Chess guides & articles

In-depth, beginner-friendly guides. Pick a topic and start improving.

Openings

Chess Opening Principles: The 8 Rules Beginners Should FollowThe opening principles that win games at every level: control the centre, develop pieces, castle early, and don't waste moves. With examples.The Best Chess Openings for BeginnersThe best chess openings for beginners — simple, principled systems for White and Black that teach good habits without heavy memorisation.The London System ExplainedThe London System explained for club players — the setup, the main ideas, the typical plans, and how to play it against almost any Black defence.How to Beat the London SystemHow to beat the London System as Black — the most reliable plans to challenge White's setup, target the b2-pawn, and fight for the centre.The Sicilian Defense ExplainedThe Sicilian Defense explained — why 1...c5 is Black's most popular answer to 1.e4, the main variations, and what kind of player it suits.The Italian Game ExplainedThe Italian Game explained — the ideas behind 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, the Giuoco Piano, and why it's perfect for improving players.The Best Chess Opening for 1200 Elo PlayersThe best chess openings for around 1200 Elo — practical, principled choices that win games at the intermediate level without heavy theory.

Tactics

How to Spot Chess Tactics FasterTrain your eye for forks, pins, and skewers. A practical method to spot tactics faster: checks, captures, threats, and loose pieces.The 7 Most Common Chess Tactics (With Examples)The most common chess tactics every player must know — forks, pins, skewers, discovered attacks, double attacks, deflection, and back-rank mates.

Endgames

King and Pawn Endgames: Opposition and Key SquaresMaster the most important endgame: king and pawn vs king. Learn the opposition, key squares, and how to know if a pawn endgame is winning.

Strategy & improvement

How Chess Ratings Work (Elo & Glicko Explained)A clear guide to how chess ratings work — what Elo means, how points change after a game, expected score, and how 88chess rates players.10 Common Chess Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Fix Them)The most common beginner chess mistakes — hanging pieces, early queen raids, ignoring threats — and simple fixes to climb the rating ladder.How to Analyze Your Own Chess GamesA simple, repeatable method to review your chess games, find the mistakes that actually cost points, and turn losses into rating gains.How to Get Better at Chess FastA practical plan to improve at chess fast — the habits and study priorities that actually raise your rating, from tactics to endgames to game review.Chess Time Management: How to Stop Losing on TimeHow to manage your clock in chess — when to think, when to move fast, and how to avoid losing winning positions to time trouble.

Rules

All the Rules of Chess (Complete Beginner's Guide)All the rules of chess explained simply — how each piece moves, check and checkmate, castling, en passant, promotion, and how games are drawn.En Passant Explained (With the One Rule People Forget)En passant explained simply — what the move is, exactly when it's legal, and the one condition (you must capture immediately) people always forget.Checkmate vs Stalemate vs Draw: What's the Difference?Checkmate vs stalemate vs draw explained — the key difference between winning, the half-point trap, and every way a chess game can end in a draw.

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