Chess Strategy for Beginner: How to Learn

Let’s first talk about what is strategy in chess:

While tactics enable you to benefit from your opponent’s short term errors, strategy stems from an understanding of the more long-term aspects of the game.  Recognizing strategic themes during your games is crucial, as it will empower you to evaluate the position from all its perspectives (short & long term).  This is the foundation of planning in chess.  Chess strategy for beginner, let’s go.

1. Notwithstanding, at this level your main focus should not be on studying Strategy.  Only about 10% of your time should be on this subject.  Why? Well, it is to ensure that first you develop a strong, well-rounded foundation in all aspects of the game.  At this level, you will win more games if  your effort is on building foundational skills such as tactics and overall chess understanding.  The majority of  games under 1600-1800 level are won on tactics and chess fundamentals.  

2. At this level, these are the strategic themes you should focus on:
– Piece Activity: piece development, where to place your pieces, outposts, piece coordination.
– How pawns affect positions: identifying strong and weak pawns and the basic strategies on how to exploit them.
– How to form a plan:  many times you will not need a long-term plan but rather a series of mini-plans to bring the win home. For this, you will need to understand how to evaluate a position.  
Also, please start with the Basic Strategy chapter in the Zero to Hero Course: How to Play Chess course.
Also check out our course on Evaluating Positions.

3. At this level, when learning chess strategy for beginner, a major strategic theme is King Safety, which often can make or break a game.  Learn to appreciate this theme during your games and spot strategic opportunities. 

4. Studying game classics of chess masters of old is how many chess masters study strategy.  Slowly but surely integrate studying classics into your study routine.
Check out our courses on classical games.

2. Before moving to the next step of your strategy study, you must have sufficient playing experience that will enable you to better appreciate strategic concepts.  We recommend that you play at least 75-100 games, and reach about 1250 rating level on lichess.

3. Once you complete the above step, start with the course Master the Art of Position Evaluation.  This will teach you how to evalute positions strategically, which is the basis for planning.  When learning chess strategy for beginner start using what you learned in your games (after all, this is what it is all about right?) by evaluating positions, especially in critical moments.  Play at least 25 more games using the knowledge you gained in this course before moving to step 4.  

Remember to record you study and playing sessions in the Record you Sessions app.  Write ideas, insights, reflections, and revisit them on a regular basis.  

4. You are ready to start with your first attacking course (yes!!!): Attacking Strategies, which will introduce you to important strategic attacking concepts such as exposed king, open lines, piece trades, and more.  Again, you need time and playing expereience to internalize these ideas.  Be proactive about incoporating these ideas in your games.  Don’t be afriad to take some chances (learning by trial and error) and develop “feel” and intiution to certain strategic themes. 

5.  Let’s start to learn also defensive strategies as well.  Start with the course Mastering King Defense Strategies which will introduce to important defensive conepts such as prophylaxis and creating counterattacks.  Wonderful and important stuff. chess strategy for beginner is just fun!