Chess strategy guide

Checkmate the opposing king. In graded levels the bot may also resign a clearly lost position.

The rules in brief

Standard chess rules: White moves first, each piece moves in its usual way.
Castling, en passant and promotion are supported. A pawn reaching the last rank promotes to the piece you choose.
You may not leave your own king in check. Checkmate wins; stalemate is a draw.
Draws also occur by threefold repetition, the fifty-move rule and insufficient material. Draws do not clear a level.
In graded levels the bot resigns when it stays a rook or more behind in material; that counts as a win for you.

Develop first: Bring knights and bishops out and castle before launching an attack.
Check every capture: Before each move, look at every check, capture and threat for both sides.
Control the centre: Pawns and pieces on d4, e4, d5 and e5 give your pieces room and limit your opponent.
Activate the king in the endgame: With fewer pieces left, the king becomes a strong piece. March it toward the centre.
Rooks belong behind passed pawns: In rook endings, a rook behind a passed pawn supports its advance while staying active.

Mate at the Edge: Find a supported queen mate.
Develop and Win: Develop pieces before attacking.
The Centre Fight: Coordinate development and centre pawns.
Open Files: Use open files and exchanges.
Black Counterplay: Develop as Black in an asymmetric structure.
Space and Timing: Judge whether to trade or maintain space.
Defend then Attack: Handle pressure with active development.
Minor Piece Final: Convert an endgame with accurate promotion timing.
Rook Activity: Find counterplay in a rook ending under a fast clock.
Queen and Rook Final: Win from the Black side in a complex heavy piece ending.