There is no magical secret to how to win chess games, but there are plenty of things that you can do to boost your abilities and improve your chances of success.
Chess is a game of serious skill, and for many people, it takes a lot of practice before they can start to reliably win most of the games that they play. The more advanced you get, the more that practice will play into your overall skills. That being said, there are still lots of tips available that can help you avoid many of the common mistakes that inexperienced players make, and provide you valuable knowledge to help you master the game faster.
We’ve compiled some of our best tips, including a few must-know chess moves to win (or at least to increase your likelihood of a win).
The Best Chess Tips for Winning the Game
Every player has their own chess tips that they rely on to edge out the competition. And, if you play long enough, you’ll soon develop your own list of best practices that help you score on the board. Here are some of the tips we rely on, each of which can be used by beginner players to refine their skills as they start to develop their own preferred strategies and tactics.
1. Control the center
The four central squares of the board—e4, d4, e5, and d5—represent a highly valuable, highly advantageous opportunity if you can gain control over them. Control over the center gives you greater mobility to move your pieces around the board, while also denying many options to your opponent. It also makes it a lot easier for you to relocate pieces as needed for long-term offense—and helps you play more effective defense.
Fight for the center right from the beginning, getting as many of your pieces in there as you can. And make a point to neutralize any of your opponent’s pieces that make it to the center, since you don’t want them to have the advantage over you.
2. Protect your pawns
Unprotected pawns don’t last on the board for long. That can be bad news for a potential win, since the less pawns you have, the less chance you have of achieving that elusive checkmate. Make pawn protection a focus of your strategy, making sure that they’re either doubled up or shielded by other pieces. Follow up too when you advance or exchange your pawns so that an otherwise good move doesn’t accidentally backfire on you.
3. Think two or more moves ahead
Chess is a long game, and that doesn’t just refer to the time it takes to play. It’s important to always be thinking more than one move ahead as you plan out your next steps, as well as to calculate all of the various possibilities and outcomes of any move that you make. If you’re only going move by move, you’ll end up missing more impactful opportunities, and you might also accidentally set yourself up in a trap that benefits your opponent.
Learn Unbeatable Chess Moves in Solo Play
There’s no such thing as a guaranteed win in chess, but there are some unbeatable chess moves that can get you a step closer. Learn how to integrate them into your strategies using our smart chess boards, which have self-moving pieces that allow for easy one-on-one play and skill building against a computer opponent. They can also be used to play remotely against friends, family members, and instructors all over the globe. You’ll pick up a ton of chess moves that can help you secure a win, and you’ll also be able to develop more of your own best tips and practices.
Check out our blog space for more helpful advice on acing your chess game, and browse our site to learn more about the benefits of chess for both kids and adults.
Check out the world’s smartest AI board, that makes its own moves!
