THIRTY CHESS RULES

TEN OPENING RULES

0 1) OPEN with a CENTER PAWN.
0 2) DEVELOP with threats.
0 3) KNIGHTS before BISHOPS.
0 4) DON'T move the same piece twice.
0 5) Make as FEW PAWN MOVES as possible in the opening.
0 6) DON'T bring your QUEEN out too EARLY.
0 7) CASTLE as soon as possible, preferably on the KING SIDE.
0 8) Always play to gain control, of the center
0 9) Try to maintain at least ONE PAWN in the CENTER.
0 10) DON'T SACRIFICE without a clear and adequate reason. For a sacrificed pawn you must

a) GAIN THREE TEMPI, or b) DEFLECT the enemy QUEEN, or c) PREVENT CASTLING, or d) BUILD UP a strong attack.

TEN MIDDLEGAME RULES

M 1) HAVE ALL your MOVES fit into definite PLANS.
Rules of Planning:

a) A plan MUST be suggested by some feature in the position. b) A plan MUST be based on SOUND STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES. c) A plan MUST be FLEXIBLE, d) CONCRETE and, e) SHORT.

Evaluating a Position:

1) MATERIAL 2) PAWN STRUCTURE 3) PIECE MOBILITY 4) KING SAFETY 5) ENEMY THREATS

M 2) When you are material AHEAD, EXCHANGE as many pieces as possible, especially QUEENS.
M 3) AVOID serious pawn WEAKNESSES.
M 4) In CRAMPED POSITIONS free yourself by EXCHANGING.
M 5) DON'T bring your KING out with your OPPONENT'S QUEEN on the board.
M 6) All COMBINATIONS are based on DOUBLE ATTACK.
M 7) If your opponent has ONE or MORE pieces EXPOSED, look for a COMBINATION.
M 8) IN SUPERIOR POSITIONS, to ATTACK the ENEMY KING, you must OPEN a file (or less often a diagonal) for your HEAVY PIECES (QUEEN and ROOKS).
M 9) IN EVEN POSITIONS, CENTRALIZE the action of ALL your PIECES.
M 10) IN INFERIOR POSITIONS, the best DEFENSE is COUNTER-ATTACK, if possible.

TEN ENDGAME RULES

E 1) To win WITHOUT PAWNS, you must be at least a ROOK or TWO MINOR PIECES ahead (two knights excepted).
E 2) The KING must be ACTIVE in the ENDING.
E 3) PASSED PAWNS must be PUSHED (PPMBP).
E 4) The EASIEST endings to win are PURE PAWN endings.
E 5) If you are ONLY ONE PAWN ahead, EXCHANGE PIECES, not pawns.
E 6) DON'T place your PAWNS on the SAME COLOR SQUARES as your BISHOP.
E 7) BISHOPS are BETTER than KNIGHTS in all but BLOCKED pawn positions.
E 8) It is usually worth GIVING UP A PAWN to get a ROOK ON THE SEVENTH RANK.
E 9) ROOKS belong BEHIND PASSED PAWNS (RBBPP).
E 10) BLOCKADE PASSED PAWNS with the KING.

-Thank you, Reuben Fine as modified by Richard Shorman

O = Opening Rule
M = Middlegame Rule
E = Endgame Rule

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