I’m happy to inform you that our new course “Level Up Your Chess” will be released this week! This course is aimed at those players who finally want to breakthrough after months or years of playing at the same level, if not declining gradually.

This course is a COMPLETE guide which is not focused on improving just one skill. The course will help you improve in all phases of the game, but it will also help you tackle the main reason why you cannot progress. And last but not the least, we’ll provide you with a study and training plan to implement right after finishing the course.

While you wait for the course to level up your chess skills, I’d like to share with you 100 essential chess tips as a warm-up to the course. These tips will definitely help you to play better in various stages of the game.

Buckle up, it’s going to be a thrilling ride! Watch the full video below and dive deeper into each tip. I’m covering these 100 tips in just 7 minutes, so the video might be too fast for some of you. If you don’t understand something, just pause the video, think about the position and then go to the next one.

Below, you can find some of the useful tips from the above video lesson.

1) Cut your opponent’s king off, if possible, to prevent or delay its castling

In this following example, White plays Ba3 to control the a3-f8 diagonal, preventing Black from castling.

2) While developing, make sure you don’t block your other pieces

For example, playing Nbd7 in the following position closes the diagonal for the bishop, blocking its development.

3) When there is an opposite-side castling, start a pawn storm

If you and your opponent have castled opposite sides, you can launch an attack with a pawn storm.

In the above position, White can launch a powerful kingside attack with g4, and then push g5, h4 later.

4) Capture towards the center

The center is the most important part of the chessboard. Therefore, it is usually better to capture towards the center. The following example illustrates that.

Here, Black has two choices: gxf6 and exf6. Following this tip, Black can play gxf6, capturing towards the center, which helps Black to play e5 later resulting in a strong control of the center.

5) Trade off your passive pieces

In the following position, it is good for Black to exchange their passive bishop on c8 with White’s active bishop on d3.

Therefore, Ba6 is a good move for Black.

6) Sacrifice a pawn to open diagonals for your bishops

In the above position, Black can open up the diagonal for their g7-bishop with a nice pawn sacrifice. For example, 1…e4 2.fxe4 f4 opens up the g7-b2 diagonal.

7) When your opponent is attacking you, check if it’s truly dangerous

It is not always necessary to defend or react to your opponent’s threats. Ask yourself it really is a worrying threat. Take a look at this position:

Black has played 1…Qb6, attacking the d4-pawn. Instead of defending passively with 2.Be3, White can ignore the threat and play 2.Nc3 because after 2…Nxd4 3.Nxd4 Qxd4, Black loses their queen after 4.Bb5+.

8) When your opponent’s king is weak, look for tactical combinations

In the above position, White can win the game with a beautiful combination: 1.Qh7+ Nxh7 2.Ng6#.

9) While defending, keep the position closed

Keeping your position closed prevents your opponent from attacking you.

In the above position, Black can close the position by playing g4 and White cannot attack anymore. Opening up files and diagonals in such positions (for instance with gxf4) only helps your opponent to attack further.

10) A pawn break can help you create a passed pawn in an endgame

Here is a famous example:

White can create a passed pawn with the pawn break 1.b6 axb6 (1…cxb6 2.a6 bxa6 3.c6) 2.c6 bxc6 3.a6.

11) A stalemate is a good way to save a losing endgame

Black is threatening to checkmate on the next move and their pawn is just a couple of squares away from promotion. However, White can save the game with 1.Rf2+. And it’s a stalemate after 1…exf2.

12) Put your rook behind the passed pawn to support its advancement

The White rook is behind the b-pawn, so White can easily push the pawn forward.

13) Use the back-rank weakness

Black has a back-rank weakness and White exploits it with 1.Qb7 and wins the game after 1…Rxb7 2.Rxa8+ Rb8 3.Rxb8#.

14) The main plan in the endgame is to promote a passed pawn

Take a look at the following position.

White can promote the passed pawn on h6 with a killer rook sacrifice 1.Rxg6 hxg6 2.h7.

15) Calculate all possible captures, not just one

In the above position, most chess players quickly play 1.Bxf6. However, the other capture 1.Nxf6+ gives White a pawn and a huge advantage after 1…gxf6 2.Bxh6.

Conclusion

We’ve discussed only 15 essential tips above. Don’t miss to watch the full video lesson to learn all the 100 chess tips.

Congratulations for embarking on this extraordinary journey of improving your game! These tips are bound to revolutionize your approach to the game. 😊