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Position is an important factor in Chess. Learn to evaluate and understand positions and you will become a much stronger player. Some general rules for helping you evaluate your position are:
- Control of the center is generally a good thing.
- Don't overextend yourself. Pieces and pawns that are closer to your enemy than you can often be overpowered by your enemy.
- Pay attention to pawn coverage. Once a pawn is moved forward, it can never again attack, protect, or threaten the squares it has moved past. This can create permanent weaknesses. Always watch for squares that cannot be attacked by pawns, and don't move a pawn unless it is absolutely necessary.
- Determine who controls which of the 4 center squares. These may be the key to an effective attack.
- Determine how many "hung" pieces you and your opponent have. If a piece (or pawn) is not protected by another piece, it is hung. Attacking a hung piece can be a way to make your opponent move while getting your pieces into a better position, or to buy you some time.
- Play "Find the Fork" and be sure you know where any forks, skewers, or discoveries might be possible.
- Look for places where the rug can be pulled out from your pieces or your opponent's pieces. See Exchanges for an explanation of "pulling the rug out."
Note that these rules are not absolute, nor are they complete. They only serve as a general guide to help you get started. Every position is unique, but you will learn to see more of what's going on in any position if you pay attention to these things. |
