Contributor: John Tobisch  (coach)
Country: Jamaica/Germany



Questions in red were unanswered.

Common Questions by Beginning Players

1. What is a good age to start teaching my child to play chess?

2. What are some tips on learning to play chess? for children? for teenagers? for adults? One major piece of advice I would give to beginners in the Royal Game is to see the game as a tool for self knowledge. Players can write their own competition book where they chart their experiences, likes and dislikes.

3. Can you recommend some helpful books for a beginner? As for books, I found John Nunn's books like Understanding Chess and Secrets of Practical Chess to be some of the best… then John Watson's Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy.

4. Which phase of the game should I study the most? (opening, middlegame, endgame) I believe it is important to get the chess students to see the game as an organic whole… study the linkages between endgame and the rest of the game. The Russians always start with the endgame because this informs the player of what we need to aim for and it gives an awareness of the importance of two aspects of chess: a) exchanges and b) pawn structure. The game should be seen as an organic whole one stage flows into the other. We tend to split up these games but sometimes we can only make sense of an opening by looking at an endgame. The classic example being the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation.

5. What are some sound opening principles to follow? The books normally tell us three principles should be borne in mind in the opening.

a) Development
b) King Safety
c) Control of the center

However for black and white there are different principles. White starts out with an extra tempo. The onus is on white to maintain a momentum. Black sometimes sacrifices development for structure. The Pirc Defence and the French Defence come to mind. In the Sozin variation black plays the N to f6 and then there is ...e6 and ...a6. The concern for black sometimes is to suppress white's activity.

6. Do you recommend computer chess programs for learning chess?

7. What are the benefits of playing in tournaments?

8. Is there a particular etiquette for tournaments?

9. I'm tired of losing. What can I do to get better?

  • The first step is not to see losing as failure but as feedback-an experience which challenges you to grow.
  • The second step is to annotate your game as objectively as possible and as soon as possible after the game.
  • The third step is to set up a competition book where you record critical moments before during and after a game.
  • Expectations, fears, anxieties and other emotional difficulities need to be identified before they become a trend.
  • The fourth step is to work on those areas that need improvement with the help of a trainer of chess friend who is positive.
  • The fifth step is to try and observe your own reactions in the games.How you handle sudden changes in the game,whether you are blunder prone and how well you resist.
  • The sixth step is build confidence by playing games with no competitive significance first and then play serious games.
  • The seventh step is to keep a training diary where you record the work you undertake.

10. How many moves should I think ahead?


Common Questions by Intermediate Players

1. How do I choose an opening repertoire? You can follow models and examples set down by Grandmasters. If there is a player whose style you like you can model that style. Kasparov for example has an opening repertoire that maintains momentum and initiative and his pieces come alive. Kramnik may player slower and subtle setups like the Berlin Defence.

2. Is it a good practice to memorize openings?

3. How do I know which pieces to trade?

4. Which phase of the game should I study the most? (opening, middlegame, endgame) I believe it is important to get the chess students to see the game as an organic whole… study the linkages between endgame and the rest of the game. The Russians always start with the endgame because this informs the player of what we need to aim for and it gives an awareness of the importance of two aspects of chess: a) exchanges and b) pawn structure. The game should be seen as an organic whole one stage flows into the other. We tend to split up these games but sometimes we can only make sense of an opening by looking at an endgame. The classic example being the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation.

5. What can I do to improve my tactical vision?

6. Why study endgames if my games don't last that long?

7. Can you recommend some helpful books for an intermediate player?

8. Should I play blitz chess? Internet chess?

9. Is it a good idea to use computer programs to analyze my games?

10. How can I avoid time pressure?


Common Question by non-Master Players

What methods did you use to become a chess master? How long did it take?

Submitted: 23 February 2004


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