Chess Strategy: The basic rules of deployment – Part 1

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This article is a ready reckoner type of guide for beginners, in line with the prevalent mode of capsule information sought by people in these days of everything ‘fast’ – fast track, fast food, fast lifestyle, fast ….

But at the same time, some saner heads have started questioning this style and warning about the damages wrought on our health and spirits by such ‘fastness’. So a warning will also be appropriate for the capsule package on chess strategies, though it is not likely to cause as much damage! Some general rules apply in every walk of life and helps us to tackle problems more readily provided that we are aware of possible exceptions to every rule and try to understand when the situation needs us to break the rules!

Now that we have suitably cautioned you lest you come back with basketful of rotten tomatoes after losing your game in two moves (it is possible, you know! Just play 1. f4 e6 2. g4 Qh4#)! With all that off our mind, we are giving you a table of chess pieces vis-a-vis their suggested deployment during the three main phases of a chess game.

This first part of a two-part series deals with the King and the heavy pieces.

Piece Opening Middle-Game End-Game
King * Keep well-guarded
* Castle early
* K-side castle preferred, if on Q-side – QRP remains weak
* Keep guarding inside castle
* When castle loses importance (most pieces off board), move to second rank and centralize (in preparation for end-game)
* With most pieces removed, it now holds the power and helps in attack
* But avoid premature advance when several enemy pieces are still on board
* Keep it close to support your pawns if advancing for promotion
* Keep it close to enemy pawns if defending and trying to stop their promotion
* Relative positions of your King and enemy King is very important for action plan
* Keep in mind the principles of ‘opposition’ and ‘the Square’ for pawn promotion
       
Queen * Try not to go beyond third rank * Move freely based on need
* Look for opportunity to pick up pawns safely
* Leave alone pawns that will take it away from action area
* Watch out for risk of getting hemmed in when taking pawns
* Be alert against pins and Knight fork
* Its power increases when other enemy pieces are gone
* It can be used to mop up pawns
* Even in an apparent losing situation, it can salvage draw by perpetual check
       
Rook * Try to link them up (it is one aim of castling)
* Keep them on back rank
* Occupy open/semi-open files
* They work best from a distance
* Try to double them on an open file
* Try to occupy the seventh rank, where doubled rooks can play havoc with enemy
* Otherwise keep them on first two ranks as they are vulnerable to Bishops
* Look for back rank attack on enemy King
* The seventh rank is still strong if enemy King is on eighth rank
* They are effective in restricting enemy King’s movement
* They can be used to mop up pawns
* They can protect your advancing pawns
* Try to retain them if you have inferior pawns as they can help to salvage a draw
* With fairly open board, they can be used for perpetual checks

continued to Chess Strategy Guide Part 2

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