

To perform a queenside castle if you are playing with the lighter pieces, move your king two spaces to the left (from E1 to C1 for White), and move your rook three space to the right, jumping over the king in the process (from A1 to D1).Īccording to chess analysts, castling kingside is preferred, as it takes two fewer moves to get your king to absolute safety. In order to castle kingside if you are playing with the lighter pieces, move your king first two spaces to the right (from E1 to G1 for White), and then move your rook two spaces to the left, jumping over the king in the process (from H1 to F1). Hence, this is why castling is considered an opening strategy. It's the only play that allows you to move two pieces during one turn, as long as you have not moved the rook king yet. Since the objective of the game of chess is to checkmate your opponent, castling can be a vital defensive maneuver. Thus, holding the center by having more pieces occupying center squares prevents you from letting your opponent force your hand and dictate the pace of the match. Logically, the spaces on the edges and the corners have fewer routes for escape or attack, meaning that pieces on these squares can easily get pinned in. When moving your pieces towards the middle, try to pick the spaces that have the most mobility, as this will help you make your opponent feel the pressure. This theory encompasses all the techniques that you can use to get more of your pieces on spaces in the middle of the board. This helps you build a strong center to develop your pieces and attack your opponent's position.

If your D- and E-file pawns occupy D5 and E5, respectively, you control C5, D5, E5, and F5.

Specifically, target the squares D4, D5, E4, and E5. If you're a newer chess player, one of the most consistently useful early game theories to with is controlling the center of the board.
