Chess Tip Of The Day

The critical examination of a position requires a consideration of many factors, but those concerning the pawn-structure usually deserve priority. Hans Kmoch, Pawn Power In Chess

One useful way of acquiring new ideas in the Closed Sicilian is to study the English Opening. That may sound a little odd, but 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 is a reversed Closed Sicilian. Richard Palliser, Starting Out: Closed Sicilian

It is important to distinguish between 'control' and 'occupation' of the centre. As soon as a piece occupies a central square it loses the control it exerted over this square. Luděk Pachman, Complete Chess Strategy 2: Pawn-Play And The Centre

A defensive sacrifice can prove effective for psychological reasons. The attacker is mentally geared up for a possible sacrificial assault on the enemy king, and then suddenly he is defending and trying to nurse his material advantage to an ending. This requires a complete shift of mental gears, which can prove difficult to achieve. John Nunn, Secrets Of Practical Chess

An advantage in mobility must be exploited energetically (usually by an assault), otherwise it will be dissipated in short order.  Reuben Fine, The Ideas Behind The Chess Openings

The probability of a blunder increases in quiet positions when a player has difficulty in switching from general considerations to a task of calculation that suddenly presents itself. Vladimir Popov, Chess Lessons

The mere occupation of the centre by pawns does not spell control of the centre. So long as the opponent has centre or wing pawns yet to be heard from, centre-control remains in abeyance. Al Horowitz & Geoffrey Mott-Smith, Point Count Chess

Statistics culled from numerous tournaments reveal that rook endings comprise 50% of all endgames, and it is for this reason that a study of them is of great practical value. Grigory Levenfish & Vasily Smyslov, Rook Endings

Learn to use a chess program, eg ChessBase, in order to improve speed and efficiency (when studying the opening), and to make study more fun. Andreas Tzermiadianos, How To Beat The French Defence

At master level (approximately 2360 elo) and above, a pawn deficit is generally decisive. From there down to 1800 elo a pawn deficit on its own need not be disastrous, unless the inferior side cannot avoid a simple losing endgame. Below that level, a two-pawn deficit (or a piece for a pawn or two) can often be overcome. David LeMoir, How To Be Lucky In Chess

If possible, keep things simple. A win is a win, however you obtain it, and nobody likes a showoff! Chris Ward, Starting Out: Rook Endgames

Endings and combinations are far more important than openings for fast progress. Gene Salomon, Chess magazine

If your opponent ends up with an isolated pawn, make sure you control the square directly in front of it. Aside from stopping the pawn in its tracks, the square will turn our to be an excellent home (support point) for one of your pieces. Jeremy Silman, The Reassess Your Chess Workbook

The command of an open file by a rook, or by both rooks, represents a great advantage, particularly if the file is the only one open, and the opponent cannot reply by occupying it with a rook. Siegbert Tarrasch, The Game Of Chess

In the opening and in the middlegame, the loss of a rook for a minor piece and one pawn is usually less serious than the loss of a pawn. Cecil Purdy, On The Endgame

Do not use analysis engines blindly, but only as an additional tool to check your analysis.  Andreas Tzermiadianos, How To Beat The French Defence: The Essential Guide To The Tarrasch

On average, a bishop is worth a little more than a knight. John Nunn, Secrets Of Practical Chess

In complicated positions with things able to be taken or exchanged, it is almost certain that the best move is to grab something. Don't dither. It's your opponent's move next time, so don't give him free rein, force him. Cecil Purdy, CJS Purdy's Fine Art Of Chess Annotation And Other Thoughts - Volume Three

There are two basic approaches for White to obtain the advantage in the opening. He can open 1.e4 and aim for rapid development, or he can play d4 and c4 in the first few moves (the "Queen's Gambit") and play for space. Larry Kaufman, The Chess Advantage In Black And White

A knight often has problems fighting against pawns in an ending, with particular difficulties when trying to stop a rook's pawn. John Littlewood, Chess Coaching

Classic games are very instructive in the sense that plans attempted by the masters of the past were often carried out without serious opposition, so we get to see how the idea is executed in practice. Nikolay Yakovlev, Chess Blueprints

As a lifelong king's pawn player, I have long held the view that White's best option against this robust defence (1...e5) is to have a variety of weapons at his disposal, which is why, at various times, I have employed the Italian Game, the Four Knights, the Vienna and the King's Gambit. Nigel Short, Play The Ruy Lopez

Spend half your study time analysing your own games. Identify and correct the faults. It's the most productive form of chess study. Rolf Wetzell, Chess Master ... At Any Age

In same-colour bishop endings, don't get pawns stuck on squares of the same colour as the bishops without very good reason. Jon Speelman, Endgame Preparation

The current generation of super-GMs tend to use far more different openings than their predecessors. Steve Giddins, How To Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire

A chessplayer who has acquired the capacity for prophylactic thinking will significantly raise his class - he will dramatically improve in positional play, in the technique of exploiting an advantage, and in other areas. Mark Dvoretsky, Opening Preparation

Younger players are usually well genned up on current opening theory (though not the theory of 10 years ago), and good at analysing tactical lines, but frequently lack technique in simple positions and endings. Simon Webb, Chess For Tigers

The Blackmar-Diemer is similar to many gambits - not 100% sound, but extremely dangerous in the hands of a well-prepared and imaginative attacking player. In addition, the fact that White can get the key position against 90% of opponents is a significant advantage over many other gambit lines, which depend on Black's cooperation. Steve Giddins, How To Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire

(Usually) in positions with the pair of bishops, pawns are placed on squares of different colour to the bishop that has been left without a direct opponent, taking away squares from the knight. Luis Bernal, The Berlin Defence Unraveled

In 90% of my Sicilian games (as White), my king goes to b1 or h1. Victor Bologan, Selected Games 1985-2004

Often the weakness of an advanced pawn is not so much its liability to be attacked, but in the loss of control in a neighbouring file. Colin Crouch & Kean Haines, Hastings 1895