5 Common Mistakes BEGINNERS Make in Chess 

I'm now a GM because of this video

I've been playing chess for 40 years. This is one of the best videos I've ever seen concerning beginner mistakes. Great job, Anna

These types of beginners videos are really the only type of videos on this channel that I'm able to follow and truly understand. Please make more of them Anna!

I do mistake 3 a lot. The reason is that as a beginner less pieces means simpler game. So I have to feeling to be able to strategize more after an null exchange.

Based on what Anna has seen she could easily do a "And here are the next 50 mistakes players make" video.

Thank you, Anna. Wonderful content for all ages as always. The point about not being scared of losing a bad bishop, was a really good point to remember. Practicing activating my king in an endgame has saved me from my horrible lost positions quite a few times. Not blundering a draw in a king and pawn endgame can be really hard when you're down to a couple of seconds though!

3:10 I like trading pieces in bullet games, specially if it's the opponent's knight which are often too annoying and hard to calculate

Anna, this is really helpful. I just started playing and you got me thinking more about why and where I'm moving my pieces! Appreciate you!

Thank you Anna for being our chess teacher. :) The point of using your king in the endgame was something that really resonated with me because sometimes I have noticed that I just activated my king too late and ended up losing the game because of that.

I would add to point No 4. Always check what defence you are taking away before you move a piece. For example at my lowly level very often you have a piece defending the queen which when you move causes a file or diagonal to open and consequent loss if there is an enemy piece strategically placed ie bishops stowed away in the back ranks!

Calculating attackers and defenders is really good. Very helpful. Tack så mycket!

This is a nice video. Thank you. I think that the biggest beginner mistake that I've and many others make relates to king safety, specifically castling - not castling at all, castling too late or castling to the wrong side of the board (undefended by other minor/major pieces).

This video is not only a great education in chess, it is also a great example of how to do a video.

I popped into your stream a week or two ago to say that your vids from pogchamps were my favorite to learn from as a beginner. Thank you so much for making more of these!! I absolutely love your teaching style

Anna, this is a HUGE help! And thanks for keeping your channel chess-focused, although you don't let that stop you from doing other fun things you want to do.

I just started plat chezz and this helped alot! A whole new world open up for me! Tack för underhållande videos anna! Cheers from sweden

Anna is such a good explainer and explains extremely well abt wat we should and shouldnt do and why. So educational and informative! Keep up the good work anna and continue posting awesome content!😊

thank you for taking the time to explain the fundementals and especially why they are the way they are you are very easy to watch and I love this kind of content bravo 🔥🔥

I really appreciate this video, especially the part about considering where your piece is on the board as opposed to where your opponent's piece it at on the board when exchanging a piece as opposed to simply looking at the value of each piece irrespective of each piece's position . That makes so much sense but I had never thought of it that way before.👍👍👍

Anna, The advice about the number of attackers is SO VALUABLE! I've been playing for about 2-years and had not made that connection. I used this logic is several of my games this morning. Also, reversed to where if I'm being attacked by two pieces, I try to guard with two pieces.... thank you!

Great video. I would have also included learning the points value of each piece. Pawn = 1, Bishop = 3, Knight = 3, Rook = 5, Queen = 9, King = (infinity).

Learning to activate king during endgame was a huge boon to my win rate. Absolutely vital!

I play casual and not often but I enjoy the game. This is exactly what I needed ; a quick sensible easy to understand lesson.

Love, the energy you apply to teaching!!! I could have used this information before becoming a mediocre player with bad habits

another informative video! thank you Anna!! 🙏

As a corollary to #3, it's also worth noting that taking "free" pieces is not always the best choice, especially if that piece is a pwn (sometimes, it is just a blunder). I learned that the hard way playing Chinese chess (close enough for the purposes of this advice) against a far stronger opponent. He offered me a handicap that allowed me to box him in very badly. He knew my greed, and fed me a pwn. After taking that pwn, everything went to hell, and he won easily.

As always excellent help and advice . Thank you for your help !

Thank you so much Anna. This chess mistakes video was so much better than so many others on RU-vid.

Great advices. Blunders were my big problem. Started to give it a few more observations each move.

I am a complete beginner and this helps soooo much! Thank you!!

Thank you so much for this instructional style video!!!

This is an excellent video. Very clear and helpful. Thanks 😀

I could play chess all day if I had you as my mentor. You have such a passion for the game and explain it lamens terms. Love your videos.

Thanks Anna; did learn & more importantly, understood. Most of the time we can't keep up with your thinking because you & yours are so quick -- which is good. We need to study more, and of course, practice. We don't even have a board and pieces, stationary or electric, so all we do is watch and listen. However, there's great hope as long as you keep up the motivation and ambition for chess enthusiasts. 🌹

Great video-it really does target beginners and provide useful and understandable information. I started playing chess more regularly about a month ago and I learned these lessons the hard way! If only I had seen this video first! Thank you so much/tak tak/gracias!

That's very helpful indeed. Many thanks, Anna. Always a joy.

Im a beginner trying to improve, and your videos are really helping me, keep up the good work!

Thank you so much for helping me be a stronger player. :) I'll keep trying to get better. :)

Thanks for the tips. Haven't played chess since I was young and seeing some of your videos has really given me the spark I once had playing with my dad. Cheers.

Amazing video I have never been rated this is everything I've learnt is having the control of the centre and calculating apponents moves not just my own, I've always went back to basics forks, pins, skewers thankyou for this video🔥🙏

You should do a video on the things a player should accomplish in their first ten moves. 1) develop your minor pieces 2) gain control in the center 3) castle 4) ... The first five things to do to become a "chess player" instead of a wood pusher are ... Learn the basic tactics; pin, fork, discovered attack, x-ray, remove the defender, increase pressure on a weak piece, ... Review and learn GM games with the opening theme so you don't get busted in the opening. Learn strategic ideas like opening lines for your bishops, posting a supported knight on the 5th or sixth(!) rank in a hole, placing rooks on open or half-open files, not using your queen early on a fruitless attack, ... Endgame play needs to be learned and understood earlier than new players believe. How to improve a position after the opening is the final part of the first lessons. Many new-ish players, after the opening, can't form a good plan to implement in the middle game. Then their opponent gets the initiative and wins.

4:20 can someone help me with the bishop situation. If u move bishop to h4 then the opponent can go pawn to g5 attacking it to then make you bishop move back which only loses you tempo and increases your opponents control of the board. Can someone type the moves that follow bh4? Also if black were to kingside castle I guess that would make them lose good king safety by moving the bishop but wouldn’t they just castle queenside instead then.

I've been playing for a couple years now but I still found the endgame explanation very useful.

You are making very good content and seem like a cool person. I like the chess hustler Videos, especially when you beat them. Keep doing a good job.

Really well said! I think all of these are really good points that every beginner should know!

thanks Anna. This is very well done, and absolutely helpful!

Great stuff, I keep learning new and valuable lessons from you!

More 11 mistakes. Dont feel miserable for loosing, even the best experienced loose. The mistake number one: loose a pawn or a piece with no compensation. Number two: not preventing a knight double attack. Number three: pinning. Number four: Not seeing the checkmate threat. Number five: voracious chess style without regarding chess pieces. This one I enjoy the most! Number six: delaying your pieces development. Number seven: playing without thinking. Number eight: playing an opening or a defense you dont know. Number nine: having pieces blocked. Number 10: Try to force a draw game an ending loosing it. My second most prefered. Number 11: Your opponent left a piece unprotected and you didnt take it.

Exchanging minor pieces is a major tactic used by intermediate and strong players. The purpose is to create an imbalance. When there is an imbalance, a good positional player can for the position to favor his strength against the opponent's weakness. As you discussed briefly, trading your bad bishop for your opponent's good bishop is always worth a look. You shouldn't do it just out of reflex, but it deserves a look.

Very helpful, thanks for posting.

Thank you, do more like this PLEASE!

I thought the explanation and examples on king actively in the endgame was really good. It's clear I've been pushing pawns way too early. I'll try this tip out. Thanks!

This is really nice video. You are clear, articulate and the presentation is excellent. I'm not a complete beginner but I still found this worth watching.

Very well described and demonstrated! Among the best 15 minutes I've spent on RU-vid this year! Thanks, Anna.

Thank you very much Ana for these important concepts to be able to improve in chess. Kind regards from Peru 🙌

So, I'm being taught chess by a supermodel... life is amazing!!!

bro is it just me or is she fine?

Thank you 😊. Good tips.

Loved it. Really useful. Thanks Anna!

You are the prettiest chess player I've ever seen, and you're darn good at chess, too.

Why do woman have to undress to explain something ?

Thanks a Lot, very clear and helpfull video !

Fantastic video! Thank you so much!!

Great vid and explanations!

Excellent video. Well explained. Thank you

Thanks a lot for the video, very helpful!

Thanks for that, Anna. I'd like your opinion on a Double Fianchetto opening and whether ceding the 4 center squares can be an advantage, sometimes. Thanks, again.

Great video. Very informative for a novice like me. Thanks for sharing.

These tip videos have been so good. I have never been a very good player, and these videos have greatly improved my game. Thanks Anna

Great video! Ive just discovered your channel. Ive watched s few more of your videos and now im a subscriber 😊p.s. your point about making sure your king is active in the endgame is a new concept for me. Im sure it will help me win more games. Thanks!

Good insights Anna, thanks!

Siempre dicen que se debe mover hacia el centro, en todos los videos que he visto dicen eso, pero la verdad nunca entiendo la razón, hasta ahora. No sabia que era ese el motivo. Gracias por dejarlo claro :D

So useful! Thank you!

Siga haciendo videos así. Ayudan mucho!

Thank you - just starting to play and my brother has played a lot in the Peace Corps. I can’t have my younger brother beating me so your help is greatly appreciated 👍🏻

Very helpful ! Learned much, watching this video.

Great advice. I’m new to chess & ty for the video.

Whoo! That was very informative. Many thanks.

Watching your content has made a real impact on my game... saying I am thankful doesn't seem enough 🙏

Could you perhaps do a video about the most common mistakes that intermediate players make?

Thank you.Well said and well understood.

This is a good video Anna. I can't tell you how many times I've moved pieces foolishly without calculating all the defenders on the square I was moving to. You explain it very well. Thank you

Thanks Anna i've lost a lot of end games before today because i do the classic mistake you mentioned don't hsve an active king this makes alot of sense

Thanks to discovering you on RU-vid I have just started playing again after 30 years and this clip is GREAT!! ❤thank you ❤

Thanks again Anna for a good video and your info. Could you give a good suggestion on a chess app for pc? To practice alone but also to try yourself with online players?

I recommended this channel to some friends who are just starting with chess, keep up the good work!

She really helps to understand how to look at the board.

Thanks Anna and as a beginner I will use it in my next game. 👍

Hi from Brasil,Anna! Your videos are helping a lot to be better in chess. Thank u

Anna, many thanks for these 5 tips. I'm getting back into playing chess since I teach a chess club in a former British school in Moscow. I've been playing Go since college when a friend introduced it to me. I usually play Go on computers online on a 9x9 board. I think Go helps me look for the best offense and defensive chess moves. I learned good tips from your video today. Thanks.

Great video as always, Anna! :)

What an excellent video! Thank you very much!

Muchas gracias Anna!! 🙏

Great advice overall! Subscribed :)

Thank you mostly I had these mistakes covered but I did leearn few more things so I'm glad I watched it.

Good tips. I've played for years, but not regularly enough to be a very good player. But I'm not a complete novice either, as I basically knew all of these tips. The problem is I play 10 minute games and often get low on time. If I have 40 seconds left, and am thinking of swapping, I can't take too much time to determine if I am swapping for a weaker piece or not. So sometimes I just blindly swap, especially if I'm taking a knight. My opponents knights always scare me. And I also can't take much time before doing a move to make sure my opponent doesn't have that square covered with more pieces than me. I have to tell at a quick glance in both of these cases. Otherwise I could lose on time. That's not always easy when pressured for time and that's been my problem -doing quick moves without blundering. Playing longer games would help, but I like quick games more.

The way you teach is perfect for my brain. Honestly bless this channel

Hello Anna all the way from Louisiana!!! Thank u for these tips! Much appreciated. I’ve never been taught how to play chess. The only way I’ve ever learned is by losing and having many blunders. This is a good vid. Thank you again!

Refreshing approach to errors, thanks. I liked especially 3.4.5.

Thank you! It was very helpful!