Chess Mental Checklist
Chess
I. Analyze the board every move using the following system:
1. Take a look at the board with fresh eyes, setting aside, for the
moment, my plans, expectations, and concerns about the position that I
had on my last move. Ask myself the following questions:
(a) Are any of my pieces undefended or hanging?
(b) On my opponent's next move, can he create a strong pin or
exploit an existing one?
(c) Can he fork any of my pieces (pay attention to pawn and N
forks as they are easiest to miss).
(d) Does he have any discoveries or double attacks?
(e) Does he have any potential checks and if so, how do I meet
them?
2. Having run down that list, what does his last move then threaten?
3. Turning to what I can do on my move, run through the list a-e to
determine if I can win material on my move, setup a combination, or
strong initiative. Now ask myself, whose threat is stronger? If his is
stronger, then find the move that best meets or parries his threat. The
ideal move, if I must defend, should also setup a threat of my own or
create some other complication.
4. Either way, write down the candidate move(s) and, going through
each move once and once only, make it on the analysis board. Pay
attention to the resulting new position, and whether attacking, counterattacking, or defending, keep the the following in mind:
(a) What is his most likely response to my threat, sacrifice,
capture, check, or defensive move?
(b) Has my move left a previously defended piece exposed to
capture or exposed my K to a check I can't meet?
(c) Has it dangerously weakened my position?
(d) Does he have any surprise resources?
5. If several moves are involved in a sequence, work through each
move on the analysis board repeating each of the steps in (4). Work
through variations once and once only. Use a tree to keep it organized
and terminate each variation with a short, concise and honest
evaluation.
6. If no forcing sequences, threats or combinations exist, look for
quiet moves aimed at improving my position and or weakening/cramping
my opponents. Candidate moves should do one or more of the following:
(a) Increase my hold on the center.
(b) Increase the pressure on whichever sector of the board I am
attacking.
(c) Create or increase the pressure on a weakness in my
opponents position.
(d) Open lines for my pieces.
(e) Increase the mobility/activity of my less active pieces.
(f) Restrict the mobility of my opponents pieces.
(g) Create strong squares that my pieces can exert pressure
from and from where they cannot be easily chased away.
(i) Create (protected) outposts in my opponents camp.
(j) Improve my pawn skeleton with the idea of creating the
conditions of the previous goals and/or the (future) creation of a passed
pawn.
(k) Keep in my mind that middle games can suddenly become
endgames. Were this to happen now, would it be decisive? If it would,
and in my favour, work toward exchanging toward the endgame. If it
wouldn't, avoid those types of exchanges and either try to improve my
endgame prospects or bet the farm on the middle game.
(l) Where an exchange of pieces is offered or possible, ask
myself who benefits from the exchange? Which piece is more active?
Does either piece play a key role in either attack or defence? If its a N,
does it have valuable outposts it can occupy? If a B, is it the "good" or
the "bad" B.
II. Play regularly to stay sharp, but not to excess which will only lead to
sloppiness. Avoid playing too much blitz.
III. Analyze and annotate RHP games after they're over with the written
notes made during the game at hand. Compare your analyzed variations
and evaluations with the actual moves made in the game. What did you
overlook and why? Were your evaluations accurate? After you've done
the initial analysis the old-fashioned way, run the game through an
engine to see what you missed and to get an objective comparison of
evaluations that you can compare to your own.
IV. After you've completed your analysis, play through at least one
Master level game that followed the same line (however far it was
followed) as was played in your game. Choose a game where the colour
you played either one or drew. Play through it as though you were that
player, covering the moves your player made and deciding for yourself
what you'd move before seeing what was played. Try to figure why the
move played was stronger than the one you'd chosen. If time permits,
play through another game in the same line where your colour lost. This
time just try to determine why the losing player lost.
V. Analyze the opening phase of your blitz games and the opening
phase only. There is no point in spending an hour going over a game you
played in 5 minutes. There is a point, however, in following it up until it
departed book and determining if the non-book move was bad, why it
was bad, or if it was sound enough but just not fashionable. Look a little
further into the line with an opening book or database to expand your
knowledge of that variation. If time permits, quickly play through (in 5
minutes or so per game) a few Master level games that were played in
this line.
This time you're not attempting to find the best moves, or why, but
merely to get a feeling for the flow of the game. What kinds of tactics
were used? Pawn structures? Which wing of the board did each side
concentrate on? How did they occupy or control the center? What kinds
of flank pawn moves were made? Did they castle same side or opposite
side? Were pawn storms used or mainly piece play? Was a minority
attack employed? A mating attack? What was the general plan from
each perspective and can you spot any thematic moves or sequences
aimed at realizing that plan? Doing this will increase your understanding
of the opening and help you avoid situations where you're stuck
wondering what to do, or simply chose plans and moves that are at odds
with the focus of the opening.
VI. Be graceful under fire. Remember its just a game, you are not a
Kasparov, a Tal, or a Capablanca. Its not whether you win or lose that
matters, but what you put into the game and what lessons you can take
away from it.
VII. Expand your knowledge of the crucial elements of the game tactics,
endings, strategy, openings - by drawing on the great chess literary
works. And remember that chess is a game that is played with all
elements as a whole, and not in isolation, and therefore complete, well
annotated games must not be neglected if one is to understand the
interplay of the elements.
addenda:
(I) 3a. Can I sacrifice any of my material to open up lines for attack,
create a strong initiative, mate my opponent, or win the material back
with interest.
(I) 4d. Does he have any surprise resources, including moves that
superficially appear "bad", even to lose material, but which completely
refute my attack or turn the tables on me?
(I) 5. If several moves are involved in a sequence, work through
each move on the analysis board repeating each of the steps in (4).
Work through variations once and once only, but carry the analysis one
move farther than "common sense" dictates it should end. Use a tree to
keep it organized and terminate each variation with a short, concise and
honest evaluation.
⸺
Principles of Chess
01. Develop your pieces quickly.
02. Control the center.
03. Try to put your pieces on squares that give them maximum space.
04. Try to develop your knights towards the center.
05. A knight on the rim is dim.
06. Don't take unnecessary chances.
07. Play aggressive.
08. Calculate forced moves first.
09. Always ask yourself, "Can he put me in check or win a piece?"
10. Have a plan. Every move should have a purpose.
11. Assume your opponent's move is his best move.
12. Ask yourself, "why did he move there?" after each opponent move.
13. Play for the initiative and contolling the board.
14. If you must lose a piece, get something for it if you can.
15. When behind, exchange pawns. When ahead, exchange pieces.
16. If you are losing, don't give up fighting. Look for counterplay.
17. Don't play unsound moves unless you are losing badly.
18. Don't sacrifice a piece without good reason.
19. If you are in doubt of an opponent's sacrifice, accept it.
20. Attack with more that just one or two pieces.
21. Do not make careless pawn moves. They cannot move back.
22. Do not block in your bishops.
23. Bishops of opposite colors have the greatest chance of drawing.
24. Try not to move the same piece twice or more times in a row.
25. Exchange pieces if it helps your development.
26. Don't bring your queen out early.
27. Castle soon to protect your king and develop your rook.
28. Develop rooks to open files.
29. Put rooks behind passed pawns.
30. Study rook endgames. They are the most common and most
complicated.
31. Don't let your king get caught in the center.
32. Don't castle if it brings your king into greater danger from attack.
33. After castling, keep a good pawn formation around your king.
34. If you only have one bishop, put your pawns on its opposite color.
35. Trade pawns pieces when ahead in material or when under attack.
36. If cramped, free your game by exchanging material.
37. If your opponent is cramped, don't let him get any freeing
exchanges.
38. Study openings you are comfortable with.
39. Play over entire games, not just the opening.
40. Blitz chess is helpful in recognizing chess patterns. Play often.
41. Study annotated games and try to guess each move.
42. Stick with just a few openings with White, and a few openings with
Black.
43. Record your games and go over them, especially the games you
lost.
44. Show your games to higher rated opponents and get feedback from
them.
45. Use chess computers and databases to help you study and play
more.
46. Everyone blunders. The champions just blunder less often.
47. When it is not your move, look for tactics and combinations.
48. Try to double rooks or double rook and queen on open files.
49. Always ask yourself, "Does my next move overlook something
simple?"
50. Don't make your own plans without the exclusion of the opponent's
threats.
51. Watch out for captures by retreat of an opponent's piece.
52. Do not focus on one sector of the board. View thw whole board.
53. Write down your move first before making that move if it helps.
54. Try to solve chess puzzles with diagrams from books and
magazines.
55. It is less likely that an opponent is prepared for off-beat openings.
56. Recognize transposition of moves from main-line play.
57. Watch your time and avoid time trouble.
58. Bishops are worth more than knights except when they are pinned
in.
59. A knight works better with a bishop than another knight.
60. It is usually a good idea to trade down into a pawn up endgame.
61. Have confidence in your game.
62. Play in as many rated events as you can.
63. Try not to look at your opponent's rating until after the game.
64. Always play for a win.
Questions I ask myself before making a general move:
• What are the ways to check the enemy king through brute force or
otherwise?
• Am I in danger of being checked through brute force or otherwise?
• Do I have any hanging pieces with no coverage or fewer defenders?
•
If I have bishops still, are there any possible skewers or forks on that
color?
•
If I have knights still, are there any nice forking opportunities I see or
can create?
•
Do I have all of my pieces playing an active role or are some as good
as useless?
•
Have I made use of any open files or outpost squares that are
available?
•
If the opponent still has knights, have I considered options to limit
their mobility?
Questions I ask myself when I am in check and about to make a
move:
• Can I capture the piece?
• Can I interpose the piece?
• Can I flee from the piece?