Top 50 Chess Principles for All Levels: Beginner to Advanced | Opening, Middlegame, Endgame Concepts

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Timestamps:
0:07 - Beginner Chess Principles
0:15 - Principle 1: Control the center
1:08 - Principle 2: Develop pieces quickly
1:35 - Principle 3: Castle before move 10
2:10 - Principle 4: Avoid too many pawn moves
2:40 - Principle 5: Avoid "bad" bishops
3:22 - Principle 6: Avoid moving the same piece twice
4:27 - Principle 7: Don't bring out queen too early
5:44 - Principle 8: Pay attention to f2/f7
6:55 - Principle 9: Watch out for stalemate
7:45 - Intermediate Chess Principles
7:53 - BREAKING 1500!
8:41 - Principle 10: Knights before bishops
9:55 - Principle 11: Connect your rooks
10:53 - Principle 12: Rooks to open/half-open files
11:44 - Principle 13: Knights on the rim are dim
12:54 - Principle 14: Avoid doubled pawns
14:04 - Principle 15: Avoid isolated pawns
14:45 - Principle 16: Avoid backward pawns
15:57 - Principle 17: Don't move pawns in front of castled king
16:53 - Principle 18: Don't open center if your king is there
17:48 - Principle 19: When attacking, don't trade queens
18:49 - Principle 20: If cramped, trade pieces
19:50 - Principle 21: 2 minor pieces better than rook and pawn
21:00 - Principle 22: 3 minor pieces better than queen
22:53 - Principle 23: Rooks are strong on 2nd/7th ranks
24:08 - Principle 24: Doubled rooks on open files are strong
25:43 - Principle 25: Bishops better in open, knights in closed
26:24 - Principle 26: Capture towards the center
27:02 - Principle 27: Activate king in the endgame
28:37 - Principle 28: Trade fianchetto bishop to weaken king
30:03 - Principle 29: Knight on f8, there's no mate
31:17 - Principle 30: Slow down - use your time
31:55 - Principle 31: Don't play hope chess
33:13 - Advanced Chess Principles
33:42 - Principle 32: Don't trade bishop for knight without a reason
35:00 - Principle 33: Meet flank attack with a counterattack in the center
36:45 - Principle 34: Rooks go behind passed pawns
38:25 - Principle 35: 2 connected passed pawns on 6th rank beat a rook
39:27 - Principle 36: Attack in the direction of your pawn chain
41:11 - Principle 37: Knights are best blockaders of passed pawns
41:45 - Principle 38: When ahead, trade pieces (NOT pawns)
43:22 - Principle 39: When behind, trade pawns (NOT pieces)
44:08 - Principle 40: 1 pawn can stop 2 pawns
45:48 - Principle 41: Put pawns on opposite color as your bishop
46:32 - Principle 42: Watch out for pawn storms when castled opposite
47:12 - Principle 43: When attacking, remove key defenders
48:14 - Principle 44: It's easier to attack than defend
48:41 - Principle 45: If c3, then d5
50:12 - Principle 46: If f4, then d5
51:29 - Principle 47: In d4/d5 openings, don't block c pawn
52:13 - Principle 48: Kings can use the crooked path
54:03 - Principle 49: Be carful for poisoned b or g pawns
55:02 - Principle 50: Be flexible about your plans
56:08 - BREAKING 1500!

Welcome to this comprehensive guide on the 50 essential chess principles! Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, this video covers key strategies and techniques to elevate your game. Dive into the intricacies of the opening, middlegame, and endgame, with principles categorized by skill level to ensure you get the most out of your practice.

[TheLapinrieska]

I have actually started to hear your voice in my head, while playing chess. When my opponent moves a piece, I hear:"do I care about that, let's do a quick scan" and I think I've become a way better player for it

[main_domain]

Тор 50 Chess Principles
# Beginner :
1. Control the center
2. Develop pieces quickly
3. Castle before move 10
4. Avoid too many pawn moves
5. Avoid "bad" bishops
6. Avoid moving the same piece twice
7. Don't bring out your queen early
8. Pay attention to f2/f7
9. Watch out for stalemate
# Intermediate:
10. Knights before bishops
11. Connect your rooks
12. Rooks to open or half-open files
13. Knights on the rim are dim
14. Avoid doubled pawns
15. Avoid isolated pawns
16. Avoid backward pawns
17. Don't move pawns in front of castled king
18. Don't open center if your king is there
19. When attacking, don't trade queens
20. If cramped, trade pieces
21. 2 minor pieces are better than a rook + pawn
22. 3 minor pieces are better than a queen
23. Rooks are strong on the 2nd/7th ranks
24. Doubled rooks on open files are strong
25. Bishops better in opened positions, knights in closed
26. Capture towards the center
27. Activate king in the endgame
28. Trade fianchetto bishop to weaken king
29. Knight on f8 there's no mate
30. Slow down — use your time
31. Don't play hope chess
# Advanced
32. Don't trade bishop for a knight without a good reason
33. Meet flank attack with a counterattack in the center
34. Rooks go behind passed pawns
35. 2 connected passed pawns on 6th rank beat a rook
36. Attack in the direction of your pawn chain
37. Knights are best blockaders of passed pawns
38. When ahead, trade pieces (NOT pawns)
39. When behind, trade pawns (NOT pieces)
40. 1 pawn can stop 2 pawns
41. Put pawns on opposite color from your bishop
42. Watch out for pawn storms when castled opposite
43. When attacking, remove key defenders
44. It's easier to attack than defend
45. If c3, then d5
46. If f4, then d5
47. In d4/d5 openings, don't block c pawn
48. Kings can use the crooked path
49. Be careful for poisoned b or g pawns
50. Be flexible about your plans

[xxxq]

50 Chess Principles

Beginner:
1. Control the centre
2. Develop pieces quickly
3. Castle before move 10
4. Avoid making too many pawn moves
5. Avoid "bad" bishops
6. Avoid moving the same piece twice
7. Don't bring out your queen too early
8. Pay attention to the f2/f7 squares
9. Watch out for stalemate

Intermediate:
10. Knights before bishops
11. Connect your rooks
12. Rooks to open or half-open files
13. Knights on the rim are dim
14. Avoid doubled pawns
15. Avoid isolated pawns
16. Avoid backward pawns
17. Don't move pawns in front of castled king
18. Don't open centre if your king is there
19. When attacking, do not trade queens
20. If cramped, trade pieces
21. Two minor pieces are better than a rook + pawn
22. Three minor pieces are better than a queen
23. Rooks are strong on the 2nd/7th ranks
24. Doubled rooks on open files are strong
25. Bishops better in open positions, knights in closed
26. Capture towards the centre
27. Activate king in the endgame
28. Trade fianchetto bishop to weaken king
29. Knight on f8, there's no mate
30. Slow down - use your time
31. Don't play hope chess

Advanced:
32. Don't trade bishop for knight without a good reason
33. Meet a flank attack with a counterattack in the centre
34. Rooks go behind passed pawns
35. Two connected passed pawns on 6th rank beat a rook
36. Attack in the direction of your pawn chain
37. Knights are best blockaders of passed pawns
38. When ahead, trade pieces (NOT pawns)
39. When behind, trade pawns (NOT pieces)
40. 1 pawn can (sometimes) stop 2 pawns
41. Put pawns on the opposite colour of your bishop
42. Watch out for pawn storms when opposite castling
43. When attacking, remove key defenders
44. It's easier to attack than defend (Offence is the best defence)
45. If c3, then d5
46. If f4, then d5
47. In d4/d5 openings, don't block the c pawn (unless openings like Jobava)
48. Kings can use the crooked path
49. Be careful of poisoned b or g pawns
50. Be flexible about your plans!

[sammarks]

It’s a simple thing, but “take your time” has propelled me from hovering in the 900’s to almost 1100. I agree with what others have said- the way you explain things is simple, humble and straightforward. Thank you.

[grahamdugan]

As clearly as knights on the rim are dim, Chess Vibes is the best of the chess channels. I cannot wait for the course tomorrow!!! My wife has been making fun of me, but I don't care, I can't wait!!

[TakuTePuke-qddf]

Love the way you explain stuff bro. Just spitting facts. Trim the nonsense and just get straight into it.

[awang_ir]

I know this day should happen! Thanks a lot, Nelson!! You are THE chess teacher in our heart

[smartbubba]

I watched this entire video, took notes, played the 1200 Elo adaptive bot and beat him first try. I still struggled in the end game but I was able to notice my mistakes a lot quicker and came back around. This is the video I’ve been looking for. Thank you

[orionspur]

One way to summarize all the rules: Minimize the number of squares your opponent will control upon making their next move. As you improve, extend to deeper "next" moves.

[glauberk]

#51 - Don't put rice on to cook while you're playing

[kojifresh]

This was THE best checklist of chess principles I've ever seen on YouTube! Thank you so much for putting this together.

[Ray-kusj]

You did a great job on this video. Keep up the good work. Ray.

[seeess]

Absolute mandatory video. I was always good at chess. But every game, my queen was out in the third move. And I didn't know castling was for safety. I just did it just like any other move if the situation needed. I only started becoming much better after watching a similar video like this from Andrea Bonzet. Who taught me some of these concepts.

[bennelson]

Only 30 minutes in, but I already found something I was completely unaware of in the intermediate section so I had to comment.

I'm a 2000 player and I had never heard the knight on f8 there is no mate saying before. I've recognized the importance of defending the h7 pawn with the knight, but generally i've kept my knight on f6 to do that, which naturally can lead to it getting kicked around. It seems obvious in retrospect, but my solution has always been doubling up defense with another piece if necessary or simply doing my best to prevent my knight from getting harassed to begin with. I'm sure my knight has naturally found its way to f8 before in defensive situations, but it's never been something i've actively kept an eye out for, or went out of my way to make happen previously, and now I will try and implement this idea into my games.

[DanielFBest]

Excellent, excellent tutorial, thank you. Will check out Breakthrough 1500 :) 🤩

[azurehydra]

Beautiful tips! I already know many of these are going to help me out.

[adityachk]

Just today i watched the most popular video on your channel of 35 chess principles

[VigneshDhakshinamoorthy]

Never a bad idea to remake one of your most successful videos! And only better each time. ❤ thank you for all the education Nelsi

[Sudip]

I've improved my game a lot after watching your video.
Thanks 👍

[redwatch.]

I haven't played in ages and I have never had much instruction. This video is even better than I could have imagined. I'm looking forward to joining a chess club so I can apply the knowledge. Thank you!