Chess is a game played in the mind – a thinking game. But in order for your thinking to be effective and efficient, you need a good understanding of what you need to think about!
Before we continue with more detailed lessons, you should understand what is implied by the famous words of former world-champion, Emanuel Lasker: “Chess is, above all, a fight”
The Fight for Control
Every move you make is an opportunity to fight for control. A move that doesn’t fight for control is a wasted move! At the start of a new game everything is balanced – but you want to create a situation where you can dictate the direction and outcome of the game.
Here is an important difference between stronger and weaker players: Strong players play with as much force as possible – they aim to always make moves that serve a strong purpose. Weaker players occasionally make a so called “waiting-move” or a lesser move that doesn’t actively fight for control.
In this course you will learn how to identify and attack important targets, how to continually create threats and how to force your opponent’s pieces into defensive positions in order to take control.
The key to taking control lies in consistently making purposeful moves that serve your objectives. A good understanding of the objectives of the game will also help you quickly discern between good and bad moves.
Next lesson – Why understanding the objectives in chess is so important