In choosing an opening plan players think most of all of harmonious development for the pieces, but sometimes leave the development of the queen out of their considerations. Yet the Queen is the most valuable and important piece and the whole outcome can depend upon how successfully she plays her role.

The placing of the centre pawns determines the "topography" of a game of chess.

Sit there for five hours? Certainly not! A player must walk about between moves, it helps his thinking.

When you have finished analyzing all the variations and gone along all the branches of the tree of analysis you must first of all write the move down on your score sheet, before you play it.

Here is a definition which correctly reflects the course of thought and action of a grandmaster: - The plan in a game of chess is the sum total of successive strategical operations which are each carried out according to separate ideas arising from the demands of the position.

Drawing general conclusions about your main weaknesses can provide a great stimulus to further growth.

It has always been recognized that chess is an art, and its best practitioners have been described as artists.