Top 35 principles of Chess: Control the center / Develop pieces quickly / Knights before Bishops / Don't move the same piece twice in the opening / Don't bring your Queen out too early / Castle before move 10 / Connect your rooks / Rooks should go to open or half-open files / Knights on the rim are grim / Try to avoid doubled pawns / Try to avoid isolated pawns / Try to avoid backward pawns / Don't trade a Bishop for a Knight without a good reason / Avoid moving pawns in front of your castled King / Don't open the center if your King is still there / 2 minor pieces are usually better than a rook and a pawn / 3 minor pieces are usually better than a Queen / Rooks are good on the 7th rank / Doubled rooks on an open file are very strong / Bishops are better in open positions, Knights are better in closed positions / The best way to deal with a flank attack, is with a counter attack in the center / When 2 pieces can capture the same piece, capture towards the center / The king should be activated in the end game / Rooks go behind passed pawns / 2 connected passed pawns in the 6th rank will beat a rook / Attack the base of a pawn chain / Knights are usually the best piece to use to blockade a pawn / If your position is cramped, trading pieces can help / Trade your passive pieces for your opponents active pieces / When ahead material, trade pieces, not pawns / When behind material, trade pawns, not pieces / Games with opposite colored Bishops are dangerous in the middle game, and drawish in the endgame / Don't play "hope" chess / When you see a good move, look for a better move / A really good chess player knows the right time to ignore a chess principle