GW's First Attempt at
Basic Chess Strategy,
January 2010
[Objectives]

The way I thought it would work is that the Basic Chess Strategy would go through each of the three Phases in turn and, for each, there should be some sort of Basic Objective to aim for ...

OBJECTIVES: Opening Phase

Pick any Chess Opening, from your favorite Chess Book ... or from the selection from this website (click here, for the Chess Openings Index)
Try and play as many of the "textbook moves" as possible, until: (a) your opponent significantly compromises your position, or (b) you manage to successfully complete the Opening, more-or-less as documented.
Aim to Castle Kingside, getting the King's Rook in towards the middle of the board.
Finally, try and get your Queen's Rook off its starting square and inwards, onto more productive squares along Rank 1 (any one of the Files c to e).

And that will, roughly, complete the Opening Phase.

OBJECTIVES: Middlegame Phase

During this stage, I was going after Exchanges - attempting to "Swap-off" some of my minor pieces (Knights and Bishops) and, if necessary, some of my major pieces (Rooks and Queens).

The aim here is simply to try and speed up progression to the Endgame Stage ...

What I was trying to do here was to experience as many features of the game of Chess as possible - by this stage, I would already have:

Tried a textbook Opening;
Castled my King;
And Developed my army to the end of the Opening phase.

... and, upon reaching the Middlegame phase, if it hasn't gone tits-up, be ready to experience another key feature of modern Chess: The Exchange of pieces.

OBJECTIVES: Endgame Phase

Upon reaching this Phase, the aim was for the following:

If possible, attempt to Promote at least one Pawn - should this be achieved, it's up to you to decide which piece you want: Knight, Bishop, Rook, or Queen.

Note:
If you see no point in Promoting to anything but the Queen, we'd like to suggest you refer to the Chess Glossary, regarding Underpromotion and its merits.