by Mark Askeda

Created on: September 17, 2009

Chess is a game of skill and strategy played on a board of 64 alternating white and black squares. Each player starts with 16 pieces of different value: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. The object of the game is to capture the opponents king. Because each piece moves differently, they have different relative values. The queen is by far the most powerful, followed by the rook. The bishops and knights are roughly the same value, but chess experts generally place slightly more value on the bishop. The least valuable piece is the pawn, but a player starts with eight pawns.

The game has a complex set of rules and strategies. The outcome is based on the skill, aggressiveness and strategy of the opposing players. One of the most important aspects of the game is maximizing the impact of each move. Following are some basic strategies for the beginning chess player.

* Control the middle of the board. Your pieces are generally more valuable if they are positioned near the center of the board. For example, the knight positioned in the center can attack eight different squares. If that same knight is positioned in one of the four corner squares, it only attacks two squares. Clearly, the center knight is more valuable than the corner knight.

* Start the game by positioning your pawns and minor pieces (knights and bishops) in the center squares. Generally, only develop major pieces (rooks and the queen) after several pieces have been captured and the board has been cleared somewhat. If you develop major pieces early, you run the risk of having your valuable pieces being attacked by your opponents minor pieces, forcing a retreat and wasted moves.

* Early in the game, try to move your pieces only once. If you move the same piece twice, your opponent will have developed one more piece than you have, placing you at a disadvantage.

* Defend your king. The best way to do this is the castle. The castle is a complex move that allows you to move the king 2 squares to the right or left. The rook in the corner than is moved to the square immediately next to the king in the direction of the center of the board. This offers two advantages. The castle moves your king behind a protective wall of pawns and also moves the rook to a more aggressive position in the middle of the board.

* Position your pawns in a protective formation. A pawn protects another pawn if it adjacent to it. A chain of protected pawns increases both your defensive stance and

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