GM Igor Smirnov

From Beginner to Intermediate: The Honest, Practical Guide to Getting Better at Chess

Claudio Oliveri October 31, 2025

Chess Progress


Hey there.

Yeah, you—the one who knows the rules, has played a few games (maybe on an app or at a café), won a couple… but keeps losing to that one player who just seems to “see” the board while you’re fumbling in the dark.

Take a breath.
You’re not alone. And more importantly: you’re not bad at this.

Going from beginner to intermediate in chess doesn’t require genius-level IQ or 5-hour daily study sessions.

It just needs clarity, consistency, and cutting out a few stubborn bad habits.

In this guide, I’ll give you a no-nonsense, human-to-human roadmap—no fluff, no overwhelming theory—just what actually works for real people with real lives. And if you’ve ever wondered whether chess really makes you smarter, start with our deep dive: Chess and Intelligence: The Raw Truth Nobody Tells You .

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through these links, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the content!

Why You’re Stuck as a Beginner (Spoiler: It’s Not Your Fault)

You’ve played 20 games. Maybe even 50. You’ve won a few. But somehow… you keep making the same mistakes. You lose to the same traps. You feel like you’re spinning your wheels.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: playing a lot ≠ getting better. In fact, if you keep repeating the same errors without reflection, you’re just drilling bad habits deeper.

The Myth of “Just Play More”

Think of it like learning guitar. If you strum the same wrong chord for hours without correcting your finger placement, you won’t improve—you’ll just get really good at playing it wrong.

Chess works the same way.

The 4 Deadly Beginner Mistakes (And Why They Trap You)

These are the silent killers of progress:

  1. Ignoring piece development
    Moving only pawns or dragging your queen out early? Stop. Knights and bishops need to get into the game fast. Rule of thumb: by move 8–10, all your minor pieces should be active.

  2. Attacking too early
    Want to grab that central pawn? Fine—but not if it leaves your king exposed or costs you a piece. Attack only when you’ve got control and coordination.

  3. Forgetting your king
    Castling isn’t optional—it’s survival. If you haven’t castled by move 10, you’re playing Russian roulette. Ever heard of the “Scholar’s Mate”? Yeah, it still works… on uncastled kings.

  4. Neglecting the center
    The squares e4, d4, e5, d5?

  5.  Tha

    t’s the engine room.
  6.  You don’t need to occupy it with pawns—you just need to influence it with your pieces.

Quick test: In your next game, count how many pieces you’ve developed by move 8. If it’s fewer than 3 (excluding king/rook from castling), that’s your focus area.

The 4 Pillars to Reach Intermediate Level (Without Burning Out)

You don’t need to become a chess monk. Just focus on these four practical areas.

1. Learn 2 Openings—Not 20!

Seriously. Less is more.

  • As White: Play the Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4). It’s clean, classical, and teaches center control + rapid development.
  • As Black: Respond with the Two Knights Defense (after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, play 3...Nf6). It fights back immediately and avoids passive setups.

  • Chess Opening

You don’t need to memorize 15 lines. Just understand the ideas: develop quickly, castle, prepare d3/d4.

 That’s 90% of what you need at this stage.

Keep an eye out—we’re working on a beginner-friendly opening guide soon on Play Clever Chess!

2. Do Tactics Daily (Even Just 10 Minutes)

Tactics win games. Forks, pins, skewers, discovered attacks—these are your bread and butter.

Try this classic pattern:
White to move. King on g1, knight on f3, queen on d1. Black king on g8, queen on d8, bishop on e7.
White plays Ng5!
Threat: Nxe6, and if fxe6, then Qh5+ leads to mate.

But even better: if Black ignores it, Ne6! forks king and queen.

This exact pattern appears all the time.

Train daily on Lichess or Chess.com . 

Just 10 minutes a day builds real pattern recognition.

3. Analyse Your Own Games (Yes, the Losses!)

This is the secret weapon most beginners skip.

After every game—especially losses—ask:

Where did I lose the initiative?

Was there a threat I missed?

Did I neglect development or king safety?

Use Lichess’s free analysis tool: upload your game, click “Analyse,” and see where you blundered. Don’t beat yourself up—learn.

4. Study Basic Endgames

Endgames aren’t boring—they’re decisive.

Master these:

If you think endgames “never happen,” read our piece: The Hidden Art of Endgames: How to Turn Weakness Into Weaponry . 

You’ll see how a “weak” pawn can become your strongest weapon.

The Right Tools Make All the Difference (Here’s What Actually Helps)

A good app isn’t enough forever. At some point, you need physical tools to deepen your understanding.


Study Tools


Here’s my curated shortlist (all tested and loved):

  1. A real chess set – for spatial awareness and visual memory.
    👉 Jaques of London Large Chess Sets

  2. A chess clock – to simulate real-game pressure, even in solo study.
    👉 DGT 2010 Official FIDE Digital Chess Clock

  3. A classic beginner book – Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess uses pure tactics with zero jargon. Perfect for visual learners.
    👉 Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess – UK Paperback Edition

  4. A magnetic travel set – for practice on the go (train, lunch break, park bench).
    👉 OkidSTEM Magnetic Chess Set with Travel Folding Chess Board

  5. A notebook – write down your ideas, mistakes, and plans. Pen and paper cement learning.
    👉 Moleskine Classic Notebook – Dotted, pocket size

A Realistic Weekly Plan (For People With Actual Lives)

No time? No problem. Here’s a sustainable routine:

  • Monday: 10 min tactics + review your opening.
  • Wednesday: Play 2 rapid games (10+0) on Lichess → analyse them after.
  • Friday: Study one basic endgame (e.g., king + pawn vs king).
  • Sunday: Reflect. What improved? What needs work?

Stick to this for 4 weeks, and you’ll feel sharper. 

Do it for 3 months, and you’ll play like a different person.


Chess Improvement

What to Do Right After Reading This

Don’t just close the tab.

  1. Open Lichess now and solve 3 tactical puzzles.
  2. Grab a real board—or order this starter set if you don’t have one.
  3. Read next: Checkmate the Interview: How to Land That School Chess Instructor Gig —because teaching chess is the fastest way to master it yourself.

See you on the board.

And remember: every strong player was once a beginner who refused to quit.

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