Emerald Valley Chess Camp

Emerald Valley Chess Camp 10 week program DateNovice Level (under 800)Intermediate Level ( ) Jun-11Piece Movement, GameplayGame, Analysis Jun-18Practice gameTactics, Puzzles Jun-25Basic Tactics, Simple puzzlesMating Patterns,Mate in 2 puzzles July-2Mating patterns, Mate in 1 puzzlesEnd games July-9Simple end gamesOpening Concepts, Standard Openings July-16Practice gameStrategy, Best Piece Positions, July-23Simple openingsPawn structure, Positional Play July-30Simple strategy conceptsCalculation, Improve your pieces (puzzles?) Aug-6Practice gamePractice Game, Analysis Aug-13Tournament

Novice Session 1 : Basic Piece Movement

Novice Session 1 : Special Piece Movement En-passant CastlingPromotion

ForkDiscovered Attack Pin SkewerDouble Check Sacrifice Novice Session 2 : Basic Tactics X-rayDeflection OverloadingWindmillInterferenceDesperado

SIMPLE TACTICS 1.Pins (w Rook, Bishop, Queen) 2.Terminal Pin (Pinned to a check) 3.Forks (w Knight, Bishop, Rook, Queen, King) o Royal Fork, Family Fork, o Knight Forks are safest o Bishops can fork rook, Rook can fork bishop o Fork a attacking higher rank piece with pawn support 4.Skewers 5.Baits, Poisoned pawns 6.Discovered attack, discovered check 7.Double attack, Double check (by knight or bishop moves; or pawn captures only) o Double attacks are always discovered attacks 8.Removing the defender, Deflection 9.Interference 10.Perpetual check (to get a draw) 11.Desperado (damage by a doomed piece) 12.X-ray SIMPLE TACTICS 1.Pins (w Rook, Bishop, Queen) 2.Terminal Pin (Pinned to a check) 3.Forks (w Knight, Bishop, Rook, Queen, King) o Royal Fork, Family Fork, o Knight Forks are safest o Bishops can fork rook, Rook can fork bishop o Fork a attacking higher rank piece with pawn support 4.Skewers 5.Baits, Poisoned pawns 6.Discovered attack, discovered check 7.Double attack, Double check (by knight or bishop moves; or pawn captures only) o Double attacks are always discovered attacks 8.Removing the defender, Deflection 9.Interference 10.Perpetual check (to get a draw) 11.Desperado (damage by a doomed piece) 12.X-ray COMPLEX TACTICS (for intermediate players) 1.Traps o Trapped Piece (Knights in corners, Bishops in h2-h7, Rooks/Queen tough) o Trapped King (Smothered mate) 2.King Attack o Breaking the pawn barrier o Choke - take away the escape square o Pawn Storm 3.Controlling Squares, not attacking 4.Blocking - stop the potential interposer 5.Clearance o File, Rank, Diagonal Clearance o Square Clearance o Deflection (of a defender of a piece or square) o Decoy Combinations, Mate in 2,3,4 moves 1.Good Sacrifice, Bad Sacrifice 2.Windmill 3.Queen Mating Patterns COMPLEX TACTICS (for intermediate players) 1.Traps o Trapped Piece (Knights in corners, Bishops in h2-h7, Rooks/Queen tough) o Trapped King (Smothered mate) 2.King Attack o Breaking the pawn barrier o Choke - take away the escape square o Pawn Storm 3.Controlling Squares, not attacking 4.Blocking - stop the potential interposer 5.Clearance o File, Rank, Diagonal Clearance o Square Clearance o Deflection (of a defender of a piece or square) o Decoy Combinations, Mate in 2,3,4 moves 1.Good Sacrifice, Bad Sacrifice 2.Windmill 3.Queen Mating Patterns Session 2 : Reference Information Tactics

Novice Session 4 : Simple Queen Mating Patterns With BishopMain Pattern With King With KnightWith Pawns Own pawns blocking With Bishop Main Pattern With Knight With Pawn With Rook

Novice Session 5 : Simple Checkmates With King and Queen With King and Rook With Two Major Pieces (2 Rooks or Queen+Rook)

What to do in an opening ? 1. Develop your pieces o Knights before bishops o One side before other (to enable castle) o Few pawn moves o No traffic jam 2. Keep your king/queen safe o Castle o Don't get queen out early 3. Control the center What to do in an opening ? 1. Develop your pieces o Knights before bishops o One side before other (to enable castle) o Few pawn moves o No traffic jam 2. Keep your king/queen safe o Castle o Don't get queen out early 3. Control the center What is Opening ? What is Defense ? What is Opening ? What is Defense ? Novice Session 6 : Openings

Novice Session 7 : How to play great chess ? Space. No Traffic Jam Center ControlTempoAttack King or Queen to gain tempo Develop  Improve  Regroup  Attack Slow downNo Helicopter Hands Brain 100m/hr Teamwork Limit Exchanges 64 square visionNo BenchGuess opponent’s best move ?

Novice Session 8 : Piece Positions (Rooks/Knights/Bishops) Connect on Back RankDouble up on Open File Push to 7 th Rank Back Rank Mates Center and ForwardKnight on Rim is Grim On Long Diagonals Point towards King Rooks Bishops Knights

Novice Session 9 : Putting it all together OPENING o Develop your pieces o Knights o Bishops o Rook (Castle) o Rook (Queen battery/fork) MIDDLEGAME o Improve your pieces o Outposts for knights o Active Bishops o Rooks on open files o Double up rooks o Rook lifts o Queen batteries OPENING o Develop your pieces o Knights o Bishops o Rook (Castle) o Rook (Queen battery/fork) MIDDLEGAME o Improve your pieces o Outposts for knights o Active Bishops o Rooks on open files o Double up rooks o Rook lifts o Queen batteries CALCULATION Can I check mate ? Can he check mate ? Opponent pieces (Queen, Rooks, Bishops, Knights, Pawns) unprotected under-protected over-worked (over-loaded) My pieces unprotected under-protected over-worked Look for tactics Create a plan Teamwork Assemble the pieces Attack CALCULATION Can I check mate ? Can he check mate ? Opponent pieces (Queen, Rooks, Bishops, Knights, Pawns) unprotected under-protected over-worked (over-loaded) My pieces unprotected under-protected over-worked Look for tactics Create a plan Teamwork Assemble the pieces Attack When Checked : Capture the attacker Attacking Interpose Passive Interpose Escape Square When Checking : Don't fly solo, have a co-pilot Check without mate threat is meaningless Smothered mates, back rank mates When Checked : Capture the attacker Attacking Interpose Passive Interpose Escape Square When Checking : Don't fly solo, have a co-pilot Check without mate threat is meaningless Smothered mates, back rank mates GUIDELINES Don’t attack needlessly. Don’t check needlessly Every move should have a purpose, in fact Double-Purpose Look for double attacks Start the battle with the least valuable piece In a battery, lead with the rook/bishop (not queen) Understand why is center control important Don’t send your queen away from war for pawn shopping When in enemy area, queens and rooks can vaccum clean Play Actively, not passively. Seize the initiative. Attacks - King-side, Queen-side, Center Strong attack on one side, or multiple attacks. Do not overprotect pieces. Do not preemptively protect if not necessary Attacking interpose better than passive interpose GUIDELINES Don’t attack needlessly. Don’t check needlessly Every move should have a purpose, in fact Double-Purpose Look for double attacks Start the battle with the least valuable piece In a battery, lead with the rook/bishop (not queen) Understand why is center control important Don’t send your queen away from war for pawn shopping When in enemy area, queens and rooks can vaccum clean Play Actively, not passively. Seize the initiative. Attacks - King-side, Queen-side, Center Strong attack on one side, or multiple attacks. Do not overprotect pieces. Do not preemptively protect if not necessary Attacking interpose better than passive interpose THINKING When to exchange : Exchange if piece up If opponent on attack When in trouble If you want a draw Don't exchange if piece down Don't exchange your way to the end game Guess your opponent’s moves THINKING When to exchange : Exchange if piece up If opponent on attack When in trouble If you want a draw Don't exchange if piece down Don't exchange your way to the end game Guess your opponent’s moves