How to Beat Nelson Bot on Chess.com

Chess.com lets you play chess with other players or against computer-controlled opponents. Some of these computer-controlled opponents are easy to beat, but some are really tough and pose a challenge (meow, Mittens).

One of the computer-controlled opponents that many players find hard to beat is Nelson. An intermediate-level AI, Nelson likes to take risks and take advantage of one of the most—if not THE most—powerful pieces in the game, the Queen. While some might think that Nelson’s unbeatable, he actually isn’t, and many players who’ve won against him testify to this.

There are strategies that can be used to defeat Nelson, and we will discuss them below.

How to win against Nelson at chess

Nelson likes to use his Queen early in the game, but he’s actually weak without it. Don’t be scared of his Queen, especially while he talks about it. Here’s what you should to do defeat Nelson and his seemingly powerful offensive.

• Choose White. This will let you have the first move in the game and will make playing against Nelson easier.
• Activate your pieces. Don’t focus on just a few powerful ones like the Queen.
• Secure your King. Castling can be a very helpful move in the game, especially if and when Nelson tries to attack your King with the Queen. Whatever you do, don’t lose sight of any potential openings leading to your King.
• Trade Queens. Nelson’s moves are centered on his Queen, which means they’ll be bad without it. Take down his Queen as soon as you can, even if it means sacrificing yours.
• Eat them up. Notice how his moves are focused on his Queen, while his other pieces seem scattered or inactive? You should take the opportunity to take down his other pieces when they’re open.
• Don’t give him a free meal. Nelson will attempt to take some of your pieces if they’re open. Make sure he won’t take them for free—always defend your pieces so that he will lose one for every piece he takes from you.

Nelson is bad at endgames, especially without his Queen. If you’ve succeeded in taking his Queen and other pieces down, all that’s left is to take down his King. You can do it!

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A few important reminders:

• Remember that he’s a bot. Nelson is not a human, which means you’re playing against AI specifically planned to use certain moves. He is predictable.
• Be on the offensive. Don’t just avoid getting defeated—focus on defeating Nelson at his game.
• Don’t mind losses. Chess is a strategy game that will push you to accept losses in exchange for victories. Don’t be afraid to lose pieces like pawns or even your Queen.

If you follow the above tips, you’re sure to win against Nelson at any time. We don’t want to give specific steps here, but if you want to see how most players win against him, we recommend visiting forums for it.