chess syllabus

 Introduction, The Board, The Pieces, and the Purpose of Game, checkmate, Value of the Pieces  Moves  Attacking & Capturing, Special Moves, and Defending an Attacked Piece, check, stalemate. Other Draws in addition to Stalemate Another Special Move: en passant Etiquette, Touch move 

Ten Rules for the Opening:

• Open with either the king's pawn or the queen's pawn.
• When possible, make a good developing move which threatens something.
• Develop knights before bishops.
• Pick the most suitable square for a piece and develop it there.
• Make one or two pawn moves in the opening, not more.
• Don't bring your queen out early.
• Castle as soon as possible, preferably on the king's side.
• Play to gain control of the center.
• Try to maintain at least one pawn in the center.
• Don't sacrifice without a clear and adequate reason:
  • Secure three tempi in development.
  • Deflect the enemy queen.
  • Prevent the opponent from castling.
  • Build up a strong attack.

Ten Rules for the Middlegame:

• Have all your moves fit into definite plans:
  • A plan must be based on sound strategic principles:
    • Material.
    • Pawn structure.
    • Piece mobility.
    • King safety.
    • Threats.
  • A plan must be suggested by some feature in the position:
    • A plan is for a few moves only.
    • Plans are for specific purposes only.
    • Plans are flexible.
• When you are ahead in material, exchange as many pieces as possible, especially queens.
• Avoid doubled, isolated, and backward pawns.
• In cramped positions, free yourself by exchanging.
• Don't expose your king while the queens are still on the board.
• All combinations are based on a double attack.
• If your opponent has one or more pieces exposed, look for a combination.
• In superior positions, you must open a file (or a diagonal) for your heavy pieces to attack the king.
• In even positions, centralize the action of all your pieces.
• In inferior positions, the best defense is counter-attack.

Ten Rules for the Ending:

• To win without pawns, you must be at least a rook or two pieces ahead.
• The king must be active in the endgame.
• Passed pawns must be pushed.
• The easiest endings to win are pure pawn endings:
  • Advance two connected passed pawns to get an enemy piece.
  • With two disconnected passed pawns, defend one with the king, while exchanging pieces.
  • Use an outside passed pawn to deflect the enemy king, and penetrate the other wing, using your king to protect other advancing pawns.
• If you are only one pawn ahead, exchange pieces, but not pawns.
• Don't place your pawns on the same color as your bishop.
• Bishops are better than knights in all but blocked pawn positions.
• It is worth giving up a pawn to get a rook on the seventh rank.
• Rooks belong behind passed pawns.
• Blockade passed pawns with the king.