Most sporting events were observed to be forcibly scaled-down throughout the formidable months of the COVID-19 lockdown. Amid this chaos, chess emerged as a savior indoors, improving adaptability and resilience in these grueling times. The popularity of chess revamped online, with people huddling to social media sites pursuing online gaming. If you are an excellent strategist and have a knack for competitive chess, you should play chess online. In order to grab the thin attention of online gamers, the basic format from conventional chess has been changed to fast-paced moves, making it more engaging on the various digital forms.

The Netflix drama Queen’s Gambit revolving around the life of a child chess prodigy has also boosted the popularity of the game among young players. The story goes about a young girl who rises to the top of the sport while coping with addictions to alcohol and drugs. This OTT phenomenon has led to a massive fan-following and upsurge in online searches for the game. The chess game demands the player to think strategically and helps remove anxiety due to its pressure on critical thinking, improving mental health. Strategy and tactics go hand in hand, and the better you can perplex your opponent, the more quickly the game is won. In the fast format of online chess games, you can get ahead of your competition by using these surprising strategies.

Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

The move is famously named after Bent Larsen and Aron Nimzowitsch, who usually played moves 1.b3 or 1.Nf3 2.b3.

This move allows players to place their dark-square bishop in the position of b2 in the initial stage of the game. This gameplay allows the player to control the center of the play and provides the Whiteside a formidable weapon against the kingside of Blacks. This play becomes a more robust strategy if the Black side has planned a castle on their base. The tactic used in most cases by the Black is to block the dark-squared bishop of the White with the aid from the pawn structure.

The continuation of these games is also interestingly helpful to suppress the opponent. The most common ones in use are 1. E5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. E3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bd6 and 1. e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. E3 d5 4. Bb5 Bd6.In both of these games, White attempts to seize the knight from the Black side and then attack the undefended pawn.

Scotch Game

The Ruy Lopez system is a famous strategic play, also known as The Scotch Game. The element of surprise in this play is that it grabs a lot of space from the board for the White-side. This space is well segmented to allow the bishops’ free movement, providing them with two unobstructed passages.

This game also has a  tricky part as it eases the taut match and gives a tight spot to White as the e4 pawn gets vulnerable in the latter part of the game. However, the opening is beneficial for players who can utilize early space in the game and bother less with the critical format of the original Ruy Lopez. The following moves then discontinue this strategy; 3.exd4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6. Here Whites double Black’s pawns on the c-file.

Sicilian Defense

The famous move of e5 has an equally known popular action called the Sicilian defense. It is a practical move that works for both Black and White. In chess, the Sicilian defense is similar to a minefield in terms of theory related to chess. Several books and ideas have been published about this type of defense. When facing this opening, the prime strategy to acquire is to abide by the usual opening principles. The three prime tenets are – to gain control of the center, develop set pieces, and lastly, castle fast.

If Black’s play c5, the Whites lose the confidence to play d4, which would have been their best move. So when such a situation arises, it is ideal for the Whites to play Nf3 and push forward with the next move, d4. Similarly, White has to play the move Nxd4 if the activity prior is exd4.

Queen’s Gambit

This opening strategy has recently amassed colossal popularity due to the show of the same name. However, to the unaccustomed player, this game might seem odd as Black has the chance to take on an unprotected pawn at c4. White has chances to win the pawn, but the game it can play is e3 which also releases the bishop who can seize the Black’s pawn. Of course, the Black can make an effort to defend the pawn, but they will rarely find themselves in such an inconvenient situation.

In such a case, if Black backs out from taking the pawn, the White benefits from gaining adequate control of the center. Finally, at such a point, they can start to work on the positioning of the pieces since the king is well under deep cover.

London System

This strategy is quite common but often overlooked hence its surprise element. The game allows the white side to calmly work on its pieces and play quite safely, holding a concrete position while proceeding into the mid-game. The strategy demands the use of e3 on the player’s next turn. The playsets up a defense for the dark-squared bishop of the White while also allowing the gradual incorporation of the light-squared one.

The continuity of the moves is in the manner of 3.c5 4.e3 Nc6 5. C3 e6 6. Nbd2 Bd6, allowing both sides a firm positioning in the early game. Players go through hours of online gaming to learn skills and strategies to defeat their opponents. However, just memorizing tactics do not guarantee you a win. Players need to sharpen their intuitiveness and implementation techniques to gain the upper hand on their competition and confuse them with every play on the chessboard.