Chess for Beginners

Tag: Checklist

  • Chess Thought Process Checklist Infographic

    Chess Thought Process Checklist Infographic

    Chess Thought Process Checklist

    Chess Thought Process Checklist Infographic
    Chess Thought Process Checklist Infographic

    [feather_share]

  • Thought Process Checklist

    Thought Process Checklist

    Core Evaluation

    1. How has the opponent’s last move changed the position? Has your opponent made a blunder?
    2. What is he trying to achieve?
    3. Has he weakened his position (positional concession, piece en prise, open to a tactic) ?
    4. Are there any threats?

    Tactical Evaluation

    If 1 or more of the following exist, then perform a tactical evaluation if none exist proceed to the Positional Evaluation section:
    1. Loose (unguarded) pieces : Loose pieces drop off LDPO
    2. Weak back rank
    3. Pieces that can be easily attacked by enemy pieces of lesser value
    4. Pieces that can be attacked via discovery
    5. Pinned or skewerable pieces along the same rank, file or diagonal
    6. Pieces (or squares) vulnerable to knight forks
    7. Overworked pieces (pieces guarding more than one piece or square)
    8. Inadequately guarded pieces
    9. Falling way behind in development
    10. uncastled King or lost pawn protection with Queens on the board
    11. Open enemy lines for Rooks, Queens and bishops to your King
    12. Pieces that have little mobility and might easily be trapped if attacked
    13. A large domination of one side’s forces in one area of the board
    14. Advanced passed pawns

    Positional Evaluation

    1. What is the material balance?
    2. Are there any direct threats?
    3. How is the safety of both Kings?
    4. Pawn structure questions:
    a. Where are the open lines and diagonals?
    b. Are there any strong squares?
    c. Who is controlling the center?
    d. Who has more space and where on the board do they have it?
    5. Which pieces are active and which are not?
    a. Are there any weaknesses in my position?
    b. Are there any weaknesses in my opponent’s position?
    c. Are there any strengths in my opponent’s position?
    d. What are the strengths in my position?
    e. Which is my weakest placed piece? How can I improve it?

     

    Candidate Move Selection

    1. based on above select 2-4 candidates

    2. Begin analyzing the most forcing candidate first

     

     

    NOTE: When analyzing look for opponent’s best response and look 2 1/2 moves (5 ply ahead).
    If there is a combination, then you need to calculate until quiesence.
    3. Double check that at the end of your analysis your opponent doesn’t have a killer move (deadly in-between move or tactic)
    4. Evaluate the position at the end of your analysis:
    Even, W / B is slightly better, W / B is better, W/B is winning, unclear
    5. Rank your candidate move based on evaluation.
    6. Depending on time constraints and the quality of your recently analyzed candidate move go to step 2.
    a. if your candidate’s analysis weakens your position (leaves you better when winning or even when slightly better, then analyze the next candidate on your list)
    b. If your candidate leaves you in the same position (even when even, winning when winning), then decide whether you want to take additional time to analyze the next candidate on your list. The next candidate might take you from even to winning, so even if you found a good move, look for a better one if time allows.

     

     

     

     

    Blunder Check

    7. Write down your move.
    8. Perform a blunder check
    a. are you leaving a piece en prise?
    b. Are you missing a killer tactic?
    c. Are you missing a killer in-between move?
    d. Are you positionally weakening your position?
    9. PLAY the move

     

     

  • Positional Evaluation Checklist

    I have created a PDF document that is based on Karpov and Mazukevich’s thought process guidelines, and includes Herman Grooten’s modifications. You can download it here. The idea is to use it when going over annotated games, or when performing Stokyo exercises. Hopefully, by using it during your training sessions, the questions will sink into our subconscious, and we will subliminally use ask these same questions during actual play.

    Feel free to leave comments if you have any suggestions to improve the checklist.

  • My Thought Process

    Update: 10/17/2009

    I modified the process based on conversations with FM Charles Galofre, I have merged the tactical and strategic scans into one. His point is that even if you find a strong tactical move, you should still look at the strategic aspects of the position since the game might be won with a quiet positional move which you would not have considered if you cut your search short once you had found a tactic.

    The following is the thought process I have decided to employ during long games. The idea is to drill these questions in during practice, so that they become second nature when playing an regular game.

    The idea is to create your own thought process checklist and make it your own.

    It is highly recommended that you also check out Chessplanner by Blue Devil Knight, since it is more thorough than my checklist.

    1. Threat Scan

    I. What is my opponent threatening?

    II. What are the consequences of my opponent’s last move? (how has the position changed?)

    III. Do I have any checks, captures or threats (CCT)? Consider forcing moves as possible candidates

    2.  Move Scan

    A. Tactical Scan

    I. Is there likely to be a tactic in the position?

    a. Tactical Motifs: hanging pieces, weak back rank, discovered attack, pinned or skewerable along same rank, overworked pieces, lack of development, poorly guarded pieces, overworked pieces, forks, weak king position (uncastled King), large accumulation of pieces on one side, in-between moves.

    Even if you find a strong tactical scan, if time allows do a positional scan. If you find a good move look for a better one.

    B. Strategical Scan

    (If there are no tactics, you need to come up with a plan)

    I. Material balance

    II. King safety

    III.  Pawn structure

    a. Who has the better pawn structure (look for doubled pawns, isolated pawns, and hanging pawns)
    b. Are there any open lines or diagonals?
    c. What are the strong and weak squares?
    d. Who is controlling the center?
    e. Who has more space and where on the board do they have it?

    IV.. Activity
    a. which pieces are active and which are not? (how can you make them more active)
    b. Who has better development?
    c. who has the initiative?

    V. Minor pieces
    a. Bishops (bishop pair, bad / good bishop, good diagonals for bishops)
    b. Knights (outposts, strength compared with bishops)

    VI. misc questions
    a. what stage of the game are we in?
    b. If we removed the Queen’s off the board, who has the better endgame?

    4. Select your candidates     (based on scans above)

    5. Analyze candidates (start with the most forcing)

    6. Select move based on analysis

    7. Blundercheck

    8. Write down your move

    9. Blundercheck again

    10. Make your move