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Practical Chess Psychology · Kapilash Chess Academy

A Thinking Routine for Every Move

Simple steps that prevent most mistakes

In this lesson you will learn

  • A five-step routine for every move
  • Checks, captures and threats
  • The blunder check before you touch a piece

Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.

2.1 Why a routine?

Pilots go through a checklist before every take-off, even after thousands of flights. A routine is not for beginners only; it is how strong players avoid silly mistakes when they are tired or nervous.

2.2 The five steps

  1. What changed? Look at your opponent’s last move. What does it attack, defend or open?
  2. What is the threat? If it were your opponent’s move again, what would he play?
  3. Forcing moves. List your checks, captures and threats. Look at them first, because they leave your opponent the least choice.
  4. Candidates. Choose two or three serious moves and compare them. If nothing is forcing, improve your worst-placed piece.
  5. Blunder check. Before you touch a piece: after my move, can my opponent give a check, make a capture or create a threat that hurts me?
How long does it take?You do not need to calculate long lines every move. In quiet positions the routine takes a few seconds. In sharp positions it tells you where to spend your time.
Diagram 2.1Black to move

Diagram 2.1 · Step 3: forcing moves first

Your opponent has just played Nh2. Look at every check, capture and threat.

Find the strongest move.

Remember

  1. What changed? What is the threat?
  2. Look at checks, captures and threats first.
  3. Compare two or three candidates.
  4. Blunder check before you touch a piece.

Exercises · Lesson 2

Use the routine: find the threat, then your checks, captures and threats, then check your move.

Solve these 10 exercises on the boardCreate a free account to check your moves, open hints and solutions, and save your progress.
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Step 2: find the threat

Exercise 2.1Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Your opponent has a threat. Find the only move that keeps the balance.

Exercise 2.2Find the move
White to move

White to move. Your opponent has a threat. Find the only move that keeps the balance.

Exercise 2.3Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Your opponent has a threat. Find the only move that keeps the balance.

Exercise 2.4Find the move
White to move

White to move. Your opponent has a threat. Find the only move that keeps the balance.

Exercise 2.5Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Your opponent has a threat. Find the only move that keeps the balance.

Step 3: forcing moves

Exercise 2.6Find the move
White to move

White to move. Your opponent has just made a mistake (Be5). Punish it.

Exercise 2.7Find the move
White to move

White to move. Your opponent has just made a mistake (Bg4). Punish it.

Exercise 2.8Find the move
White to move

White to move. Your opponent has just made a mistake (Qxd4). Punish it.

Exercise 2.9Find the move
White to move

White to move. Your opponent has just made a mistake (Qxd5). Punish it.

Exercise 2.10Find the move
White to move

White to move. Your opponent has just made a mistake (Re8). Punish it.