Instructions for chess openings

First, you have to feel comfortable with all the positions of the main variations. For example, if you want to play Caro-Kann because you like the Classical System, you have to like also the Advance Variation, the Panov Attack and other White's choices. Therefore, to play the opening well, you have to improve in many type of positions. This mainly means that the opening preparation has to be done together with the learning of strategy. In addition, it would be very good to review many masters' games, since the more you study various games, the more you will discover and learn new opening systems. If you will follow these instructions you will realize that certain positions that you did not like before will feel more and more comfortable to you and you will also know better how to evaluate their consequential positions. You have to concentrate on understanding the plans of every principal variation, not to memorize the moves.  First of all, your opponent will not play like Anand or other top players, so initially it is enough to know good plans for your systems. A good method for the opening study: try to find an explanation to the move order for the opening's variations! Keep the chess board in front of you and think why it is important to make a certain move before another. With this method you will gain a better understanding of your plan and opponent's counter play, better calculation skills
move-by-move learning of the variations (develop opinion on which you like). In addition, if you will need more games for the study of your variations, you can search on ChessLive.de by positions, ELOs and year played. If you can afford it, one database with annotated games is a remarkably good help. Finally, for our chess instructions on openings, we recommend you to get a material with a lot of annotations.

A Sport or Not

In Russia, chess is considered a sport. There are chess halls in National Sports Training centers and the results of chess matches are reported on TV during the sports segment. The rest of us in the world are sure that chess is not a sport, primarily because there is absolutely no physical skill, physical movement or physical activity involved in chess at all. Regardless of whether you consider chess a sport or not, chess does have certain lessons that can be learned by sports coaches, including gymnastics coaches. A great coach knows all of the potential strategies for training gymnasts and all the possible “moves.” With that encyclopedic knowledge of all the training possibilities for gymnastics, the coach can pick the right move for the right gymnast at the right time.

Performance, Knowledge and Motivation

It is helpful to consider an equation sometimes used by sports psychologists:

Performance = Knowledge + Motivation

In chess terms, the meaning of this is that a player's performance from one tournament to the next will vary entirely with his motivation. Knowledge builds up slowly over the years and does not vary much in a short time, whereas motivation has massive swings up and down, accounting for good and bad form. Of course, other factors, like luck, can play a part and the above equation only holds as a rough approximation. Competitive players should treat their motivation very seriously indeed and look for ways to improve it. It is not only intelligence, talent for the game, knowledge and understanding or physical fitness that count; will to win, pure unadulterated motivation can also count for enormous variation in the levels that different players reach.

Professional Local Chess Player

Professional chess is an arena reserved for a select few intellectuals of varying abilities, talents and temperaments, and has been the kingdom of greats such as Bobby Fischer.

To become a professional chess player, you need to first immerse yourself in theory; read and learn from chess strategy books, play against superior players and learn all there is to know about the game.

Once you are thoroughly enmeshed in the world of chess, it's time to begin your meteoric rise to the top of this prestigious and bitterly embattled arena.

Read books on chess strategy, and become familiar with the various tactics and maneuvers of the chess masters, like the "Poison Pawn" and the "Castling" move.

Books like "Weapons of Chess" by Bruce Pandolfini are great stores of knowledge, and should be read cover to cover. Make notes and refer to them while playing, if that helps you learn.

Practice your moves on a regulation-sized chess board, either by yourself or against an opponent. Go through the maneuvers step by step, watch how they work and try to analyze any weak points in the strategy (and how to counter said weak points). Eventually, these moves will become like instinctual when playing an actual game.

Try to play against people you know are superior players to yourself; you'll lose more often, but you'll gain invaluable wisdom and insight into how to beat your opponents.

Compete in local tournaments (Kota Kinabalu, Kudat, Sandakan, Tawau, Semporna, Penampang, Inanam, Menggatal, Telipok, Tuaran, Tamparuli, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Kundasang, Ranau, Sipitang, Kinabatangan, Beaufort, Papar), usually for an entrance fee and very little (if any) prize money. Most local high schools/colleges/chess clubs host them regularly.

Be patient. Don't expect to snag high-end sponsors and government support at this point, but instead use THE EXPERIENCE to improve your endurance and grace-under-fire abilities.

Win often enough, and eventually you will make it to tournaments that attract sponsorship attention. Play your game cleanly and be a good sport, and with luck you'll be approached by a sponsor or government agency looking to support you through your tournaments. Accept graciously.

Study and practice constantly; never, ever think that you know all there is to know about chess just because you're sponsored. Chess is an infinitely complex game that can never be truly mastered, and you can only stay ahead of the competition by knowing more than they do.

One of the Most Challenging Games

Chess is one of the oldest and most challenging games. Remarkably, the game has also proven to be an invaluable educational aide and one of the latest pedagogical tools for young students. Through the game of chess, children learn analytical and disciplined thinking skills, which are applicable to many other intellectual pursuits. More than any other game, chess has the potential to transform a child. If taught correctly, chess can be a student's driving force, helping him/her in every aspect of critical thinking development. Chess is also extremely beneficial in raising self-esteem, teaching determination, self-motivation and sportsmanship. It's one of the few positive in-school and extra-curricular activities for students of all ages and from all backgrounds. Chess is the one great equalizer in education, in which anyone with determination to succeed can excel.