[Event "Beginner: Curriculum <--- START HERE: Progress so far. Next steps."]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Ztgx3vJq/8oCbsR2I"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/jomega"]
[ECO "C68"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation"]
[UTCDate "2018.03.30"]
[UTCTime "20:57:05"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ We've covered a lot of ground so far. So let's see how we are doing on the objectives for the course. Let's also talk about what to do next.

The first objective was:
1. Learn the non-competitive (i.e. core) rules of chess. Learn the basic chess vocabulary. Be able to set up a chessboard. Be able to play and record a complete game. Learn how to read a two dimensional chess diagram.

You have spent quite a bit of time learning the rules and chess vocabulary. You need to reinforce this by playing legal games. You can both play against a computer program and a non beginner to practice the rules. The computer will not let you make an illegal move.

You should do some practice playing on a physical board as it is believed that physically moving three-dimensional pieces aids memory .

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-- } 1. e4 { Record your games or have the computer do it. You will lean algebraic notation this way, but more importantly you will be able to critically review your games. This reviewing of your games is believed to be the fastest way to improve.
These activities, plus what you have done so far, cover objective 1 well.
The second objective was:
2. Learn to visualize all the chessmen's movements/captures. First in 1 move, then in 2, 3, and more. This is *not* a calculation.
You've been practicing this and we've discussed it. This is a fundamental ability to acquire on the road to playing chess well. This is more than just practicing piece moves until you no longer have to think about how they move. The fastest way to mastering this ability is deliberate practice; for example as we discussed with learning the Knight's moves. However, any chess play will increase this ability.
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-- } 1... e5 { The third objective was:
3. Learn the basic roles of the chessmen: attack/defend/block/restrict.
You have spent much time learning about the basic roles of the chessmen. The ability to see these roles is absolutely required if you are to see the attack/defense network that underlies tactics.
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-- } 2. Nf3 { The fourth and fifth goals were:
4. Find suitable opponents with which to play.
5. Find a chess mentor. (coach/teacher).
We have had specific chapters in this study on these and hopefully you have done both.
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-- } 2... Nc6 { The sixth goal was:
6. Begin to learn how to avoid unnecessary calculation. Begin to learn about chess concepts that have been invented for that purpose. These include various rules-of-thumb, concepts from the Schools of Chess, specific procedures, and motifs.
You have begun to learn that brute force calculation, while a useful skill, is not always required. When it is required, you want the calculation to be focused; that is you want to have a plan, and you want to consider as few candidate moves as possible.
Humans play chess by having specific knowledge, by pattern matching, by analogy, and by focused analysis! They also use rules-of-thumb.
You have begun learning this and there will be much more to come.
(to continue press the right arrow key or button) } 3. Bb5 { As for the remaining objectives, 7-12, you have begun progress on them, but there is much more to do.
The old masters insisted that the next step was to practice the elementary endgames; endgames without pawns and with few pieces. Why? Because you'll need to know these, they reinforce the previous objectives, and they are simpler than other topics because of the few number of pieces.
However, most people are keen to start playing from the initial position. They also miss the points made above, and complain that they don't reach the endgame anyway! Well of course they don't because they are still leaving pieces en prise, or losing material in exchanges.
So chess instructors, for example Jeremy Silman in the Great Courses Series "How to Play Chess", immediately turn to tactics, and in general use the total immersion technique of teaching.
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-- } 3... a6 { Only you know how you want to proceed from this point. Talk to your mentor about your goals to help make a decision.
I'll present the remaining material for the beginner course in a manner to achieve the 12 objectives. Cross references will be made to aid you in whatever order you are learning the material. I hope to have an index to help you find the material you are looking for.
Here is a link to a table of contents for this course:
https://lichess.org/study/otqEtXkg
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--- } 4. Bxc6 { The opening moves that have been played so far belong to an opening named the Ruy Lopez; named after 16th-century Spanish bishop Ruy LÃ³pez de Segura. It has been, and still is, one of the most popular openings in chess.
At this point White has started the moves for the Exchange Variation; he captured the c6-Knight. Beginners, as Black, will not know the opening, and will be left on their own resources to find the best Black move here.
We'll proceed in the next chapter to the opening; because that is where most want to go next.
For a continued discussion of this particular opening see this study:
Beginner: Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation: Introduction
https://lichess.org/study/IB6tbWsz
--End Discussion } *