My hunch is Level 6 is set up to remember you. It seems the longer I leave it alone the easier it is to beat. Consequently it ranges from super-hard to moderately easy. When it is easy, the best strategy is to open strong with good pawn position. I prefer to move the King’s Pawn two spaces up then acquire the third space, breaking into enemy territory and keeping it. This means to support your Pawn with the King-side Knight and preferably the Queen’s Pawn – if not, the bishop’s Pawn will work. From there, the computer will start making mistakes. When it is hard, I find the Queen-side Knight’s Pawn is the best opening. Move it up one space and cover your Castle with the Bishop as your second move.
On Level 6, the computer plays an over-aggressive opening. It moves the Queen out quickly and works combinations to pin your King as soon as it can. I find, every time it does this, it exposes itself. Look for the exposure and play aggressively on your turn. Often times I wasn’t able to see the combinations coming and found myself in Check-Mate too quickly. Keeping your Pawns in the game was the best way to counter the aggressive moves of the computer.
The middle game varies depending on how you beat the computer last time. There aren’t too many easy ways here. Make good trades, i.e. Kight for Knight, Knight for Bishop and play the pieces down. Keep as many Pawns alive as you can.
The end game is the hardest yet. The computer knows what you are going to do and prepares five or ten moves ahead. It is aggressive about getting its second Queen. I find getting rid of the Knights first is a good idea. Two Castles against a Knight is not good odds against the computer on this level.
By the way, Level 7 is much easier to beat.
