The 10 Most Common Beginner Mistakes
Beginner mistakes repeat in game after game. Knowing the ten most common mistakes helps you avoid them.
Queen out early
White plays Qh5 in the opening. Black develops with Nc6 and the queen will have to move again.
FEN: rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
a b c d e f g h
8 r n b q k b n r 8
7 p p p p p p p p 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 P P P P P P P P 2
1 R N B Q K B N R 1
a b c d e f g hA hanging piece
White queen is on e5 and Black rook is on e6 with no defender. A beginner who misses this leaves the rook hanging. Two more mistakes are rushing moves in time trouble and never reviewing lost games.
FEN: 4k3/8/4r3/4Q3/8/8/8/4K3 w - - 0 1
a b c d e f g h
8 . . . . k . . . 8
7 . . . . . . . . 7
6 . . . . r . . . 6
5 . . . . Q . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 . . . . . . . . 2
1 . . . . K . . . 1
a b c d e f g hKing left in the center
White has not castled and the king still stands on e1. The king in the center is open to attack along the e file.
FEN: r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n5/2b1p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 1
a b c d e f g h
8 r . b q k . . r 8
7 p p p p . p p p 7
6 . . n . . . . . 6
5 . . b . p . . . 5
4 . . B . P . . . 4
3 . . . . . N . . 3
2 P P P P . P P P 2
1 R N B Q K . . R 1
a b c d e f g hKey points
- Moving the queen out early and losing moves to weaker pieces.
- Moving the same piece many times while other pieces stay home.
- Leaving a piece hanging with no defender and no safe square.
- Leaving the king in the center and never castling.
- Capturing without counting attackers and defenders first.
- Playing a move without checking whether it gives away material or allows check.
- Pushing too many pawns in the opening instead of developing pieces.
- Trading a good piece for a bad enemy piece.
Try it Yourself
Edit the code, then press Run.
Running is simulated · Rust Playground
Exercise
Which mistake is moving the queen out in the first moves?