#controlling attacks kingside

[big-boah-2]

Did you guys know about this? The Dutch Defense in chess:

I don't play chess but this strategy sounds familiar...

These are the moves Dutch is playing by himself! Easter eggs!!

[takami-takami]

V I need to say this I need to yap about Hawks and chess. Idk if I did it before, if I've talked about what Hawks would be like playing chess. Like, I'm not good at chess tbh I'm more of Okay. But I love thinking about how certain characters do their openings and all that.

I think Hawks likes to play mostly with off-beat openings. Not the classic 1. e4... Or 1. d4... when playing white, not the kind of positions where you immediately try to fight direct control over the middle squares. I think he would threaten the middle squares without actually putting anything on it.

I think he likes to promote his big pieces early, just for the heck of it. I HATE. I HATE. the Wayward Queen Attack. Pisses me off so much that I managed to learn how to play around it and one time won with a 100% accuracy. BUT I genuinely think this is one of the openings Hawks knows by heart. Like, he finds someone who's new to chess? Time to be a menace and whip out his Queen and run her around like in Wayward. It's intimidating until you realise that you can actually chase it back. Wayward Queen Attack is probably the only time he would open a game with 1. e4... when playing as white. I hate this opening yet I can see him play it just to be funny. Like look at this stupid ass board

With the openings, I can't imagine him as extremely aggressive like in a Scotch Game (he's not like me fr). I think he's more on positions, setting down the pieces carefully and tends to decline early trades. Common off-beat opening is English Game which I think would suit him and his play style if he wasn't fucking about doing a Wayward Queen Attack.

Ironically, the mirrored version of English Opening is called Bird's Opening (or Dutch Attack). Which I genuinely don't think he would do against players with higher Elo. Too risky but I think he'd be cheeky and do it anyway when playing against someone who's new to chess. Just to see how far he can go. Absolutely stress-inducing opening, Hawks is daring but I don't think he's THAT risky and would weaken his kingside as his first move.

Bro I could go on about this. Hawks is too smart he needs brain games, he needs enrichment. I think he would enjoy chess but truthfully if there's a puzzle game Hawks would eat up his time on it would be Minesweeper. It's a nice tactical game where the objective and the way to achieve the objective are simple (I don't know how to play Minesweeper tbh) compared to chess where there are too many theories and rules around it.

Anyway I think Hawks should be given a lot of enrichment for his brain that isn't just BDSM (strip-chess can be a thing tho).

Picture me solely in the back of the auditorium standing and clapping loudly at your ted talk, repeatedly "woo"ing and "yeah"ing

[minecraft-llama]

Chess Blog Day #5 - Castling

Because the king is so easy to checkmate when left in the middle of the board, castling was added to the game as a way of quickly escaping to the corner. Yes, yes, I know. You can't call a rook a castle but this move is literally called castling. If it helps you can think of the pawns in front of the king that protect it as the "castle" here.

To castle, move your king two squares towards a rook, and then move that rook to the other side of your king, next to it.

Castling is the only time you get to move two pieces at once.

Castling to white's right is called castling kingside or castling short. Castling the other way is called castling queenside or castling long.

Kingside castling

Queenside castling

Notice the lack of symmetry.

Unfortunately, you can't just castle willy-nilly. There are several conditions.

The king can't ever have moved during the game.

The rook involved can't have ever moved during the game.

You can't castle out of, through, or (this would be illegal anyway) into check.

A secret other thing that we'll talk about tomorrow (ooh!)

The following diagrams show what squares can and cannot be controlled by the opponent in order for castling to be allowed:

And that's it! You now know how to better protect your king.

But there's another important way to attack your opponent's...

Tomorrow: Promotion.

[9yardsmedia]

GM Method To Crush The Pirc Defense #MetalEagleChess

In this video, Grandmaster Eugene Perelshteyn takes you through a brilliant miniature against the Pirc Defense, demonstrating how to capitalize on White’s space advantage and launch a swift attack.

You cannot afford to not learn how to crush the Pirc Defense! Watch this to learn the correct ways of handling them according to Grandmaster Eugene Perelshteyn!

Using his personal game from 2001, GM Perelshteyn breaks down each move step-by-step, showing how early space control with moves like H3 and A4 restricts Black’s options and sets up for a powerful breakthrough with E5.

Watch as he explains how Black's passive pawn moves (A6, B6, and C6) only contribute to their own downfall, while White’s consistent pressure on the center and kingside leads to a devastating attack. The game culminates in a well-executed knight sacrifice on H7, setting up a forced checkmate sequence.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, this video provides valuable lessons on handling the Pirc Defense and how to effectively attack passive positions. GM Perelshteyn’s clear and insightful commentary will help you understand key concepts such as pawn breaks, space control, and attacking techniques that you can apply to your own games.

If you have any video suggestions for me to create I would be happy to cover lessons on a requested opening, a video on a specific endgame, or other chess-related topics just let me know in the comments section and I will take a note in my upcoming video creation list!

[creatonationforyou]

“KingCompiler” Presents The Top 5 Chess Opening Moves to Dominate the Board

In this blog, we’ll dive into the top 5 chess opening moves that every player should know and explore how KingCompiler, a leading chess academy, can help you perfect them to dominate your games.

1. The Ruy López (Spanish Opening)

The Ruy López is one of the oldest and most popular chess openings, played by beginners and grandmasters alike.

Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Why It’s Effective:

Puts pressure on Black’s center pawn.

Develops pieces quickly and prepares for kingside castling.

Creates multiple attacking opportunities.

📢 Welcome to Chess Academy! 🌟 🆓 We’re offering FREE Trial Classes for all levels — beginners to advanced! 🎓 Why Choose Us? ✅ World-class coaching by experienced players and coaches ✅ Interactive online sessions with personalized attention ✅ Build critical thinking, strategy, and focus ✅ Suitable for ALL ages and skill levels 🚀 Book a Free Trial Class at: https://forms.gle/M1x5dVL5tru5QSSw5 📱 WhatsApp us at +91 9903600848 ♟️ Let the game begin!

2. The Sicilian Defense

The Sicilian Defense is the most popular response to 1. e4 among competitive players and is known for its aggressive and counterattacking nature.

Moves: 1. e4 c5 Why It’s Effective:

Disrupts White’s control of the center.

Leads to complex and dynamic positions.

Offers strong counterplay for Black.

At KingCompiler, we provide in-depth training on the Sicilian Defense, covering popular variations like the Dragon, Najdorf, and Scheveningen, ensuring you’re prepared for any opponent.

3. The Queen’s Gambit

The Queen’s Gambit is one of the most iconic openings, made even more popular by its depiction in the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit.

Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Why It’s Effective:

Offers White strong control of the center.

Encourages Black to weaken their pawn structure if they accept the gambit.

Provides flexibility in piece development.

📢 Welcome to Chess Academy! 🌟 🆓 We’re offering FREE Trial Classes for all levels — beginners to advanced! 🎓 Why Choose Us? ✅ World-class coaching by experienced players and coaches ✅ Interactive online sessions with personalized attention ✅ Build critical thinking, strategy, and focus ✅ Suitable for ALL ages and skill levels 🚀 Book a Free Trial Class at: https://forms.gle/M1x5dVL5tru5QSSw5 📱 WhatsApp us at +91 9903600848 ♟️ Let the game begin!

4. The Caro-Kann Defense

The Caro-Kann is a solid opening that allows Black to build a strong and resilient position.

Moves: 1. e4 c6 Why It’s Effective:

Provides a solid pawn structure for Black.

Offers fewer weaknesses compared to other defenses.

Leads to a slower, more strategic game.

KingCompiler’s structured approach helps players master the Caro-Kann Defense, focusing on its key ideas and preparing students for different types of responses from White.

5. The Italian Game

The Italian Game is a classic opening that focuses on rapid piece development and kingside safety.

Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Why It’s Effective:

Targets Black’s vulnerable f7 square.

Allows for quick castling and rook activation.

Offers multiple attacking opportunities early in the game.

At KingCompiler, our coaches train students to leverage the Italian Game’s aggressive potential while teaching defensive tactics to counter unexpected moves.

With the right guidance and consistent practice, you can become a formidable player. KingCompiler is here to help you unlock your potential, master openings, and achieve excellence in chess.

Ready to take your game to the next level? Join KingCompiler today and start dominating the board!

[josephkuninus]

Piece Development Tactics: Maximizing the Potential of Your Chessmen with Joseph Kunin (Pennsylvania)

Chess is a game of strategy, where every move counts towards gaining positional advantage and ultimately checkmating your opponent. One of the fundamental principles of chess strategy is effective piece development—the art of mobilizing your pieces to optimal squares on the board. For beginners, mastering piece development tactics is essential for setting the stage for a successful game. In this blog, we'll delve into various strategies and techniques to maximize the potential of your chess pieces and gain a competitive edge over your opponent.

Joseph kunin Pennsylvania

Control the Center

Controlling the center of the board is a cornerstone of effective piece development in chess. By occupying and exerting influence over the central squares (d4, d5, e4, e5), you gain a strategic advantage, as your pieces have greater mobility and scope to maneuver. Begin by moving your central pawns (e and d pawns) to occupy these critical squares, creating a solid foundation for your pieces to build upon. Then, develop your knights and bishops to support your central control, aiming to establish a strong foothold in the center early in the game.

Moreover, controlling the center not only provides a platform for launching attacks but also limits your opponent's options and restricts their piece mobility. By dominating the central squares as championed by chess enthusiasts like Joseph Kunin (Pennsylvania), you dictate the flow of the game and force your opponent to react to your strategic initiatives, putting them on the defensive from the outset.

Develop Knights Before Bishops

A fundamental principle of piece development in chess is to prioritize the development of knights before bishops. Knights are versatile pieces that can control multiple squares and leap over other pieces, making them valuable assets in the early stages of the game. Begin by developing your knights to active squares (such as c3/c6 and f3/f6), where they can influence the center and support your overall strategic goals. Once your knights are optimally placed, you can then focus on developing your bishops to complement their effectiveness.

Furthermore, developing knights before bishops allows you to maintain flexibility and adaptability in your piece placement. Knights can maneuver around the board more easily than bishops, allowing you to respond dynamically to your opponent's moves and adjust your strategy accordingly. By adhering to this principle of piece development as championed by chess enthusiasts like Joseph Kunin (Pennsylvania), you set yourself up for greater tactical flexibility and positional control as the game progresses.

Castle Early for King Safety

Castling is a crucial aspect of piece development that serves to protect your king and improve its safety. By castling early in the game, you position your king behind a wall of pawns, shielding it from potential threats and securing its position for the middle and endgame phases. Aim to castle your king to safety as soon as possible, preferably on the kingside (short castling) or queenside (long castling), depending on the specific position and dynamics of the game.

Moreover, castling not only enhances king safety but also facilitates the activation of your rooks, allowing them to occupy open files and contribute to your overall strategic plans. Once you have castled, your rooks are connected and ready to participate in the game, whether through doubling on open files, supporting pawn advances, or launching attacks against your opponent's king. By prioritizing early castling for king safety as championed by chess enthusiasts like Joseph Kunin (Pennsylvania), you mitigate the risk of falling victim to sudden attacks or checkmate threats, giving you peace of mind to focus on executing your strategic objectives.

Maintain Piece Coordination

Piece coordination is essential for effective piece development and overall strategic success in chess. Coordinate your pieces harmoniously to support each other's strengths and cover each other's weaknesses, creating a cohesive and formidable force on the board. Ensure that your pieces work together to control key squares, defend valuable assets, and coordinate attacks against your opponent's position.

Furthermore, maintain flexibility and adaptability in your piece coordination, as the dynamics of the game can change rapidly. Be prepared to reposition your pieces as needed to respond to your opponent's threats and capitalize on emerging opportunities. By maintaining strong piece coordination throughout the game as championed by chess enthusiasts like Joseph Kunin (Pennsylvania), you maximize the effectiveness of your forces and increase your chances of securing victory.

Avoid Premature Pawn Moves

While controlling the center is crucial, it's essential to avoid making premature pawn moves that weaken your position or restrict your piece mobility. Before advancing your pawns, carefully consider the potential consequences and evaluate whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Premature pawn moves can create weaknesses in your pawn structure, open lines of attack for your opponent, and limit the scope of your pieces.

Moreover, focus on developing your pieces before committing to pawn advances, as active piece play is often more important than pawn structure in the early stages of the game. Once your pieces are optimally placed and coordinated, you can then consider advancing your pawns strategically to gain space, create pawn breaks, or undermine your opponent's position. By exercising patience and restraint with pawn moves, you maintain greater flexibility and control over the course of the game.

Effective piece development is a fundamental aspect of chess strategy that can spell the difference between victory and defeat. By mastering strategies such as controlling the center, developing knights before bishops, early castling for king safety, maintaining piece coordination, and avoiding premature pawn moves as championed by chess enthusiasts like Joseph Kunin (Pennsylvania), beginners can lay the groundwork for success on the chessboard. With practice and dedication, honing your piece development tactics will enhance your understanding of the game and elevate your chess skills to new heights. So, the next time you sit down to play, remember the importance of maximizing the potential of your chessmen through strategic piece development.

[studychesspro]

London System: Overview and How to Play it, Attack it, Counter it Study Chess Pro

WHAT IS LONDON SYSTEM IN CHESS?

The London System is a relatively basic opening system in chess, mainly employed by club players due to its effectiveness and simplicity. It starts with the moves 1.d4, 2.Nf3 followed by 3.Bf4 (Be3 or Bg5 could also be used instead) can help White avoid mainline openings while leading to solid positions that maximise their pieces’ mobility, pressure on d5, and control of dark-squares on the queenside. This system avoids early Queen development and seeks to expand quickly in order to build a formidable center from which a crushing attack may be launched later in the game; the pawn structure can be adjusted depending on Black’s response for an even stronger central position

What is the main idea of the London system?

The main concept of the London system is to simply develop your pieces on active squares while creating an UNBREAKABLE pawn structure in the centre.

The London System is an opening strategy that centers around quickly developing the two bishops and castles of a player, while keeping their remaining pieces in reserve. It involves quickly controlling the center and establishing control over the d4 and e5 squares. It has been used by many world-class players including Magnus Carlsen and Vishy Anand and is considered to be one of the most solid openings as there are few weaknesses to exploit early on. The focus of this system is to create pressure on opposing pieces, decrease their mobility and target weak points in their position, all without making too many risky moves that could leave you vulnerable.

Where do you put your pieces in London System?

When it comes to the London System of Chess, knowing where to place your pieces can be tricky. It's a particularly developing opening that takes advantage of white's lead in development and spacial control. While the position may look unassuming at first, there are certain key pieces you should aim to develop: The Queen's Knight needs to be developed quickly to e4 or d3, depending on what black responds with; likewise, you should also aim to develop your Bishop opposite coloured from the enemy king; lastly, the rooks should try and situate on their respective d-file for maximum open space. These simple steps will help ensure that you properly set up an aggressive strategy using this dynamic system!

Why is it called London system?

Top players like Akiba Rubinstein participated in the 1922 London Tournament, an international competition that took place in the central hall of Westminster from July 31 to August 19, 1922.

It gained popularity as a London method because of this.

IS LONDON SYSTEM GOOD FOR BEGINNERS?

For those getting into the world of chess, the London System might be a great way to start. The London System is based on concrete positions that are easy to learn and help you understand key concepts in chess quickly, like how a knight and bishop can work in harmony. It also helps beginners develop their skills by forcing them to think about long-term planning, as well as providing lots of opportunities for aggressive play styles. Plus, it's surprisingly versatile - variations can make it suitable for more advanced players too. All in all, the London System is an ideal choice for newbies looking to get a handle on the fundamentals of chess and even further their abilities!

LONDON SYSTEM OPENING MOVES STEP BY STEP

The London System is an opening move frequently used in the game of Chess and is used by both beginners and experienced players. Starting with d4, the aim of this move is to control the e5 square while providing a strong pawn formation on the kingside. The next step is to play Nf3, bringing your knight into play with flexible attacking capabilities and also activating your bishop. You'll then develop your queen to d3 for support before playing c3, stopping opponents from invading your territory via e4.

Next, Castling Kingside allows you to develop and later free the dark squares in your position, as well as defend any passed pawns lurking around those squares. Finally playing Be3 gives you control over the d4 square, letting you either double there or push another piece into action. This system provides consistent success if done correctly - so make sure to practice it when you can!

There are two popular terms related to the London system.

 1. Accelerated London system

 2. Jobava London system

WHAT IS ACCELERATED LONDON SYSTEM?

The Accelerated London System is a chess opening system that is based on the London System but has some additional opening moves to allow for faster deployment of pieces. The idea behind this system is to gain control of more central areas earlier on, reducing your opponent's development potential and providing better protection for your own King. It's considered a hypermodern variant of the classic Queen-Pawn game since it relies heavily on controlling both center squares without actually occupying them with pieces. This makes it an ideal weapon against those who cling too tightly to classical principles – like leaving their King in the center for too long or using slow and outdated defensive moves. Therefore, Accelerated London gives you plenty of options for counterattacking before your opponent can properly finish their castle setup!

WHAT IS JOBAVA LONDON SYSTEM?

The Jobava London System is an opening strategy for the game of chess developed by Grandmaster Baadur Jobava. It's a somewhat aggressive system that involves rapid development of the light-squared bishop, rapid castling, and playing with a pawn majority on the queenside. Most games using this system will involve lively and sharp tactical play since White will typically have open lines of attack with their pieces. Despite its aggressiveness, the Jobava London System can be used successfully against both strong and weak opponents since it offers White solid positional advantages due to control over important central squares such as d4 and e5. While most players consider The Jobava London System to be a great choice for rapid or blitz games, there are some that still use it in serious tournaments.

If you're looking for a chess opening to use in casual play, then the Accelerated London or Jobava London System might be worth considering. The Accelerated London offers a bit more flexibility on your opening moves and can lead to a solid assault on the enemy's position. In contrast, Jobava's system is much less flexible but it benefits from a focus on attacking the center quickly while trying to gain control of important squares. Whichever you choose, both offer interesting and challenging options that can help make your games more balanced and enjoyable as well as hone your skills with these openings.

Conclusion

Learn London System with Study Chess Pro, it is a great way to improve your chess skills. With our help, you can study the key concepts and moves of the London System any time you want. It will help you understand the core strategic ideas, know how to play sound attacking plans, develop creative plans, and learn when and why to deviate from mainlines. Additionally, we provide a range of exciting activities so that you can practice what you learned - interactive practice games, puzzles, in-depth analysis exercises, and video studies. Unexpectedly defensive opponents won't be a surprise anymore! You'll feel more confident as your decision-making skills are tested using built-in engines or solutions from top players which are designed for all levels – from beginner players up to advanced ones.

[chess-coaching]

Chess Strategy for Beginners: Complete Guide The game can be divided into two big parts – chess strategy and tactics. There are games that can be classified as positional and games where the tactical, attacking ideas dominate. However, most of the times, the two go hand in hand, and a game that had a slow, quiet start, could finish with a beautiful sacrifice. In the same way, a game that started in a dynamic way could be finally won with the use of strategic ideas. Moreover, tactics can be used to gain a certain positional advantage. Although we are mostly used to look for tactical ideas in order to win material, keep in mind that this is not always the case. Combinations can be also used to get a better structure, weaken our opponent’s position or force the trade of one of our bad pieces, for example. chess strategy beginners Chess Strategy vs. Tactics Tactical shots, sacrifices, and mating attacks are usually the most appealing to those who are just starting in chess. They are certainly beautiful, satisfying to go through (and even more to deliver!) and highly instructive. However, one shouldn’t forget about the positional side of chess or the so-called chess strategy. In fact, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the basic chess strategy right from the beginning. Having steady tactics and chess strategy foundation will help you build a good chess understanding and improve as a player. Whilst tactics allow you to immediately punish your opponent’s mistakes, the chess strategy helps you understand and use in your favor the more permanent aspects of the position. Basics of Chess Strategy Chess strategy will teach you how to develop a position, how to identify and use in your favor the small pluses in a game. It will help you develop a healthy playing style and understand what to look for in the middlegame, once the opening phase is over. Once you have achieved that, you can keep adding more “bricks” and continue improving your level. But let’s start with the basics of chess strategy: Chess Strategy 1: Controlling the Center One of the things you have to understand right from the start is that the center of the board is of utmost importance. Whether the position on the board calls for an attack or positional play, you won’t be able to successfully do anything if you don’t have a good grip over the central squares. In most cases, the side who controls the middle of the board better will keep a small advantage. This happens for a few reasons. First of all, a central piece is an active piece. It controls more squares and can create more damage in the opponent’s position. On the other hand, a piece placed on the side of the board will have fewer and significantly less active squares to control or jump on. However, not all pieces need to be placed in the middle of the board in order to control it. Some can do this from afar and be equally effective. To understand this better, think for example about knights. They are short-range pieces and need to be well-placed in order to control important squares. Bishops or rooks, on the other hand, don’t have to be right in the middle of the board to make use of a dangerous diagonal or open file. They are long-range pieces and can usually do the same job (most of the time even better!) from afar. Secondly, central, well-placed pieces have very good mobility. They cooperate better between each other, but can also be brought faster on the side they are needed on. Imagine, for example, that you are trying to build an attack against the opponent’s king – a central knight can easily be re-routed to both kingside or queenside, depending on where the rival has castled. In the same manner, the defending side will do so easier with central pieces. Chess Strategy 2: Look for Better Squares Be constantly on the look for better squares for your pieces and try to improve their position throughout the whole game. Controlling the center and developing your pieces towards it is an important guideline, but you should not stop there. Usually, better, more active squares will become available for your pieces during a game and it is up to you to spot them and bring your pieces on them. In this sense, there are several ideas to keep in mind. For example: Chess Strategy Tip I: Keep Your Knight in the Center Knights are strong on central squares, but they also need certain stability, which is usually provided by pawns. Let’s take the following position: chess strategy - Kasparov Kasparov, G – Yermolinsky, A, Yerevan 1996 White’s pieces are visibly more active and occupy better squares than his opponent’s. However, even though not badly placed, the white knight is the only piece that is not actively participating in white’s attack and seems, in fact, isolated from the rest of the army. For this reason, he continued here with the move Ne5 – occupying a central square and becoming a thorn in black’s position. After this move, all white’s pieces are harmoniously cooperating and he will be able to increase the pressure over black’s position. Here is another typical maneuver of improving the position of the knight: chess strategy - improving your position Harrwitz – Staunton, London, 1846 Here, too, the position of the black knight on f6 can be improved. In this game, black used the bad position of the white queen and light-squared bishop with the move Nh5! The idea is to occupy the square f4 with a gain of tempo, but this is not everything. White also needs to parry the threat of Ng3 with a double attack, as the f2 pawn is right now pinned by the black bishop on b6. Chess Strategy Tip II: Place Your Rooks on Open Files Rooks are best placed on open or semi-open files. If there are no such files in the position, they could be placed behind the central pawns, offering them support. Take the following position: chess strategy - rooks on open files Carlsen,M – Artemiev, V, Moscow 2019 White has just played Rab1, activating his rook by occupying the only semi-open file he has available in this position. He has done so with a gain of time, as now black will have to defend the pawn on b7. This is another example of chess strategy for improving the rooks in the middlegame: chess strategy - improving rooks Rubinstein,A – Tarrasch, S, Bad Kissingen 1928 In this case, only one of the white rooks occupies a semi-open file. At the same time, the rook on d1 hits on the black pawn on d6, forcing his opponent to always keep an eye on it. His other rook has been placed on c1 – not an open file, but an important one, whatsoever. From here, it supports the c4 pawn, but will also make possible different tactical ideas against the black queen on c7. Chess Strategy 3: Take Care of Your Pawn Structure The pawn structure is an important part of the game and, as you will discover, one of the elements on which chess strategy relies most. One of the first things to understand and remember throughout a game is that a healthy pawn structure means a solid, safe position. With time, you will understand how much a pawn move can influence the game or how their disposition can dictate the type of play in certain positions. A few things to know from the beginning are: Chess Strategy Tip I: Ideal Pawn Placement – Side by Side The ideal pawn placement is side by side, in a phalanx. This is because when in this formation, the pawns control every square that is in front of them. With each advance, the opponent will get a square he could use for his own pieces. A central pawn phalanx can, for example, be very strong and effective in neutralizing the opponent’s pieces. In the following diagram you can see how such a pawn formation can give a big advantage: chess strategy - perfect pawn formation Greco,G – N.N, 1620 Notice how white’s pawns on c4, d4, e4 and f4 control the whole black centre. Moreover, the d and e pawns can now advance to d5 and e5 and force the two black knights onto worse squares. In this case, the advance of these two pawns is possible thanks to the support of the c and f pawns. Chess Strategy Tip II: Avoid Splitting Your Pawns Avoid, if possible, splitting your pawns. Split pawns cannot protect each other anymore and will be easier attacked and eventually picked up by the opponent. Try to keep your structure intact for as long as possible and, of course, make your opponent’s worse, if he allows this. Doubled pawns can be one example of such faulty structures. One typical idea to create this in your opponent’s camp (and one to avoid yourself!) is the following: chess strategy - avoid splitting your pawns Rozentalis, E – Zischka, M, Berlin 1999 Here, white is using the pin on the knight on f6 to force his opponent to ruin his pawn structure. By playing Nd5, he brings another attack over this knight. In return, black can’t support it with another minor piece, so after the following trades on f6, he will have nothing better to do than capture back with the g pawn and double his pawns on the f file. The problem with this is not only that now this pawn will be easier to attack for white, but the black king will also become an easy target for the first player. After the exchanges on f6, the following position was reached: chess strategy - attacking weak pawns What’s the best chess strategy for white? Here you can see how white is already taking advantage of his opponent’s poor pawn structure. After bringing his queen to h6, the f6 pawn can no longer be defended. In addition to this, the king is not safe either. For example, after Nxf6, the threat will be Qxh7, with a mate. Chess Strategy Tip III: Improve Your Pawn Structure Make your pawn structure better if you have been forced to worsen it at some point in the game. One thing you have to remember is that a bad pawn structure doesn’t have to be forever. Don’t be disheartened if you have been forced to ruin yours, but look for ways to improve it. For example, one popular chess strategy for getting rid of the doubled pawns is to trade one of them: chess strategy - get rid of double pawns Find a winning chess strategy for white Here, white can exploit the pin over the d5 pawn by playing the move c3-c4! This move has two important purposes. First of all, white is happy to get rid of one of his doubled pawns by forcing trades on the d5 square. Secondly, it will not be easy for black to defend his d5 pawn and he will be forced to eventually recapture with the c6 pawn and worsen his structure as well. In conclusion, we could say that white’s move helps improve his own structure and at the same time ruin his opponent’s. These are some of the basic positional concepts to keep in mind throughout the game. They represent the foundation for many other important elements that you will discover in your journey for improvement.

[radrook2]

[White "Radrook"] [Black "SlowPlow"]  [Ope

[minecraft-llama]

Chess Blog Day #31 - The Sicilian Defense

The Sicilian Defence is defined by the moves 1.e4 c5

This opens up a line for the queen and attacks a central square.

One of the reasons people play the Sicilian is because of the lack of symmetry. Grandmasters often play this opening when they're in a must win situation with black. Having a position where neither side is better but both players can attack each other in different ways is called an "imbalance". This isn't an advantage for either side, but it usually means a draw is less likely.

The aim of the Sicilian is to gain and maintain a space advantage on the queenside.

Okay, a couple of new terminology concepts. We've talked about kingside and queenside castling before, but it's also important to note that the terms "kingside" and "queenside" refer to the respective halves of the board.

"Space" in chess refers to the amount of control a player has over the board or a part of the board. It doesn't have a precise definition but you know it when you see it.

You can see that black already controls two queenside squares in the enemy half of the board, while white only controls one.

Another idea in the Sicilian is to trade off your c pawn for white's d pawn and to have two central pawns to white's one.

An example of this is the very common 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4

And black gains that two versus one central advantage.

Plenty more openings to cover!

Tomorrow: The London system.

[chesslectures1997]

Guess a plan for black here. Judit Polgar Official vs Alexi Shirov 1999 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1269047 Key learning for this game for us: (1) How to play classical french as black and in the game black chose ...7 cxd4 line but there is also interesting ...7 a6! with the idea of playing b5 and then later try to open the bad light square bishop via a6 and there is also ...7 Qb6 line which I seriously do not like because black is not threatening Qxb2 because ...7 Qb6 8. a3 ..8 Qxb2 9. Na4 wins the black's queen. (2) Typical attacking maneuver with h4- Rh3-Rg3 in order to target the black's kingside and this maneuver also controls the 3rd rank for any long term black's attack. (3) Basic stuff but useful idea is when you castle on opposite wings then side who attacks faster with pawns and pieces will win. In this game it was black. So remember guys, whenever you castle on opposite wings then try to do attack as fast as you can and do not care for pawns or sometimes even pieces because all you need is one open file against opponent's king and u will have initiative in your hands. (4) On move 15 black played Qc7 because Bxd4 allows white to play Nd4 and white will activate his knight. So the concept it there is no need to trade if the trade makes opponent's pieces active by any means. (5) Move 18th black played a3!! not only created holes in queenside king's position but also gave black long term initiative. (6) Move 25th black played Rc4 a brilliant move because it's not possible to sac on b3 by any means but Rc4 exerts pressure on white and black is getting control over an important c file. (7) On move 31st again Shirov showed the power of calculation and showed that he is not greedy. White offered his queen so he can use his knight and rook but shirov did not took white's queen and simply took his rook because he loves total domination (8) Qa1 in the end was important check eyeing on d4 knight. #chess #chesslectures #chessmood #chessplayer #chessbaseindia #chesstactics #chessmoves #chessboard https://www.instagram.com/p/B9ERQiPnAyi/?igshid=gkfbmpfw2b9k

[takesalonglongtime]

Busy lately with family and work responsibilities with minimal sleep so my correspondence chess has suffered considerably, but managed to join the Main Line Chess Club a few weeks ago with the intent to focus almost solely on OTB play save for a game or two played on the chess.com server with people I like and trust. 

Played my first reasonably slow time control game [G/55 d10] in years on 4/29 (and got paired up and subsequently smashed in 22 moves with the white pieces).  The blitz tournament a couple weeks back was a lot of fun and the environment was great with a couple masters and several experts in the room, but slow chess is where I have to focus myself if I care to improve.  I also played another slower game [G/65 d10] two days ago (also at the MLCC) as the second game in a five round swiss which I won playing the black pieces.  The game was boring for the most part and super grindy, but I managed to find some complications which gave an advantage in the ending which turned out to be enough for the point.  Also, most recently I played a game which was my first miniature in tournament play which was a Spanish game that illustrated the primary theme of white dominating the center and earning the full point by virtue of this domination.

Here are the games I've mentioned with my first attempts at annotation in a long, long time.

Rob Fusco (1559) vs. Frank Jackson (1928), 4/29/2014, Main Line Chess Club G/50, d10

1.e4 e5

Having played 1.d4 since I began playing in tournaments, I decided that 1.e4 was to be my opening move with white for the foreseeable future because of the tactical positions which come from it with the idea that it will force me to calculate more often and more accurately - especially if there are consequences.  I did a ton of thinking about my choice early on to play 1.d4 and I if I'm being honest with myself I should say that I was fearful of wild, tactical positions and was much more at home playing slow, positional games.  I think, in short, that I was afraid of a fight.  This has all changed.

2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6

Now, not ever having played 1.e4 in a slow time control I knew there would be many lines and variations I would have to be familiar with, and I've seen Nf6 played before in games I've studied (Karpov - Korchnoi, 1971), and perhaps instead of "studied" I should just say honestly "seen before."   I was most "familiar" with lines involving 3...a6 where the light square bishop either takes (exchange/Berlin) or retreats to a4 (every other damn system/opening), so 3...Nf6 caught me off guard. 

4.0-0 [49] {note: I will add the time left on the clock in brackets where pertinent}

So here I thought that if 4...Nxe4 5.Re4 or 5.d4 [Nxd4 6.Nxd4 exd4 7.Re1] should regain the pawn with little trouble.

4...Nxe4 5.Bxc6

In retrospect this was a flippant decision that betrayed my initial ideas and is a mistake because it relinquishes the bishop pair for no real reason.

5...dxc6 6.Nxd5 [47]

More active was 6.Re1.  There's a reason this is a main line move in many variations!

6...Be7 [49] 7.d3 [41]

Very passive play.  Yet again, Re1 is begging to be played.

7...Nd6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.h3 [36]

This felt a bit unnecessary. I would have been better off playing something which develops a piece, for instance 9.Be3

9...Be6 10.Bf4 [32]

Another inaccuracy.  Now it's possible for black to begin something of an attack with 10...g5.

10...Re8 11.Qh5 [30]

White has no clear plan except to place pieces on the kingside and try to cause trouble for the black king.  Perhaps better would have been to (again) play Re1.

11...Bf6

With this move black prepares ...g6 and clears the e-file for his rook.

12.Ng4 [27]

An obvious blunder.  With this move black clears away one of white's more active pieces with...

12...Bxg4 [40] 13.hxg4

with the idea to perhaps get play on the h-file.  Now black saddles white with an isolated a-pawn and doubled c-pawns with...

13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qf6

15.g3 [17] Qxc3

Unnecessarily sacrificing a pawn to follow through with the too-slow plan of playing Kg2 and Rh1.  Bd2 might have offered white better chances, though ...Rd2 keeps one whites rooks tied down to the defense of this piece.  White is very close to being completely lost here.

16.Kg2 g6 17.Qh6 Qg7 [31] 18.Qh4

18...f6 19.Bh6 Qf7 20.Rh1

White is attempting to get play on the h-file, but his attack is too slow, his light squares on the kingside far too weak, black's pieces are active, there are no concrete follow-up lines and he is down a pawn.  Admittedly this is not my best game.

A long time ago NM Vadim Martirosov told me that objectivity is the best tool in a chess player's toolbox.  He was absolutely correct.

20...Re2 21.Be3 [11] Rae8 [20]

Now white is completely busted. The c2 pawn will fall, the light squares are weak and white's play from the opening has been flawed and uninspired.  Fatigue took its toll with the blunder

22.c4?? Rxe3

0 - 1

-----

[raymondchouplayschess]

An Attempt to Consolidate Opening Moves

So since most chess openings consider it foolhardy to open with the same piece more than once, it is a good idea to consider the first move of each piece at each player’s disposal. Then, memorizing openings is simply a matter of recollecting the story of why each move is played. Perhaps this will form a more coherent system.

My memory with music is insane because I have the ability to listen to it on repeat, but I do not have that same ability with chess. Perhaps, if I tell a story, then that would make it much easier.

The a pawn

As white/black: a3 or a4 to potentially stop an a or b-pawn advance, possibly to control the b4 square, as the black queenside knight could go Nc6 -> Nb4

The b pawn

Support the c pawn usually, there’s no real reason to play this pawn early, or it’s moved forward one square because a queen is attacking them since someone played their queenside bishop out. Or you’re fianchetto’ing.

The c pawn

Used to support the d-pawn, as in the French defense or the Slav, or sometimes tossed out as a Gambit pawn. Allows free movement of the queen, and is usually played before the C-knight move, as a move like Nc3 or Nc6.

The d pawn

Control the center, or support the e-pawn.

The e pawn

Control the center, or support the d-pawn if it was played first.

The f pawn

Don’t play this pawn unless King’s gambit. That’s how you die.

The g pawn 

Usually you only play this pawn to fianchetto...unless you castle queenside. No real reason to move this pawn early unless you Fianchetto.

The h pawn

Used to kick knights along the g-file, or whatever piece made their way all the way over.

Knight Moves

I’ll just cover them as white, since they serve a similar purpose as black.

Nc3: Good fight for the center. Attacks two of the four center squares. Does not obstruct the movement of our pieces. Nd2: Will block the c-bishop unless being fianchetto’d. A slightly more defensive move, only attacks one of the center squares, but protects f3, where our other knight might go. Nf3: Same as Nc3, but on the kingside. A solid developing move in general. Ne2: Blocks the f-bishop unless it was played first. Connects with the other knight if Nc3 was played. Very good if they’re putting pressure down the diagonal containing f4 and g3.

Bishop Moves

c-bishop

Ba3: Don’t know why you’d do that. Seems silly to me. Indirectly attacks their f-bishop I guess. Bb2: The queenside fianchetto. Controls the a1-g8 long diagonal, and potentially allows you to dip in there and fuck up their g8 rook. Bd2: Protects the king by being a bodyshield, but interferes with the Queen’s defense of the d-pawn if the queen was unmoved. Be3: Protects the pawn on d4 if it was played, and is supported by the f-pawn, which traditionally should not move. Bf4: Not a very good move in general; especially if they played e5. And even if they didn’t, upon you doing so may prompt an advance from them. Maybe okay if you played Ne2 first (provided you’re not blocking the f-bishop), but doesn’t really get at anything otherwise. Bg5: Usually can pin the f6 knight to their queen, but easily kicked by ...h6. Complements the move Nf3 very well. If the knight’s first move was Nf3, then Ng5 is supported by the c-bishop Bh6: Great way to lose a bishop to the g pawn

f-bishop

Bh3: attacks their c-bishop if they moved the d-pawn - that’s about it. Bg2: The kingside fianchetto. A solid option, controls the a8-g1 long diagonal, attacking their rook on a8. Be2: Protects the queen; completely smothers the d1-h4 diagonal. Bd3: Blocks the queen’s defense of the d-pawn, but can stop harassment from their bishop or something Bc4: In moves like the Italian game. Complements Nf3 very well, as it attacks the f-pawn, where a knight could potentially jump in. Bb5: The Ruy Lopez. Attacks their queen indirectly, but very very very prone to being kicked. Ba6: Bad.

That’s all that’s really necessary tbh

[chess-coaching]

Chess Strategy for Beginners: Complete Guide

The game can be divided into two big parts – chess strategy and tactics. There are games that can be classified as positional and games where the tactical, attacking ideas dominate. However, most of the times, the two go hand in hand, and a game that had a slow, quiet start, could finish with a beautiful sacrifice. In the same way, a game that started in a dynamic way could be finally won with the use of strategic ideas. Moreover, tactics can be used to gain a certain positional advantage.

Although we are mostly used to look for tactical ideas in order to win material, keep in mind that this is not always the case.

Combinations can be also used to get a better structure, weaken our opponent’s position or force the trade of one of our bad pieces, for example.

Chess Strategy vs. Tactics

Tactical shots, sacrifices, and mating attacks are usually the most appealing to those who are just starting in chess.

They are certainly beautiful, satisfying to go through (and even more to deliver!) and highly instructive. However, one shouldn’t forget about the positional side of chess or the so-called chess strategy.

In fact, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the basic chess strategy right from the beginning.

Having steady tactics and chess strategy foundation will help you build a good chess understanding and improve as a player.

Whilst tactics allow you to immediately punish your opponent’s mistakes, the chess strategy helps you understand and use in your favor the more permanent aspects of the position.

Basics of Chess Strategy

Chess strategy will teach you how to develop a position, how to identify and use in your favor the small pluses in a game.

It will help you develop a healthy playing style and understand what to look for in the middlegame, once the opening phase is over. Once you have achieved that, you can keep adding more “bricks” and continue improving your level.

But let’s start with the basics of chess strategy:

Chess Strategy 1: Controlling the Center

One of the things you have to understand right from the start is that the center of the board is of utmost importance. Whether the position on the board calls for an attack or positional play, you won’t be able to successfully do anything if you don’t have a good grip over the central squares. In most cases, the side who controls the middle of the board better will keep a small advantage. This happens for a few reasons.

First of all, a central piece is an active piece.

It controls more squares and can create more damage in the opponent’s position. On the other hand, a piece placed on the side of the board will have fewer and significantly less active squares to control or jump on. However, not all pieces need to be placed in the middle of the board in order to control it. Some can do this from afar and be equally effective. To understand this better, think for example about knights.

They are short-range pieces and need to be well-placed in order to control important squares. Bishops or rooks, on the other hand, don’t have to be right in the middle of the board to make use of a dangerous diagonal or open file. They are long-range pieces and can usually do the same job (most of the time even better!) from afar.

Secondly, central, well-placed pieces have very good mobility.

They cooperate better between each other, but can also be brought faster on the side they are needed on. Imagine, for example, that you are trying to build an attack against the opponent’s king – a central knight can easily be re-routed to both kingside or queenside, depending on where the rival has castled. In the same manner, the defending side will do so easier with central pieces.

Chess Strategy 2: Look for Better Squares

Be constantly on the look for better squares for your pieces and try to improve their position throughout the whole game.

Controlling the center and developing your pieces towards it is an important guideline, but you should not stop there. Usually, better, more active squares will become available for your pieces during a game and it is up to you to spot them and bring your pieces on them. In this sense, there are several ideas to keep in mind.

For example:

Chess Strategy Tip I: Keep Your Knight in the Center

Knights are strong on central squares, but they also need certain stability, which is usually provided by pawns. Let’s take the following position:

Kasparov, G – Yermolinsky, A, Yerevan 1996

White’s pieces are visibly more active and occupy better squares than his opponent’s. However, even though not badly placed, the white knight is the only piece that is not actively participating in white’s attack and seems, in fact, isolated from the rest of the army. For this reason, he continued here with the move Ne5 – occupying a central square and becoming a thorn in black’s position.

After this move, all white’s pieces are harmoniously cooperating and he will be able to increase the pressure over black’s position.

Here is another typical maneuver of improving the position of the knight:

Harrwitz – Staunton, London, 1846

Here, too, the position of the black knight on f6 can be improved.

In this game, black used the bad position of the white queen and light-squared bishop with the move Nh5! The idea is to occupy the square f4 with a gain of tempo, but this is not everything. White also needs to parry the threat of Ng3 with a double attack, as the f2 pawn is right now pinned by the black bishop on b6.

Chess Strategy Tip II: Place Your Rooks on Open Files

Rooks are best placed on open or semi-open files. If there are no such files in the position, they could be placed behind the central pawns, offering them support.

Take the following position:

Carlsen,M – Artemiev, V, Moscow 2019

White has just played Rab1, activating his rook by occupying the only semi-open file he has available in this position. He has done so with a gain of time, as now black will have to defend the pawn on b7.

This is another example of chess strategy for improving the rooks in the middlegame:

Rubinstein,A – Tarrasch, S, Bad Kissingen 1928

In this case, only one of the white rooks occupies a semi-open file.

At the same time, the rook on d1 hits on the black pawn on d6, forcing his opponent to always keep an eye on it. His other rook has been placed on c1 – not an open file, but an important one, whatsoever. From here, it supports the c4 pawn, but will also make possible different tactical ideas against the black queen on c7.

Chess Strategy 3: Take Care of Your Pawn Structure

The pawn structure is an important part of the game and, as you will discover, one of the elements on which chess strategy relies most. One of the first things to understand and remember throughout a game is that a healthy pawn structure means a solid, safe position.

With time, you will understand how much a pawn move can influence the game or how their disposition can dictate the type of play in certain positions.

A few things to know from the beginning are:

Chess Strategy Tip I: Ideal Pawn Placement – Side by Side

The ideal pawn placement is side by side, in a phalanx. This is because when in this formation, the pawns control every square that is in front of them. With each advance, the opponent will get a square he could use for his own pieces. A central pawn phalanx can, for example, be very strong and effective in neutralizing the opponent’s pieces.

In the following diagram you can see how such a pawn formation can give a big advantage:

Greco,G – N.N, 1620

Notice how white’s pawns on c4, d4, e4 and f4 control the whole black centre. Moreover, the d and e pawns can now advance to d5 and e5 and force the two black knights onto worse squares. In this case, the advance of these two pawns is possible thanks to the support of the c and f pawns.

Chess Strategy Tip II: Avoid Splitting Your Pawns

Avoid, if possible, splitting your pawns. Split pawns cannot protect each other anymore and will be easier attacked and eventually picked up by the opponent.

Try to keep your structure intact for as long as possible and, of course, make your opponent’s worse, if he allows this. Doubled pawns can be one example of such faulty structures. One typical idea to create this in your opponent’s camp (and one to avoid yourself!) is the following:

Rozentalis, E – Zischka, M, Berlin 1999

Here, white is using the pin on the knight on f6 to force his opponent to ruin his pawn structure. By playing Nd5, he brings another attack over this knight. In return, black can’t support it with another minor piece, so after the following trades on f6, he will have nothing better to do than capture back with the g pawn and double his pawns on the f file.

The problem with this is not only that now this pawn will be easier to attack for white, but the black king will also become an easy target for the first player.

After the exchanges on f6, the following position was reached:

What’s the best chess strategy for white?

Here you can see how white is already taking advantage of his opponent’s poor pawn structure. After bringing his queen to h6, the f6 pawn can no longer be defended. In addition to this, the king is not safe either. For example, after Nxf6, the threat will be Qxh7, with a mate.

Chess Strategy Tip III: Improve Your Pawn Structure

Make your pawn structure better if you have been forced to worsen it at some point in the game.

One thing you have to remember is that a bad pawn structure doesn’t have to be forever. Don’t be disheartened if you have been forced to ruin yours, but look for ways to improve it.

For example, one popular chess strategy for getting rid of the doubled pawns is to trade one of them:

Find a winning chess strategy for white

Here, white can exploit the pin over the d5 pawn by playing the move c3-c4! This move has two important purposes. First of all, white is happy to get rid of one of his doubled pawns by forcing trades on the d5 square.

Secondly, it will not be easy for black to defend his d5 pawn and he will be forced to eventually recapture with the c6 pawn and worsen his structure as well. In conclusion, we could say that white’s move helps improve his own structure and at the same time ruin his opponent’s.

These are some of the basic positional concepts to keep in mind throughout the game. They represent the foundation for many other important elements that you will discover in your journey for improvement.

Looking for more advanced stuff? Read our post on Chess Strategy for Club Players

Time to Learn the Chess Strategy!

In this 12-lesson video course, GM Bryan Smith shares the secrets of Chess Strategy Mastery and gives you the exact tools and techniques that are proven to work for himself and many dozens of his private students.

With this course, you will experience the smoothest and fastest transformation to a chess champion! Add powerful GM Smith’s strategies into your game, and leave all your chess buddies far behind!