ChessschoolHow to make fewer chess blunders
A brief safety check before moving can save more points than a complicated opening trick.
Read the last move
Ask what the opponent now attacks, what line opened and which defender moved away. Check all your loose pieces and your king.
Imagine the new position
Place your intended piece on its destination in your mind. Can it be captured? Did moving it expose another piece or the king? Look for checks first because they force a response.
Learn from the mistake
Name the clue you missed: an undefended piece, a fork square, a pin or a back-rank threat. Repeat a similar puzzle later. When tired, take a break rather than repeatedly guessing.
Try it yourself
An enemy queen looks undefended. Is that enough reason to capture it?
Check the answer
No. Check whether the capture is legal and whether a recapture or a stronger reply makes it a bad trade.
Put it into practice
Open the related lesson Practise with puzzles
Sources and corrections
For the official rules, see the FIDE Laws of Chess. Found an error? Send the position and page address.