i am a total beginner, i play from time to time for years (vs friends, online), just never really studied anything. Basically my current level is ~ I can beat almost all my opponents who have never studied the game extensivelly, but very few people who did.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...uF8GuWkI1EJ8Zp

chesstempo.com, do five puzzles a day, and you'll be rated 2000 in a few years. Puzzles are at your approximate level and get harder as you get better with an ELO rating system.

Openings are overrated. U can simply learn them from playing others.
Whats important though u really need to play carefull in the opening since one mistake can lead to loss.

Learning tactics on chesstempo.com is a nice one. Other then that just play matches. At least thats what i did and l managed to have a pretty solid game.

And btw, no one should even care about its chesstempo rating lol.

Though about openings. Watch the best and simplest openings on YT. U only need one for both sides to start. White: e4 and the horse thing....

These two assertions contradict each other.

Yeah man totally. Tx for noticing.

Check out the great advice here
https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-impr...-chess-skill-1

Quoted for reference:
Also this is my favourite place for videos to improve your game:
https://www.youtube.com/user/STLChessClub

I highly recommend anything by Yasser Seirawan he has a very engaging teaching style. The classes he runs for children at the weekend are also great and fun for adults just starting out. You'll find a tonne of videos on there by him.

Wait, the best way to get good at chess is to not play chess?

****ing awesome post, thanks for this.


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Just stumbled onto this series myself. Jerry is an awesome teacher.

good luck op. i suggest buying a chess board and working out the movements from Pawn Structure Chess.

Start with endgame and tactics.