Note: This is not professional chess, but amateur chess-play experience shared by the writer.
Chess boosts the human mind. For professionals, it is their bread and butter. But how is the world of amateur chess? Some enjoy playing for fun, others use it as a mental booster. For the unversed and the newly interested, both ways of playing are beneficial for the mind.
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It is like competing to solve a puzzle that lets your creative side work out naturally – battle of the minds. In this article, we discuss 3 simple steps to start playing chess as a mental booster.
Before moving on to the steps, you may want to address its presence in your upcoming lifestyle. A routine involving 15-30 minutes or even 1 hour per day at the same time will be ideal for using chess as a mental booster. Your brain thrives on disciplines and consistency, and this is one fun and empowering way of maintaining both.
The 3 steps to start playing chess as a mental booster:
1. Be familiar with the rules and the moves: It is only standard if you are aware of all the rules and legal moves in chess – to start with. These are very simple to follow, and you will memorize this all by the end of your second or third game.
Checkmate wins the game, but don’t forget about stalemates and other possibilities for a draw. As well, en passant is one legal move to be mindful of, and most starters consider it a mistake! Captures, pawn maneuvering, and pawn promotions are other rules to be careful about.
The first Google search result will get you to all the rules, so you can enjoy fair games with your family or friends or anyone else! You can as well ask ChatGpt for all the rules and legal moves of chess with latest updates!
2. Be familiar with the basic principles: After you are done with the rules to start with, search on Google for the ‘basic principles of chess’. Again, the first result is reliable enough! These principles are foundations to basic theories of chess so far and serve even the grandmasters! They were standardized from studies of recorded chess games since the 10th century!
You’ll find many YouTube videos and PDFs on ’50 basic principles’ and collections as such, but only the first few basic principles are handy for amateur chess. Like, focusing on development of the pieces at first, then minding king safety and so on. As you play, try to implement these principles in order. Eventual familiarity with these principles will give you an edge against stronger opponents.
3. Be familiar with the basic tactics: These are pins, skewers, forks, discovered attacks and discovered checks, double attacks and double checks, deflections, sacrifices, interference, waiting moves, in-between moves, forcing moves, smother tactics and zugzwang.
Again, Google and AI have you covered for best and fastest learnings of these tactics. You’ll see that executing each of these tactics usually involves 2-3 moves. Sometimes (less often!), 4-6 moves at maximum! That’s why these are easy to learn and execute – and you can catch your opponent off-guard!
Once you start playing, you will see these tactics popping up every now and then. Just basic idea on these tactics will solidify you plans to execute successfully in each next game.
Special Note: These tactics, on appropriate executions, will either become the turnaround of the game or even decide the game. Your knowledge-goal will be to know enough to spot the tactics in games, so you may attack or defend as per your position. Therefore, don’t just think of attacking by using the tactics, but as well be prepared to defend when those are used against you.
Summing Up
To put it simply, rules and moves will launch you to the board.
Basic principles will give you elements to start your game (the opening) with a plan every single time. They will be with you in middlegames and endgames as well. (“Even having the worst plan is better than having no plan” – Follow me to be notified when I publish = link loading…)
Last and not the least, knowledge on basic tactics will upgrade your arsenal against any opponent – even grandmasters!
Then, keep playing. The more you play, more you learn – just like anything else. Ultimately, you will be able to see mental boosting results within 2 to 3 days. Your actions towards everyday happenings connected to you will only get better.
Focus, patience, problem-solving skills and enhanced cognitive functions will be yours to enjoy even more! Remember to routinize your playing experience for the best and the fastest results.
The best way to play chess is over the board, always – even with today’s technological advancements. Why? Read: https://milyin.com/764736/
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About the Writer: He is a professional writer and a passionate student of chess.
Writer’s Inspiration: Specifically, I wanted to reach those who are yet to take up on chess through my second piece of this Creation Series.
Why play chess as a mental booster? Read the top 3 reasons: https://milyin.com/762102/
Check out Why Physical Board Beats Virtuality: https://milyin.com/764736/
Are you a starter or a professional? A pure hobby-ist? Let’s connect in comments!
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