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Computer chess games have exploded in popularity, and for many good reasons. Chess is a game of strategy, and it challenges the players to use and develop their cognitive abilities in terms of stategic and tactical thinking. Playiong computer chess games – or any chess, for that matter – is like putting a potential future puzzle together, and one must consider all the possible variables ahead of time in order to achieve an intelligent chess strategy.

Recent groundbreaking studies have shown, in fact, that playing games which challenge the mind can keep the brain in a more youthful state, helping to stave off diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. A little brain stimulation, even doing crosswords, is good for the longevity of a properly functioning brain.

Playing computer chess games has many advantages over real chess. For one thing, you can play any time, anywhere, and you have a much wider variety of potential partners to play with. Whether you are playing online chess – also known as internet chess – or a computer chess game for your own computer (not online), you have lots of choices.

Your computer chess game of choice may even offer virtual players concocted by the program itself, in order to help you improve your chess game and work on your chess strategy. By using hte different levels and possible partners, your chess game will improve and you will enjoy endless hours of computer chess games play whenever you like.

There is no doubt that chess is a game of strategy. People spend entire lifetimes learning about chess and developing their game.

Your personal style of playing chess may differ greatly from a given opponent, and is based on many factors, including the style/s of any mentors you may have had, your learning style, and most importantly the way your brain works. Different people ‘see’ the chess board in their minds in different ways.

Reading your opponent’s style is an important part of chess strategy. Some people play with an aggressive strategy, while others can be said to be defensive. Both styles win chess games, of course – otherwise, only one style would have evolved.

An open strategy, for instance, simply means beginning the game with the inner few pawns, and is a fairly offensive, or aggressive, strategy. The game will progress quickly as the board is opened up and you are both forced to think quickly.

On the other hand, opening moves in a closed strategy are considered defensive, and your game will progress more slowly as your movements are limited. While you will have less, initially, of your more important pieces, this is a good way to learn chess in that it provides for a slower game, allowing you time to think through your moves.

Then again, an open strategy allows you to learn to think ‘on your feet’ quickly, and a closed strategy can be very cleverly used by chess masters.

You will learn to tell from the opening moves of your opponent what his or her style is, and by learning many different strategies yourself, you can be better prepared to deal with the varying thought processes of your oppoents – thus getting the winning edge!

To learn to think like a professional or even a very skilled chess player, you must learn how they think. You must learn to use tactical and strategic thinking in chess. Playing online chess games or in your own home, it doesn’t matter – it’s always a game of strategy. Following are some tips to help you think in ways which will benefit your chess game.

Think from your opponenet’s point of view – Try and determine your opponent’s overall strategy by observing his moves. Often a chess player will broadcast his intentions without realizing. People play with different strategies, and if you can figure out how your opponent is thinking, you’ll be able to stay one step ahead of him/her by aggressively and strategically moving your pieces accordingly.

Keep your important and valuable players alive – if you must lose players (and you will), give up the lesser players first, such as pawns. Keep those you’ll need for strategic or protective moves later in the crucial plays of the game.

Think things through – even if you see a genius move, looks can sometimes be deceiving. Develop the habit of running through the potential consequences of several possible moves and then make the best decision you can. Learn to look ahead and ‘see’ the possible ways the game could go and you will improve your strategic thinking.

Control your thoughts and emotions – like in any game of importance, from poker to war, your emotions can get the best of you. Not only do you need control to play your best game, but it’s also important to keep your feelings close to your chest so that you don’t give away any excitement or nervousness to your opponent. Practice remaining calm in tense situations and work on developing detachment – meditation can be very good for this.

Keep your overall strategy in mind – do not get caught up in individual moves or pieces. Instead, keep your eyes on the goal and move all pieces accordingly.