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How to Think
There have been several books written about this subject (good ones and bad ones) giving you different ideas and formulas on how you should think when you play chess. I hope to break down this information and present it in a way (I hope) that is easy to understand and to remember.
We start with Tactics or Strategy? This is an easy one to understand, in our thinking process we must start with tactics because by definition a tactic is a threat or trap and is usually immediate.
Tactics
1) What was the idea or purpose of my opponent's last move (what is the threat)?
2) Check all checks (it could be mate or you could be mated).
3) Check all exchanges (only exchange to gain tempo / material or if it is a developing or freeing move, or if you create a true weakness in the pawn structure). Remember: Your not required to exchange, just exchange under these conditions.
4) Watch for pins / forks / skewers and double attacks. (Most games are lost because of these issues).
5) Look for overworked or hanging pieces.
6) Try to see mating patterns.
Strategy
1) Center Squares (this is the first thing to consider when you start to make a plan or move a piece).
2) Mobility of Pieces.
3) Material (ahead, equal or behind in material).
4) Space (who has more space and where).
5) Pawn Structure.
6) Open Lines.
7) Development.
King Safety.
Don't get overwhelmed with the list above because with a little effort you can remember to follow all these steps in 30 seconds or less. For example: if in the tactics section you find a good check or exchange you deal with that issue and you don't go any further in the list however, in the strategy section you must weight all factors before moving a piece. This will all be explained as we move forward in our articles.
A habit or trick I find helpful when going through this list is to use the playing board, either the 1 to 8 (numeric) or the a to h (alpha). Review the list above for a few days and then you will be ready to move on with the next articles.
Remember chess is just a game to enjoy, so have fun and play your best!
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use Phonito wireless receiver 
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You say you should only exchange to gain material or tempo but i have read that you should exchange if you are winning on material. This sounds correct to me. Am i missing something.
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I think both those things are right. Sometimes is good to exchance to gain tempo or advantage. Sometimes this is the only way to get the iniative in the game..We can only win game with adwantage..(or winnig material who leads to adwantage) most often exchance to win material leads to win..but not always!
But as anyuone writes its necasary to CHECK all possibilities of exchanging.
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| You say you should only exchange to gain material or tempo but i have read that you should exchange if you are winning on material. This sounds correct to me. Am i missing something. |
You're right, of course, your advantage increases that way, probably not always, there are exceptions to many rules, but let's assume it for argument's sake... Let's say, you have 5 pawns, the opponent has 4, the ratio is 1.25. You trade one pair of pawns, you have 4:3, which is 1.33 etc. Of course this is oversimplified, but you should get the picture. It's simpler if you have an advantage of a whole piece, then it is definetely advisable to trade down so that only that piece remains (+ pawns), when you can (most often) easily win.
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How to think?
Think Like a Grandmaster - Alexander Kotov. A classical. Sensational book!
Also "Psychology in Chess" - Nikolai Krogius. I'm reading this. Greeeeeat book!
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