5 Common Beginner Chess Mistakes
If you’re new to chess, make sure to avoid these common pitfalls.
Over the past month I’ve been relearning chess, and I’ve caught myself making a lot of common beginner mistakes in the process. There are a few bad habits that nearly all beginners seem to fall into, and the sooner we can break them, the sooner our games will improve.
Spending Too Much Time Learning Openings
To beginners, it may sound logical to start learning chess by studying the openings. After all, how can you play a game if you don’t even know the first moves? In addition, opening study tends to attract beginners because it’s more concrete than other areas of chess study, which makes it easier for new players to grasp.
The trouble with focusing on the openings is that it doesn’t provide much return for low-ranked players. Most players will do just as well by learning a few opening guidelines as they would by studying long opening lines.
In the opening, players should strive for three goals: controlling the center of the board, developing their pieces, and castling to protect their king. With practice, these basic steps should be enough to get beginners to the middle game safely.
