The Game starts
Description: Now that we know the elements and the basic rules of the game, we are going to briefly describe the contents of the game of chess, so certain technical terms must be defined.
Opening: Initial phase of the game.
Attack: In general, a strong initiative against any hostile target, frequently the King itself.
Defense: Some maneuvers attempting to reject the Attack. An Opening, Attack, or Defense may have their own names in order to identify them in regard to Theory.
Simplification: Exchange of pieces of similar hierarchy which diminishes the concentration of pieces on the board.
Advantage: Relative imbalance that arises from the comparison of the position of both rivals. The advantage may be of Material, Space, Development, Center, Color, etc.
Middlegame: The phase which takes place after the Opening, and lasts until excessive Simplification takes place.
Endgame: A phase in which the position has been simplified and when checkmate has not yet been given. In this phase, the pawns increase their importance considerably because they can promote and produce a Material Advantage.
Development: Putting inactive forces into action at the beginning of the game. It is the fundamental goal of the Opening, and one of the main Advantages that players search for.
Center: This is the name of the squares that are in the middle of the Board. Its control is the Opening goal, because it makes all types of maneuvers easier, being an important Advantage.
Winning Material: To capture hostile men. This is not the primary goal but it is a fundamental Advantage on the road to victory. If Checkmate is not reached directly, this is the natural indirect way to reach this goal. After sufficient Simplification, the Advantage of Material will soon overpower the enemy King
Strategy: “The art of leading the armies during a battle”. Academic concept applicable to chess, a game which symbolizes a small battle. Specifically: a set of ideas and planned maneuvers to obtain an advantage
Tactics: Concrete operations such as threats, sacrifices, and exchanges to obtain an Advantage.
The Evolution of a chess Game
Each side will begin to play with a suitable Opening in order to get control of the Center and to achieve good Development. In the Middlegame, following some purposeful Strategy there will appear a tactical skirmish in order to Checkmate the enemy’s King or to win material. In the latter case, Simplification of the game will lead to an ending where the Advantage may be increased through the Promotion of a pawn.
Value of the Pieces
According to their mobility and power, pieces have a Relative value that varies after each move, depending on the role they have to play in a definite situation of a game.
Notwithstanding this, there is a conventional value, with an informative purpose that varies according to different criteria.
 |
Invaluable (in the endgame its potential value is 4 points) |
 | 9 points |
 | 3.5 points |
 | 3 points |
 | 5 points |
 |
1 point |