Your first ten moves in Chess

Give every move a job

In your first games, focus on improving your position rather than memorising a long sequence. A good question is: what will this move allow me to do next?

Make room in the centre

Central pawns can open lines for your bishops and queen. Develop knights and bishops toward useful squares. A piece participating in the game usually contributes more than one left on its starting square.

Look after your king

Consider castling once the path is clear and it is safe. It connects a rook with the game while moving the king away from central lines. Castling is an option, not a requirement: check the actual position.

Check before you move

Ask three questions: is my king safe, is a piece hanging, and what did the opponent’s last move threaten? This short pause prevents many beginner mistakes.

Treat principles as questions

Sometimes a threat requires moving the same piece twice. Sometimes capturing material matters more than development. Use these ideas to choose between legal moves; do not follow them blindly.