Your Chess Adventure: A Guide to Hitting 1200 Elo

Hey chess enthusiasts! So, you've got the chess bug and want to level up your game to reach that sweet 1200 Elo rating. No worries, I've got your back! Let's dive into some straightforward tips that'll help you go from casual player to chess rockstar.

Know Your Basics!

First things first, make sure you've got the basics down. Understand how each piece moves, the value they bring to the game, and how to checkmate. It's like learning to walk before you run, but in the chess world. An important exercise to do everyday is just counting all the squares your pieces can move.

Here is an easy example-

fig-1

This is a position from one of my blitz game. All you need to do is count all the squares your piece can move. So lets first start with the Bishop. I suggest you to just count all the possible squares the bishop can move before reading further. 

So lets continue. The correct answer is 5. Did you get that one right? If you did thats great. If not then lets count it together. Bg4, Bf5, Be6, Bd7and finally Bc8. 

After you are done with the bishop move on to the rooks. What are the total squares your both rooks combined can move?

The correct ans is 14. Did you get that one ? Little tricky one huh? Lets count it together.

Rook on e1 can move to a1,b1,c1,d1,f1 and e2. 

Total thats 6. The other rook on e3 can move to e2,f3,g3,e4,e5,e6,e7 and finally e8. 

Total thats 8. So the total is 8+6=14.

Do this for pawns and kings as well. And finally calculate the total squares your pieces combined can move to. When you complete doing the calculation for white side, do the same for the black side as well.

Test- How many squares can the bishop on h3 move to without being captured by enemy pieces?

Lets move on to another example-

fig-2

Here are more pieces in the board than the previous example. I want you to count all the possible squares the Knight on f7 can move to. 

Did you find the correct ans? The correct ans is none. The knight can't move because it is pinned by the bishop on h5. If you got that one wrong don't worry, be careful from next time.

Now let's continue. What are the total squares the black pieces can move(all pieces combined)?

Lets do this one together. 

Let's first start with the pawns. 

The pawn on a7 can move to two squares i.e. a6 and a5, 

b7 pawn can move to b6 and b5,

the pawn on c7 can't move as it is blocked by the knight, 

the pawn on d6 can only move one square that is d5, 

f6 pawn can move to f5, g7 pawn can move to g6 and g5 

and finally the h7 pawn can move to h6. 

So the total squares pawns can move is 9.

Lets do the same for bishops. 

The bishop on c5 can move to b6, b4, a3, and finally it can capture on d4. Don't forget to count the captures as well. 

The bishop on c8 can move to d7, e6, f5, g4 and h3. 

So total it makes 9. 

Let's move on to the knights. The knight on c6 can move to b4, a5, e5, e7, b8 and finally Nxd4. The other knight onf7 cannot move as it is pinned. So the total squares knight can move is 6.

Do the same for all the remaining pieces. The answer you get should be 32.

I suggest you to do this everyday for atleast 15 minutes or more. This will improve your board visibility and you will blunder lot less. Take a random position from your own game and start counting.

Openings – Not Just for Grandmasters!

You don't need a photographic memory for openings, but having a couple of solid ones in your toolkit helps. You don't need to memorize much. just take one opening for white and one for black and learn some basic lines. The first opening I learned was Italian game for white and Caro-Kann for black. You don't have to do the same. Just choose one opening that you like and work on it. Watching higher rated player play the same openings helps as well. Watch videos of you-tubers or streamers and try to apply there thinking process into that of yours.

Tactics Are Your BFFs:

Chess is like a game of sneakiness. Practice spotting those sneaky moves – forks, pins, all that jazz. Puzzle apps are your best buddies here. Always look for checks, captures and attack. Ask yourself these questions while solving tactics.

What are all the checks I can give to the opponent?

Does that check do anything? 

What are the captures I can make ?

Is that capture good for me or my opponent?

Is there any move that I can make to make my opponent uncomfortable?

Train your brain, and you'll be surprising opponents in no time.

Think Ahead – Plan Your Attack:

Stop playing on autopilot! Have a game plan. Think about your moves and your opponent's. Look for the good spots on the board – the center is like the VIP section. And protect your king! Safety first, always. Look for checks, capture and attack for both you and your opponent.

Endgame – Don't Skip Class!

Know your endgame stuff. Learn some checkmating patterns like two rooks vs king, queen vs king, queen vs king. Practice endgame puzzles from various sites. Understand how pawns and kings work at the end.  It's like the last chapter of a book – you want to finish strong.

Review, Reflect, Revise:

After a game, take a moment to think. Where did things go south? What could you have done better? Analyze your lost game for like 5 mins. Analyzing for almost as long as your game is even better. It's like being your own coach. Don't be too hard on yourself; it's all part of the learning process.

Keep It Real – Consistency Matters:

Improving takes time. Set aside a bit of time regularly – play, practice, study. Consistency is your secret weapon. You're not sprinting; it's a marathon. Enjoy the journey, and you'll see progress.

Conclusion:

So, there you have it, fellow chess adventurer! Getting to 1200 Elo is all about enjoying the game, learning from each move, and keeping it chill. Embrace the chessy challenges, and who knows? Maybe soon, you'll be schooling opponents with those slick moves. Best of luck on your chess journey!

For further improvement plzz go through my getting to 1400 elo in chess blog!!!

https://knightlyinsights.blogspot.com/2024/04/mastering-chessboard-guide-to-reaching.html