3 Lessons from Winning a Chess Match Despite a Poor Start

I recently was playing a chess match online and after making a few mistakes, found myself at a severe disadvantage. I had lost a rook, knight, and bishop before capturing a single chess piece of my opponents. For many chess players, at this point in the game, they would just resign and start a new chess match, accepting defeat. However, I personally like these situations, as it gives a chance to test my abilities.

 

I had managed to regain some composure in the chess match after this terrible start, and focused on capturing my opponent’s chess pieces one at a time to even the playing field.

 

With the use of both bishops, and my opponent having some difficulty placing my king in checkmate, I was able to checkmate my opponent with 2 bishops and a pawn. Granted, as will be mentioned below, my opponent failed to use all of their chess pieces available, which made it much easier to checkmate my opponent, despite such a poor start.

 

 

 

Chess Lessons From This Match:

 

Never Give Up

While not every game I play, nor any game someone else may play that starts off with a poor start, will end with a victory, these types games should still be played to the finish. It allows a chess player to challenge themselves and grow as a chess player, as well as developing their chess strategy.

 

 

Don’t Underestimate Your Pawns

As mentioned in chess strategy 101: 7 basic principles for improving your chess game, it is very important to value every chess piece. My opponent made the mistake around 1:45 of allowing my pawn to capture his pawn, without being able to capture my pawn in return. That move would end up being a key moment toward checkmate.

 

 

Use All Your Chess Pieces

As mentioned in how to play chess, it’s important to use all your chess pieces. A major mistake made by my opponent was not using all of their chess pieces (the bishop, knight, and rook in the upper right corner were never used). Had my opponent used those pieces, it would have been much more difficult to win the chess match.

 

Learn More:

Learn Chess 101: Learn How to Play Chess, the Rules of Chess & Basic Chess Strategy

 

Learn How to Win Chess in 2 Moves (Fool’s Mate/2 Move Checkmate)

 

Learn How to Win Chess in 3 Moves (3 Move Checkmate)

 

Learn How to Win Chess in 4 Moves (Scholar’s Mate/4 Move Checkmate)

 

Learn How to Castle in Chess

 

Learn How to Perform the En Passant Capture in Chess