Positional elements
Here’s a list. There are different levels of appreciation, from Know-That to Know-How Anyhow, here’s the list, each linked to a post.
-
-
Endgame studies
An endgame puzzle with a long solution is usually called a study. Here’s the most famous of them all. White can’t catch the h-pawn nor force through their own passed pawn. But it’s White to play and draw: Here’s a really neat one with the same limited material. White to play and win, but I…
-
U14/U18 Training: skills and links
Topic page video OPENING How to start like a Grandmaster https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/openings-advicehttps://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/opening-dos-and-donts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UAHjZsrVw0 Opening traps http://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/opening-traps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx7TmtMkg_U Next steps for U11s https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/how-play-opening-2 TACTICS Tactics advice https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/middlegame-tactics-adviceKnow all the basic tactics https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/middlegame-tactics-advice#6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83oae4kRfnMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvr94Dinfr4 https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/middlegame-tactics-advice (U11) A course in chess tactics http://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/course-chess-tactics Practice spotting tactics https://lichess.org/training Check after…
-
U14 chess training resources
Opening A First Junior Chess Opening Repertoire — PDF — PGN The French Defence in 10 minutes PDF DJCA Videos — Scotch Game — Two Knights’ — White with 1.e4 — Black vs 1.e4 — White with 1.d4 — Karlsbad — Black vs. 1.d4 Your First Chess Adventures — openings booklets in PGN and PDF — link…
-
How to get better at calculation
First, have a go at doing some calculation. Pick the best move in a couple of these positions that appeal. They are taken from Aagaard’s Inside the Chess Mind, so you can later compare your answers with some ‘official’ answers from a computer (Fritz 8) but also with the recorded thoughts of some other human…
-
U14 Jamboree games 2020
U14: Benny | Aarv | Niranjana | Suhayl | Charlie | Nathan | Caleb | Toby | Alfie | Tom | Josh | Roman | U18: Nicky | Isaac | James | Bradley | Evan | Oliver | Click […] for the other rounds Benny Aarv Niranjana Suhayl Charlie Nathan Caleb Toby Alfie Tom Josh…
-
bind
A bind is a limit on what a player can do, because the opponent controls some important bit of the position. White’s control of the d-file in Short-Timman left Black powerless. The most famous bind in chess is that of Maroczy in the Sicilian Defence. Black’s counterplay in the Sicilian often depends on White’s backward…
-
Iceland Endgame Challenge
36 positions to study and learn 1. Play through the solution 2. Try to do it on a board without looking at the solution! 3. Try to do it against an opponent — human or computer. Click […] to list all examples
-
Winning with the Queen’s Gambit
…and other Queen’s-side openings As White, you often have a choice of going for a big advantage in a risky position, or going for a safe small advantage. Here are the sorts of advantage you can seek in the Queen’s Gambit. Better development White has got their pieces to better squares and can attack wherever…
-
The Devon U14 chess team
The Devon U14 Team does battle each year against other teams from the West of England and South Wales. I have been providing a bit of feedback on their games over the while, and the collected comments are below. They’re a sort of battle manual for junior chess, and I hope everyone will find something…