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becomes a greater possibility. And the same
applies to the enemy king. In situations like that, you should be looking
hard for ways to make checkmate happen.
7) Can you give any checks? Look at each of your pieces and ask if they
can be used to give a check. But keep in mind that just because you can
give a check, doesn’t mean that you should. More often than not, unless a
check is part of a prepared and planned attack, it can often be the wrong
move. I’ve seen a lot of good games ruined because a player gave a check
and forced the opponent to improve their position. But because checks are
compelling, especially if the king’s mobility is limited, they need to be
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considered in your planning.
8) Identify the captures you can make. Even if you’ve been focused on one
particular piece for the last few moves, don’t forget to look at how the
situation has changed and what new opportunities are present. What are
your hottest immediate targets? Don’t stop after you find one. After all,
maybe you can make an attacking move that hits more than one. Those are
often winning moves, and it’s a shame to overlook one because you didn’t
see the possibility.
9) Where are the opponent’s weak squares? Look at the board, especially
around the other king, and see if there are any squares that would allow
you to infiltrate.
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What are your hottest immediate targets?
10) In the openings, you might also want to ask yourself if your
development is proceeding at a good pace. Especially in beginners,
sometimes whole sides of the board are forgotten about while the already
developed pieces get to have all the fun. Unfortunately, when those
undeveloped pieces are needed, it might be too late.
There could be other items you find it worthwhile to put on your
checklist. Depending on your personal style of play or stage of
development, you might want to add or subtract items to this list. And
don’t be intimidated by it. With practice, it’ll become a habit you can do
almost automatically.
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