3 Important Questions To Ask Before a Chess Move

3 Important Questions To Ask Before a Chess Move

What are the questions that come into the minds of chess players as they reach out to move a chess piece?

Asking yourself the correct questions at the appropriate time helps to eliminate blunders and improve your chess game.

One of the key factors which differentiate a strong player and a beginner is in asking these questions in the mind.

Mere awareness of this way of thinking is the first and simplest step.

The next step is to practice these questions while in a training match – at every turn.

Regular practice of these questions will definitely slow your game down but is one major factor in getting better at the chess game.

Let us get to the questions.

These questions are only a small ready-reckoner chess hack guide – along with the regular questions that you will be asking.

Before moving the Queen

is the timing correct? In other words, have the minor pieces all been developed?

Is the direction correct which means the side of the board that I am launching the attack?

Can my opponent attack the Queen easily and gain free tempo or tempi?

Before moving the Rook

Is the Rook moving towards an open file?

Is it possible to move the Rook to the seventh rank?

Is my Rook behind the passed pawn (if there is a passed pawn)?

Before moving the Bishop

Is my Bishop moving into an open diagonal?

Is my Bishop controlling a lot of squares?

Is my Bishop performing the role of a good Bishop or a bad Bishop?

Before moving the Knight

Is there the possibility of a Knight fork (Double attack)

Can my Knight return safely from enemy territory?

Did I calculate two moves ahead for my Knight?

Before moving the Pawn

Am I moving to a safe square where it cannot be captured? 

What new squares I am controlling, and what old squares have lost control of?

Is there a possibility to create a passed pawn?

Before moving the King

Is my King safe?

Is my King going towards the center in the endgame phase?

Is the King move legal? 

What is the purpose of these 3 Questions To Ask Before a Chess Move?

This is a set of basic questions that need to be asked by beginners, especially kids, to hone their thinking skills in their chess game.

Thinking techniques can be simple like this one or complex as you progress in chess.

But these basic questions will guide you while you are clueless as a beginner, for a long time to come.

How does it help?

Many chess players are clueless about the choice of moves to be made.

Here at Golden Chess Centre, we conduct online chess classes with an emphasis on simple techniques – like the one in this article – to understand the choice of best moves that need to be considered.

And taking responsibility for the moves teaches them to become more conscious while in the early stages of their Chess career.

This is the necessary trait seen in almost all growing chess players.

This helps in reducing errors and thereby improving the games.

Will the knowledge of the Questions To Ask Before a Chess Move help me?

Depends.

It is mainly geared towards younger students who can’t understand too much of the theory.

For the children, all that needs to be shown is the systematic approach in breaking down the unknown elements into smaller parts.

Once they master this form of deliberate thinking they will cross over to the next level sooner than before.

And in my experience (of two decades) I can say that those students who take the initial effort is not just knowing the (Questions To Ask Before a Chess Move) method, but use them consciously, make huge jumps in their chess prowess. 

Other useful links:

Psychology of Chess Weaknesses | 4 Easy Hacks

Correct Attitude to Learning chess | 5 Tips to success

Chess and Zen – Wonder what is similar? Read till the end!

Online Chess Classes – Golden Chess Centre

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Kish

Kish is an editor and chief coach with a passion to teach. He works in the Golden Chess Centre, as a coach assisting the Chess kids with everything from the basics of Chess to teaching students how to use thinking tools. A lifelong learner himself, he has always been fascinated by the use of thinking techniques in chess and education. He creates chess resources based on his two decades of experience in the chess Teaching arena (and always wants to learn from others).
His Chess workshops and online chess classes can be booked in advance based on appointment.

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