Chess Tactics and Strategy 

The tactics and strategies used in chess, is what makes it a beautiful game. To start the game, after the memorized opening moves are played, and each player's plan has begun to unfold, then the game of chess kicks off. 

It is in the middle of the chess that most games are won, not on the opening theory and in learning the techniques used by your opponents. The chess strategy is all about the attempt to intentionally, get ahead of your opponent. Unlike the chess tactics, the strategy involves long term goals, that has to do with the safety of the king, the pawn structure, space, the piece activity and more. There are three vital elements in the game of chess: 

• Time 
• Space, and 
• Harmony 

Why is chess a game of strategy and planning? 

Chess is a tough game to play, hence the importance to plan and strategize to become a stronger player. With a plan in place, it then becomes easier, strategies can occur at anytime, hence them being a long term plan, designed to gain advantage over your opponent. 

A solid chess strategy is one that gives you  the edge you need  to win, it should be feasible, sound, and simple.

This is why the chess strategy is important. 

The chess tactics can define the games' outcome, but the strategy when done right, creates the opportunity for the tactical shots. The strategy is the breeding ground for tactics. 

Combining chess strategies lead to powerful play, an essential tip that chess players need to know either being  pros or as beginners is to remember that chess game is a blend of different strategies, it is essential to always control your center. 

Chess tactics vs Chess Strategy

Chess tactics and strategy exist together, so it is important to understand the difference. The chess strategy is your ability to make a good plan for your position whereas the chess tactics will be how good you are at seeing a combination of moves. 

The Strategic Chess Concepts

Learning a few principles can improve your play and help with more wins. 

Piece Activity:

The piece activity is more of an abstract concept, it is the combination of the scope of each piece and it's purpose.

Material count: 

This is the most straightforward strategic concept in chess to understand. It is a basic way of evaluating a chess position.

Pawn structure:

This is the way the pawns are placed in a specific position, without regard for the other pieces. It is significant to understand pawn structures in order to understand because it affects other strategic concepts of the game.

Space: 

The space is essentially related to the number of squares a player has behind their pawns. A player can have spaces on the king side, queen side, the center or in all the sections of the board. 

King safety: 

This is a critical strategic concept in chess. If your king is not safe, it is easier for you to get checkmated. 

Common chess tactics 

Chess tactics are a short-term premeditated sequence of movements that leads to checkmates, material wins, or other gains.Understanding tactics is influential in playing a good chess game.

There are 4 basic tactics: 

Forks: 

The knights are the best pieces, for forks, because they can take out the two opposing pieces in a single move. Although every piece on the board has a forking liability. 

Fools mate: 

This is the fastest way to checkmate, it capitalizes on a few key mistakes by your opponents. 

Skewers: 

This happens when your opponent leaves a lesser piece vulnerable to attack.

Pins: 

You are able to pin your opponent’s pieces in, using your rooks, bishops and queen to pull off the powerful move. 

Choosing your Chess Strategy

Chess strategy encompasses a wide range of principles, from piece valuation to situation evaluation. Being able to master the principle will help in your understanding of chess. Benefits of playing chess

There are a lot of benefits to playing chess, for both kids and adults. Playing chess, learning the tactics, strategies or being interested in chess movies, helps with developing the cognitive brain functions, including the ability to solve problems, make strategic plans, creative thinking and much more. 

Other benefits include;

• Builds self-confidence 
• Chess helps to treat schizophrenia 
• Chess teaches patience
• Chess helps exercises the brain 
• Increase your IQ level 
• Chess teaches you sportsmanship
• Chess raises abstract reasoning awareness. 

The average chess player is fascinated by chess movies even though they would check if everything is okay. Some movies may have shortcomings, but others may match their expectations and are fun to watch. 

Watching chess movies and seeing the grand masters can really help your chess game. But you get to benefit better off it if you try guessing the moves before they are played, passively watching the game without understanding it and knowing why each move is made, will not help. 

We can easily learn how to pull up some chess moves and learn strategies from some chess movies. Over the years we have seen lots of chess movies and learned a few to add to our hats tricks. Some movies feature chess as the main story while in others,  chess only plays a background role. 

Some chess movies to check out and improve your skills.

Coldest game

This movie is one that chess lovers would want to see, it includes a couple of very interesting chess games that consists of some analysis. The chess games played here, although a fictional movie follows real examples of how chess is played. The chess game depicted in the movie is based on real, well-known games, which is a treat for chess fans. The chess rating in this movie was an 8/10. The chess games are enjoyable to watch 

Critical thinking

This chess movies tell the story of a dedicated teacher high school teacher, that inspires his students to become the first inner city team to win the United States chess championship. 

Searching for bob Fischer

This movie is super popular and almost everyone has seen this movie, even if you are not a chess guru, this movie is loved by non-chess lovers by ratings, so to chess lovers will definitely be a delight.

Pawn sacrifice

Every die hard chess fan will tell you about their favorite event in chess history, the 1972 world championship, this is a movie that tells the story of the famous chess competition. 

Queen of Katwe

As long as you are a chess fan, you will absolutely love this movie. It tells the story of an Ugandan chess player who grew up in the slums of Katwe and became a women's candidate master.

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