Your major pieces, the rook and queen in chess can wreak major havoc on your opponents. These powerful, long-range pieces often deliver the decisive follow-up blow after a sacrifice. Despite their strength, they are not all about brute force, and as you get familiar with the rook and queen, you will learn to use them more subtly. The following is an introduction to the major pieces and how you can get a little more from your rooks and queen in chess.

You might find it helpful to follow GM Simon Williams’ advice to think of the pawn structure in chess as the skeleton of your position and the pieces as the organs. Pawns are much less fluid than pieces and often find themselves in fixed positions since they cannot move backward. Understanding the pawn structure in chess will help you find the best squares for your pieces. You will also know which exchanges are favorable to you.