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Chess Tactics and Opening Principles

Fork

This is probably one of the most common tactics you will see in chess. It is called a fork. As you can see, the knight is attacking both the queen and the rook at the same time, winning at least one of the pieces because black can only move one piece to safety.

Pin

This is also another very common tactic that you might see, it is called a pin. The knight's movement is restricted by the bishop, since if the knight moves then the queen can be captured.

Opening Principles

Develop your pieces

Bringing your pieces out quickly is important because you can take the space and attack your opponent. Having all your pieces out is also important because your pieces work best when working together, and if your queen is in the middle of enemy territory while the rest of your pieces are still stuck at home then it can get quite dangerous.

Castling Early

King safety is one of the most important things in chess, and as the game goes on and pawns are exchanged your king will become exposed, leading to possible oppurtunities for your opponent. Castling allows you to quickly get your king to safety in the corner, guarded by a wall of pawns and a rook.

Developing towards the center

Having your pieces in the center is advantageous because your pieces control more space in the center.

Center Control

The knight in the center can move to eight squares, but the knight on the side can only move to four. This allows the knight to be more active on the board.

The End!