How to Improve Evaluation Skills by Learning Chess Openings Online

Chess openings are a set of first few standard moves that are termed as the ’book of moves.’ These moves generally signify geometric notations, tree structures, etc. The Oxford companion to chess lists about a thousand openings that characterize positional play and gradually build up to tactical moves. A player who starts the game without a set pattern or deviates from the stated theories is said to move ’out of book.’

A good opening ensures control over a wider area of the board for mobility of the pieces and provides better protection to the king and other important pieces. Moreover, a strategically planned game gives you the opportunities to capture the opponent’s pieces and ruin their defenses. These are all categorized under the theory of plans. To start with, you need to give a direction to your game that is determined by the first few moves – the opening. In the mid-game, the efforts are focused on gaining control over the board and knocking down defenses. Towards the end of the game, strategize the way to checkmate the opponent. But, it is always important to follow patterns and then figure out what the next move should be. Observing and analyzing moves at every stage of a game is a form of evaluation. This skill also helps in the real world with the ability to plan and execute strategies for the important things in your life like saving money, preparing for a final, or buying a new home.

People always learn better when taught by an experienced teacher. For chess, a good tutor is trained professional who has in-depth knowledge of the game. They not only know what the best moves are but also how to teach them to new players. Experienced professionals know how fast students pick up the skills and find areas that need work. It is more than learning tricks and strategies with ease. To truly master something, there is no easy path. But a tutor or coach can ensure that what you learn lasts a lifetime. Online chess coaches are a viable source to improve your skill set and have a better control over the game.

More than learning what to move, it is important to learn why to do so. Once you start evaluating your moves, you will start predicting the opponents’ moves too. With rigorous practice games and continuous evaluation of every move, you will learn to detect the direction in which the game is headed. Then you can plan a counter offense or alter your defensive strategy. It is an all-around exercise for development of the brain and the skills acquired are equally useful in life’s other areas.

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