Knowing all the rules, moves and starting position isn’t enough to become a good chess player. More chess lessons will follow, but this may be a good moment to emphasize that you also have to move this theory into practice. Nobody can learn to play chess without playing chess games.

Here are some tips especially targeted at junior players.
Most of these tips are based on the fact that in almost all beginner’s games one of the players is able to win pieces because they weren’t protected.

Think before you move and make sure that you don’t leave a piece unprotected, because
- you place the piece on an unprotected attacked square
- or because the piece was protecting another piece that becomes unprotected

Furthermore if a piece is touched you have to move this piece, but you may decide to place it on another square (than originally intended) as long as the piece has not been released.

Think before moving: Is this realy the best move or is it possible to capture an unprotected piece of the opponent? If you are about to capture a piece: realize that chess isn’t about capturing pieces. Is it possible to capture a more valuable piece or is it possible to checkmate?

You have to be aware of the value of the pieces in order to be able to determine if an exchange is profitable. If you manage to reach a simple endgame that is known as won, you have to be able to finish it off. You have to be able to win a game with a King and Rook against a bare King, and certainly with a King and Queen against this bare King. Practice this with a friend or with a computer.

In order to make it easier to understand the concepts of chess it is advised to learn the Algebraic chess notation.