Chess Tip Of The Day

Don't offer material when you can get good play through simple moves. Andrew Soltis, Grandmaster Secrets: Openings

In general, the pawn-structure will tell you what plan to adopt. Learn to hear the message your pawn-structure is telling you! Jeremy Silman, The Reassess Your Chess Workbook

A pair of active bishops is frequently adequate compensation for a pawn, or even the exchange, in a middlegame position. Steve Mayer, Bishop v Knight: The Verdict

The queenside majority, the outside passed pawn, the 'good' and 'bad' bishop, have become standard reference terms. Many players still commit the error of extrapolating these notions to the middlegame, where in most cases endgame principles are reversed. Mihai Șubă, Dynamic Chess Strategy

In general, positions characterised by an open centre favour White, and Black should not enter them light-heartedly. Dražen Marović, Dynamic Pawn Play In Chess

Universal systems can save a player a great deal of time and preparation. The main drawback is that a player restricts the range of positions and structures that he plays, which in turn can limit his development as a player. Steve Giddins, How To Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire

The centre is the most important part of the board. If a player has total control of this part of the board, he is often well on the way to victory. Simon Williams, Improve Your Attacking Chess

In positions of strategic manoeuvring, where time is not of significance, activating the worst-placed piece is often the most reliable way of improving your position as a whole. Alexei Kosikov, Positional Play

The French Defence-player must not be squeamish about getting a 'weak' e pawn; the main thing is to eliminate White's strong e pawn. Cecil Purdy, CJS Purdy's Fine Art Of Chess Annotation And Other Thoughts - Volume Three

Black's counterplay in the King's Indian generally must start against d4, and the overall principle is that unless there is something specifically wrong with it, Black should play ...e5 as soon as possible after castling. Edmar Mednis, Practical Endgame Tips

The study of different pawn-structures is an indispensable way to improve your understanding of chess strategy. Andreas Tzermiadianos, How To Beat The French Defence: The Essential Guide To The Tarrasch

Profound knowledge of the opening moves is rarely enough to win the game in itself, but it puts extra pressure on the opponent in the middlegame. Neil McDonald, The Sveshnikov Sicilian

If you want to know whether an opening is safe enough to be considered suitable for inclusion in an opening repertoire even at a high level, then check if the opening is played consistently by grandmasters in important games against other grandmasters. Lars Bo Hansen, How Chess Games Are Won And Lost

When White closes the centre with d5 in King's Indian structures, the pawn-position generally dictates that White will attack on the queenside, Black on the kingside. Steve Giddins, 50 Essential Chess Lessons

The best way to play against an unopposed bishop [eg when the opponent has a light-square bishop and you do not] is to place your pawns on the same colour squares as this bishop in order to dominate it. Esben Lund, Rook vs Two Minor Pieces

The basic principles of opening play are: 1. Development of one's forces; 2. Struggle for the centre; 3. Obtaining the better pawn-structure. Alexey Sokolsky, The Modern Openings In Theory And Practice

Never leave or place a piece loose without first looking for a possible fork or pin, and never see an enemy piece loose without doing the same. Cecil Purdy, CJS Purdy's Fine Art Of Chess Annotation And Other Thoughts - Volume Two

It is surprising that the Classical Sicilian isn't more popular, because if White wants to play for an advantage his options are rather limited, while Black has a range of reasonable systems. John Nunn, Grandmaster Chess Move By Move.

It is usually easier to win with a substantial positional advantage than with an equally substantial material advantage.  Andrew Soltis, What It Takes To Become A Chess Master

Analyse your games yourself. Only when finished should you refer to Fritz. Jacob Aagaard, Excelling At Positional Chess

A lead in development is an ephemeral advantage; it cannot grow indefinitely. The proper technique to exploit a superior mobilisation of forces is to transform it into a more lasting sort of advantage. Lluís Comas Fabregó, True Lies In Chess

After every game, try to think of three new things you have learned. You will find this is not always so easy, but it is a very useful exercise nonetheless. Jacob Aagaard, Excelling At Chess

The winning process often requires patience; progress is made with small steps. Mikhail Marin, Secrets Of Chess Defence

In planning your game, arrange your pieces in such a way that they are of maximum use and cooperate well with one another. Strive for harmony! Vladimir Popov, Chess Lessons

If there is a 'good forcing move' available, it is probably the best move on the board, or, at any rate, the only move likely to be better is another forcing move. Cecil Purdy, The Search For Chess Perfection

For the offer of a pawn (in the opening) there must be one of four reasons: a) secure a tangible advantage in development; b) deflect the enemy queen; c) prevent the enemy from castling, either permanently or for several moves; d) build up a strong attack. Reuben Fine, The Ideas Behind The Chess Openings

When faced with an unfamiliar opening, or even an unfamiliar move in an opening you know, your first reaction should be to take a deep breath and try to understand what your opponent is doing. John Watson, Mastering The Chess Openings - Volume 4

In my opinion the 3.Bb5(+) lines are objectively the strongest anti-Sicilians. Dorian Rogozenko, Anti-Sicilians: A Guide For Black

In Closed Sicilians, with White playing e4 and d3, the most desirable place for Black's dark-square bishop is the long a1-h8 diagonal, (where) it has great influence both on the centre and the queenside. John Emms, Starting Out: King's Indian Attack

Training in tactics is important for everyone, and above all for younger and less experienced players. George Botterill, Open Gambits

There's a lot to be said for tackling the opening by playing the moves you believe to be the best. John Cox, Starting Out: Alekhine's Defence