Improve Your Chess Games with Chess Tricks And Traps

Everyone who plays chess wants to get better at it, and usually, if you are new to chess or just a weaker player, then there is one specific person whom you wish to beat. However, each time you play that person you end up losing, always falling for this or that trap or making a bad move. You fail to see when it is that you are vulnerable and you can’t seem to capitalize on your opponent’s mistakes either.

Once you establish a good base strategy, you need to learn how to recognize dangerous situations and potentially advantageous moves. You need to learn how to take advantage of your opponent while not succumbing to him. Below I list a number of traps that you can lay in chess. Use them yourself, and try to recognize them as your opponent uses them.

The Fried Liver Attack is a classic that is played:

1. e4 e5,

2. Nf3 Nc6,

3. Bc4 Nf6,

4. Ng5 d5,

5. ed NxP,

6. Nxf KxN,

7. Qf3+ Ke6,

8. Nc3.

A pretty trap is quite rare but is played:

1. e4 e5,

2. Nf3 d6,

3. Bc4 Bg4,

4. Nc3 g6?,

5. Nxe5 BxQ,

6. Bxf7 Ke7,

7. Nd5#.

There is a chameleon variation to the Sicilian defense, which works as a trick that makes use of the trapping pattern. It plays:

1. e4 c5,

2. Nc3 Nc6,

3. Ne2 3. … Nf6,

4. d4 4. … e6,

5. d5 ed,

6. ed Ne5,

7. g3v 7. ... Nf3#.

The Caro Kann Defence is a standard trap that follows as:

1. e4 c6,

2. d4 d5,

3. Nc3 de,

4. NxP Nd7.

An infamous trap called the Albin Counter Gambit plays:

1. d4 d5,

2. c4 e5,

3. de d4,

4. e3 4. ... Bb4+,

5. Bd2 dxe3,

6. Bxb4.

When some players see this next defense called the English Defense, they try to move the game into a calmer setting. It usually starts with:

1. c4 b6,

2. Nc3 Bb7,

3. e4 e6,

4. Nf3 Bb4

5. Qb3 and then has several variations from that point on.

Those are some basic traps and tricks to be aware of to defend against as well as to try out and use in a chess game. Don’t be afraid to try a new trap and learn from your mistakes.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Skelly is the owner of Quality-Chess.net, an online chess store found athttp://www.quality-chess.net, where you can browse for a variety of fine chess products, including a wide array of chess sets, chess pieces, and chess boards.

Timing Your Chess Games With A Chess Clock

A chess clock is made up of two clocks that sit right next to each other and a button that stops one of the clocks which then triggers the other clock to start. The chess clock is rigged so that neither clock ever runs at the same time as the other. These chess clocks are used in games with two players where each player takes his own turn to move his chess pieces. The reason that a chess clock is used is to keep track of how much total time each of the players is taking to make a chess move. This makes it so that neither of the players takes too long or stalls the game.

The first time that chess clocks were widely used was in chess tournaments. The year was 1883 and the place was London. In these chess tournaments, the player with the black chess pieces was allowed to decide which side of the chess board he wants the clock to be put on.

Even though the chess clock started out in chess tournaments, its popularity quickly spread to other tournament games like Scrabble and Go, or really any two-player game of competition. The simplest control of time in chess is the “sudden death” style where the two players decide beforehand on how many chess moves each player will get in a specific amount of time or they must immediately forfeit.

Each player is allowed to take either more or less time on any given move. Some chess moves, like the ones in the beginning, are usually played more quickly because they are routine and familiar. This is a good opening strategy because it allows you more time later in the chess game to think about more difficult and complicated chess moves.

There are different types of chess clocks and the first chess clocks were analog clocks that had a flag that would fall when a player’s time expired. These chess clocks used mechanical buttons which mean that when a player pressed a button on their side, the movement of the clock is physically stopped and the movement of your opponent’s clock is released.

One of the downfalls to analog clocks is that they are not as accurate as digital clocks and they don’t match the two clocks’ time as well either. Also, a digital clock allows you to add additional time, whereas an analog does not. However, some people think that analog clocks are nicer than digital ones, and they are easier to fix if they malfunction.

Article Tags: Chess Clock, These Chess, Chess Clocks, Analog Clocks

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Skelly is the owner of Quality-Chess.net, an online chess store found athttp://www.quality-chess.net, where you can browse a variety of chess products, including chess sets, chess pieces, and chess clocks.

Chess Moves of Big-Time Winners

Chess is not just a way to pass time. It’s also an art form. Whether you are an expert, a master of strategies, a guru of techniques, or only a newbie, there is always something new and innovative, which you can try. The ideal qualities of a laudable chess player are not Utopian. Are you sharp, well organized and insightful? Perhaps you’re going to excel in chess! The greatest part of chess is obvious: It never becomes boring, because the challenge is ever present. The assortment of moves in the game is almost endless, which is not the case with your regular board games.

Lucky streaks and chances are alien to a chess player’s vocabulary. In fact, chess is a matter of concentration, prowess, strategic thinking and foresight. The ability to think and plan ahead of the enemy is of primary importance .

The old Greek saying; “know thyself”, applies quite well to the game of chess. Maybe I should say not really the game but those playing it. It’s virtually impossible to identify your goal if you don’t know how to understand yourself in the first place. Most players set goals for top recognition. Still, being a top player isn’t just a matter of making choices, but also knowing how you make them, why you think in such manner and having the courage to make them! It’s virtually impossible to win tournaments without taking some risks. Focus your mind on the game and nothing else. You’re good as gone if you’re not awake the whole time. There are, of course, some players who prefer defensive to offense, and this is likewise okay.

At the course of the game, consider where you position your pawns. It’s quite easy to understand. You see, majority of the defensive moves happen in the front line. Watch and wait for your chance to break your opponent’s line of defense. If possible, refrain from exchanging pieces with your opponent. Block and stay put. You can then spring an offense as soon as the opportunity surfaces.  An aggressive game plan is definitely for you if you think that risks are sometimes required to get a leverage on the match. Your move: build up your chess pieces.  You should definitely let your knights lead the offensive in your game plan.

The knights can actually work with either the queen or the bishops for the win. The pawns can also divert your opponent’s focus, as you wage your offensive. This strategy is an all-time favourite of several chess "gurus", and you would be wise to follow the moves of the experts. Still, there are no clear-cut rules to play chess. Follow your instincts. You see, individuals who play chess don’t really fit one mold. Some prefer short cuts; others favour longer, more challenging matches. If you are a risk taker, like living on the edge and enjoy adventures, then simply be yourself!

For a confrontational opening, try strengthening the pieces located at the centre. Trade pieces, but keep the queen safe, and your two rooks as well. This particular method pieces are exchanged aggressively is called the "Butcher Method.” It forces your adversary to dislodge his king, and then benefits through assailing the place where the king is positioned.

My advice: Master the fundamentals and tailor them according to your personal style. Challenging seasoned chess players can help improve your skills. The old saying "iron sharpens iron" is never truer than in chess.

Learn from the big-time winners. Learn their moves and the reason for each one. Then go out and do likewise if you can!
Don’t be a full-time imitator, however. Find time to develop your own particular moves and methods. Note that aside from an understanding of how you make choices, you must also have some inclination on how your opponent reasons. That is a key to success in the game of chess.

Article Tags: Big-time Winners

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Powers is co-owner of Quality Chess.net, an online store where you can see a variety of chess products, so you can find that unique elegant glass chess set or high quality chess pieces.

Chess Pieces and the Rules of Movement

Chess pieces can have different values and capabilities. Every chess set is made up of a certain number of chess pieces, which usually consist of one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and 8 pawns. A player can obtain extra bishops, knights, rooks, or queens by having one of their pawns reach the opponent’s side of the chess board. One of the players has chess pieces that are all white and the other player has chess pieces that are all black, so the sides are referred to as black and white.

In the game of chess, the word “piece” can have three unique meanings. The first meaning that it can have is just any one of the actual chess pieces in the chess set, including all of the pawns. The second meaning that “piece” can have is any of the chess pieces except for pawn, so usually to refer to either the rook, bishop, queen, knight, or occasionally the king. The last meaning is that in some contexts the word will only refer to either a bishop or a knight.

Each chess piece is allowed to move a certain number of pieces in a specific way. The rook can move as many empty squares as it wants, but is restricted to moving only along a row or a column. The rook also has a role in the process of castling. The bishop can also move as many empty squares as it wants, but is restricted to moving diagonally. This means that the bishop will remain on the same colored square for the entire chess game.

The queen is the most mobile chess piece in a chess game and she is allowed to move as many empty squares as she wants and she is not restricted to any direction, being allowed to move diagonally and along both columns and rows. The king is only allowed to move one empty square, but he is not restricted to any direction. The king is also the piece that becomes protected in the castling process.

A knight moves uniquely only in the shape of an “L” by moving two spaces in either a column or row and then one space in a perpendicular direction. The pawn, which is only more mobile than the king, is limited to moving one square forward or if it is leaving from its position that it started the chess game in, it has the option to move two spaces forward. It can move forward only in a straight line. A pawn may capture another piece by moving diagonally one square forward into the square that an opponent’s piece occupies. If a pawn piece reaches the last row on your opponent’s side of the chess board, it can change into a bishop, rook, knight, or queen.

Becoming intimately knowledgeable about the capabilities and limitations of each of your pieces will greatly enhance your chances of success in your chess games. In addition, if you know the power of each chess piece, your games will be more challenging and enjoyable.

Article Tags: Many Empty Squares, Chess Pieces, Many Empty, Empty Squares, Chess Game

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Skelly is the owner of Quality-Chess.net, an online chess store found athttp://www.quality-chess.net, where you can browse for a variety of chess products, including chess sets, chess pieces, and chess boards.

Wood Chess Sets - A Touch of Class

Early chess master Siegbert Tarrasch once said, “Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy”. Why not add to your game-playing enjoyment by incorporating the natural beauty of a wood chess set.

Wood chess sets are classic in the chess playing world because of their association with the Staunton style of design. But wood chess sets have also pushed and continue to push the boundaries of their visual stereotype due to avid and inventive chess artisans with advancing CNC technology, also known as robotic manufacturing methods.

                              

Before you go out and purchase a wood chess set, understand that a wood chess set’s style isn’t the only feature worth considering in your purchase. Natural wood materials lend an innate touch of class to wood chess sets and can really emphasize chess set design. So the inquiring buyer should be aware of what materials are available in the manufacture of wood chess sets. This wide variety of timber contains species such as:

Mahogany – Particular strains of mahogany such as Khaya grandifoliola are popular choices in constructing wood chess sets. This particular wood chess set-friendly variety grows mostly on the West Coast of Africa. The color of mahogany’s heartwood can range from a pink to a dark cocoa brown.

Maple – Sugar Maple is a popular material used to manufacture wood chess sets. Wood chess sets using this species of maple have a faint red coloration that can also be interpreted as pink. Sugar Maple is readily accessible in North America as its found in New England, southeastern Manitoba, Nova Scotia, North Carolina and eastern Kansas.

Walnut – European Walnut, also known as Juglans regia, came to Western Europe via the Romans and Asia Minor. European walnut is a market rarity as it is not in high supply and can only be found in the processed form of veneer. Wood chess sets made with European Walnut tend to have a grayish-brown hue with a darker irregular grain. European walnut is durable and polishes well. Walnut, great for staining and enduring UV exposure makes a logical choice for use in the manufacture of wood chess sets.

Sheesham (Indian Rosewood) – Otherwise known as Palisander. Dalbergia latifolia grows in such places as the Indian peninsula. Sheesham can also be found near the Himalayan Mountains in Orissa, Sikkim, Bihar and Oudah. Chess sets usually incorporate Indian Rosewood as a veneer as it isn’t shaped easily by hand. Sheesham comes in hues from rose to dark brown.

Erable – Also called European Field Maple, this timber calls Europe home. Erable can be found in Europe’s old growth forests, but it is more commonly harvested from human-regulated forests in places like Spain. Erable carves easily and wood chess sets made with erable have a soft golden coloring and strong inset grain that comes to life with a lacquered finish.

Aspen – Aspen is a popular material used in North American wood chess sets. The Populus tremula strain of aspen or Trembling Aspen is found in an area that includes Virginia, Newfoundland and Alaska. Trembling Aspen is also found in the Rocky Mountains, southern Arizona and northern New Mexico. Aspen is colored from a light white to soft beige and adds a beautiful accent to wood chess sets.

Many of the aforementioned materials can be found in wood chess sets sold by online distributors. Many online retailers have a wide selection to choose from. Find one that provides a trusted and reliable online service with numerous quality materials and design choices.

Article Tags: Wood Chess Sets, Wood Chess, Chess Sets

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Sokol is the creator of Quality Chess. Quality Chess is a provider of a large selection of unique and classical chess boards including wood chess sets of maple, rosewood, hazelnut, mahogany, walnut and ash.

Play Chess On The Go With A Magnetic Chess Set

Learning to play chess is one thing, being very good at it is another. Nobody became great at chess overnight! There are several things that set chess masters apart from great chess players.

Aside from getting a good grasp at the difference chess pieces’ capacity, becoming a great player takes practice and perseverance. That’s why magnetic chess sets are so advantageous…you can easily play chess anytime and anywhere. 

Magnetic fields, created by small magnets inside the bottom of chess pieces and a thin metal plate under the board, are used to keep the chess pieces in place, allowing you to play while riding in any moving vehicle, like a car or plane.

On the other hand, there will be times when you should set your chess set aside and focus on other aspects of the game. You should find time to analyze different game plays and the mistakes you tend to make. Unlike chess masters who are said to have the ability to recall various games and patterns, many of us find it difficult to remember even the last game.

It is very important that you write everything down so that you won’t have a hard time recalling the exact details of the game. This will greatly help you when you do your self-analysis.

Aside from having great recall, chess masters can also play chess by just using their mind, they don’t need to have a chess board in front of them. You can load up your mind with different game plays and strategies from different chess masters. You can do this by buying good books about chess.

Remember that there are various patterns in chess and you can hardly recreate an exact same pattern. You can familiarize yourself with the things you can do when a similar situation arises. Try recreating the different game plays explained in different books. Do this alone so that you can easily internalize the essence of those moves.

Try to apply your newly acquired knowledge in your next game. It’s better to have different opponents while playing because playing with the same person over and over again will breed familiarity. This means that you’ll teach him/her all your chess tricks and visa versa. Or boredom could set in, and neither of you will become better players.

Allow yourself to grow as a chess player by starting your own chess club or joining one. With a club, you can find like-minded people who love the game as much as you do. In addition to the social aspects of joining such a club, you will have an endless supply of different opponents to play against, some better than you and some not. You can learn from the better players and, in turn, teach the inferior players. Many friendships are started at chess clubs because people with common interests are naturally drawn to each other.

Remember, if you want to remove limitations on when or where you can play chess, your magnetic chess set will be one of the greatest tools that will help you achieve your goal of becoming a better chess player.

Article Tags: Different Game Plays, Play Chess, Magnetic Chess, Chess Masters, Different Game, Game Plays

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Skelly is the owner of Quality-Chess.net, an online chess store found athttp://www.quality-chess.net/, where you can view a variety of chess products, includingmagnetic chess sets.

Improving Your Chess Skills

How would you be able to improve your chess skills? Many people will tell you that the best thing you can do is improve chess game through practice. Even before 1886, when the first world championship of chess was organized, the game of chess was very competitive. People always regarded chess champions as great intellectuals who tend to propel the game to greater heights every time they playchess.

At the moment Viswanathan Anand, who started playing chess while he was six years old and won loads of tournaments, is the current World Chess Champion. Today, Viswanathan is the most renowned master of chess.

There are however many people that would have liked to develop their chess skills from an early age, but did not have the chance to do so. This however, can’t be used as an excuse not to be one of the better chess players in your region or even country.

Don’t forget that everything is possible. Where there is a will there is always a way. One very important aspect of playing chess is self-confidence.  If you lack this you will definitely make mistakes. Confidence actually plays an important role in everything you do. If you think that you can’t do something, you will probably not be able to.
You might consider using a chess clock in order to improve. Like this you can improve your complete game play and see the big picture. With it you will be able to use strategies that will help you win more games. If you get cornered you will most likely go into a kind of trance, like many humans do. Scientifically, this phenomenon is named the fight or flight response. By using a chess clock, you will be trained to make use of the body’s natural responses and channel its benefits to give you a better perception of the situation you’re in.

If you play an official chess tournament you will also have to adhere to the chess clock. Often people spend a lot of time on their early strategies in a game and play a bit less effectively as the game lasts and make their moves too fast. Almost everybody knows about the importance of the first moves in a game, but you should not just focus on first moves.  Focus throughout the entire game and follow the bigger picture.
Because chess is such a dynamic game, you must really consider every move you make thoroughly because you cannot always stick to a certain strategy since the opponent’s moves should be considered at all times. Chess grandmasters know this very well because experience has taught them so. With this in mind, it is always a good idea to condition your mind to look at the bigger picture, but also remember to be vigilant in your games and think on your feet.

Article Tags: Chess Skills

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Powers is co-owner of Quality Chess.net, an online store where you can see a variety of chess products, so you can find that unique electronic chess set or folding chess set.