Amazing Games for Beginners

Even the barest novice can appreciate and learn from the exquisite artistry and logic in the conceptual masterpieces to be found here. Join some of Chess.com's finest teachers on a tour of the most dazzling and instructive chess games perfectly suited for beginners.

This is a continuing series; check back for updates!

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IM David Pruess

Strike While the Iron's Hot: Opportunities in chess don't last long. Learn how to seize your attacking chances in this examination of the classic Greek Gift sacrifice played by Harry Nelson Pillsbury.

Pillsbury's Attack: The Pillsbury Attack is a time tested strategy to grab a space advantage and build up a powerful kingside attack. If you're feeling inspired, why not finish the game with a sacrificial flourish?

Alekhine's Attack: Alekhine introduces us to a classic trade — a knight or a bishop for two central pawns. Watch as Alekhine rips open the position and brings his pieces to bear on his opponent's unsuspecting and uncastled king.

Tunnel Vision: Sometimes the hardest thing to see in chess is your opponent's ideas. Learn to appreciate both sides of the position in this typical study of queenside vs kingside attacks.

One Weakness and One Piece is All it Takes: Even a single weakness can lead to defeat as in arguably the most classic endgame of all time, Rubinstein vs. Cohn!

Rubinstein's Smooth Rook: There's no better place to learn about piece activity than in the endgame; sit back and absorb Rubinstein's famously skillful exploitation of the active rook.

Dominate the Center!: Most players know to control the center, but it's not always clear how to use a central advantage. Watch as the great master Reti skillfully exploits a central advantage against passive play from his opponent.

Unusual Wizardry: IM Pruess polishes this series off with an aesthetic dessert. Reti's spectacular attack in this game will teach viewers why piece coordination is sometimes more important than material. 

FM Elliott Liu

Morphy's Genius 1 and 2: Join the millions of chess players that have been starstruck by Morphy's most famous game. Elliot shows you how Morphy brutally and justly punished his opponents for neglecting their development.

Amazing Games for Beginners: Attack the Kingside 1: In this three part series, Elliot shows you the fundamentals to building and executing a kingside attack. GM Tarrasch is one of the most principled and instructive chess players of all time; in part 1 he converts a central advantage into an attack on the king.

Amazing Games for Beginners: Attack the Kingside 2: In this game between two obscure players, White grasps for immortality, conjuring a crushing kingside attack from seeming thin air. Learn to always by wary of your king's safety, even in the most innocuous positions.

Amazing Games for Beginners: Attack the Kingside 3: In this battle between two positionally minded players, Petrosian builds a crushing kingside attack. Watch how Petrosian's strong foundation allows him to overcome even the World's greatest defender.

Amazing Games for Beginners: Positional Strangulation — Part 1: In this 5 part series, Elliot shows you how persistent positional pressure can overcome even the best players. In this game, Bernstein infiltrates steadily on his opponent's weak dark squares until his opponent can no longer hold his many weaknesses.

Amazing Games for Beginners: Positional Strangulation — Part 2: Steinitz was a trailblazer in positional thinking; watch as his superior understanding of strong squares carries him to an easy win.

Amazing Games for Beginners: Positional Strangulation — Part 3: Strong chess players are masters of transformation. Elliot shows you how Chekhover uses exchanges to take control of more and more squares until Black is pushed off the board.

Amazing Games for Beginners: Positional Strangulation — Part 4 and 5: Schlechter produces a positional masterpiece as he constructs a space advantage across the entire board and slowly squeezes his opponent. Despite no obvious mistakes, Black never really has a chance. 

Amazing Games for Beginners: My Childhood Symphony — Part 1, 2, 3, and 4: Sometimes the challenges only increase when you're winning. Elliot shows you one of his childhood games in which his opponent put up stiff resistance after Elliot snagged material. Elliot shows you the keys to winning when you're winning!

Make Constant Threats: Amazing Games for Beginners — Part 1 and 2: Nimzowitsch keeps Mattison under constant pressure with threats until Mattison eventually collapses before Nimzo's piece coordination and activity.

Make Constant Threats: Amazing Games for Beginners — Part 3 and 4: Lasker springs an opening surprise, deploying the popular Berlin Defense 100 years before it's time! His opening provides him with superior minor pieces which he uses to harass his opponent, Porges, until Lasker's nimble knight finally strikes. 

This series is ongoing; check back for more!