From the very beginning of each Championship Chess Pro game,
the play that controls the center of the chessboard controls the
traffic between the two armies. If you're weak in the middle, you'll
likely be facing an invasion soon. Before starting a successful
attack, you first need to gain a firm foothold in the center. The
following are some opening game tips that will help keep your center
strong.
- Be extremely careful when
moving your pawns. They can never back up! Try to
control the center with pawns. The center of the board is the four
middle squares: d4-e4-d5-e5. Pawns create a more permanent
presence than just having your pieces influence the center. Pawn
moves in the opening should accomplish one of two things: control
the center or free your bishops to develop. As moving the center
pawn does both, there is seldom a need to move the wing pawn in
the opening. Moving wing pawns can often create structural
weakness.
- Knights and bishops should be
attacking center squares. Even though it is more
important to control the center with pawns than pieces, every bit
helps. Your knights and bishops should be pointed at the center of
the board in the opening. They can be used to pin enemy knights
against their king or queen and to prevent these knights from
being able to attack the center.
- Get your bishops and knights out as
quickly as possible. If you get your pieces out fast
and your opponent does not, you may be able to score a quick
knockout. However, move knights and bishops out first and don't
start an attack until ALL your pieces are ready. Don't move up
your queen too far where your opponent's knights and bishops can
attack it and win tempos. Lastly, the player who makes the best
use of his rooks usually wins the opening!
DreamQuest's Championship Chess Pro spans
across five levels of difficulty and offers challenging
realistic opponents. Own your
copy of Championship Chess Pro today and explore dozens of
chess variations, including Fischer and Progressive, sharpen your
skills with your in-game DreamCoach(TM) or practice these game
tips!
