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03/09/15 12:11 am
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Minor Pieces
Pawn Structure
Space
Material
Open Lines and Weak Squares
Development
Initiative
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This position is taken from Silman's book "Amateur's Mind". It is an opening from a Hedgehog formation. From here the student is
asked to analyze the position and to formulate a plan. It is White to Move.
I considered white to be better due to the fact that he has a central pawn on c4 and a greater command of space. White also has a lead
in development, which is temporary. Blacks weakness is his backward pawn on d6 and he would certainly like to play ...d5. This
cannot be done right away however as he gives me the e5 square for my knight and after cxd5 I will have too many attackers on d5
especially if I bring my rook to d1.
So what is a good plan for white then based on the noted imbalances in the position?
I noticed 2 ideas which are both discussed in Silman's book. One is to increase whites advantage in the center with an immediate 1. e4
controlling d5 and/or playing for an attack on the backward d6 pawn. The position definately demands central play as thats where
whites advantages lie.
If you have an advantage you must make use of it or you will lose it! When you have a lead in development you must find the
opponents weakest point and put pressure on it. So I would choose the plan beginning with 1. Rd1 intending b3 and Ba3 with clear
play against the target of the backward pawn. Silman notes that white might then try Ng5 intending to trade off white squared bishops.
The better developed sides attack is difficult to parry because black is not fully mobilized.
So in the above example we see how one should think during a game. First the position is analyzed noting the major imbalances, which
in this case was the white advatange in space and in the center, as well as his lead in development, and the pawn weakness-backward
pawn on d6. We also see the key elements of centralization and mobilization in play in pursuing that advantage.
Not all plans will be so clear but this is exactly how one should think during a game.
It will be helpful to commit the following sets of rules to memory and apply them in your games when formulating a plan.
The following Sets of Rules are from IM J. Silman's book, "The Amateur's Mind: Turning Chess Misconceptions into Chess
Mastery." These rules should be viewed as guidelines that should be considered when analyzing a positon and contemplating a plan.
However every position is unique and one doesnt want to fall into rote thinking, don't play mechanically and blindly follow some set
rule, but consider these rules and think creatively about the position.
10 Rules of Minor Pieces
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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Here is an example of using the Rule of Minor Piece Imbalances form Silman's book. White can make the black knight a useless piece
and allow his bishop-pair to domintate the ending using Rule 10.
White to Move. Hort played 1. g5! taking away f6 from the black knight. 1...Bc8 2. g4! Now both blacks king and bishop are deprived
of h5 and f5. Black was reduced to utter passivity and white controlled the board and eventually won.
Here is a classic example of how to make use of the powerful center as given in "Planning" by GM McDonald. White pieces are all
efficiently developed and he has a strong pawn center. Using Center Rule number 3 white understands that he must put his center to
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use at the right moment. If he fails to do so he will lose his advantage as black will play moves like ...Ng6, ...Qb6, ...Rad8 completing
his development and achieving a possible defensive position.
In the above position with White to Move, Rubinstein played 1. d5! taking tactical advantage of his center to create a passed pawn!
The central advance should be clear as the white rook on d1 is opposite the black queen on d8, and the abscence of blacks light-squared
bishop (imbalance) means that whites light-squared bishop on c4 increaces in power by the opening of lines (note that the white queen
on f3 bears down on f7). Also we see the player with the 2 bishops will benefit by the opening of lines (see Minor Piece Rules number
2 and 4).
The game continued 13...exd5 14. exd5, Qb6 (if 15...cxd5 then 15. Nxd5, Nxd5 16. Bxd5 (threatening Bxf7+) 16...Qb6 17. Bxb7 wins
a pawn for white.) 15. d6 and white has converted his strong center into another advantage- a passed pawn.
3 Rules of Space
1. When you have more space it is usually a good idea to avoid exchanges.
2. If you have less space an exchange or two will give you more room to manuever.
3. A spatial advantage is permanent, a long term advantage. You don't have to be in a hurry to utilize it. Take your time.
White to Move. If one evaluates this position properly it is easy to see that white has a space advantage. Using Space Rule number 1
we want to avoid the exchange of knights that is currently possible.
What would you play? If you chose 1. hxg5 your advantage will be neutralized as after ...hxg5 black will be able to challenge the h-file
and trade off rooks, and the h-file is the only entry point into the enemy position based on the closed nature of the center.
What to do? See space Rule number 3. Take your time. Firstly using rule 1 we play 1. Nc3 to avoid the exchange and prepare the
knight to hop into the hole on d5 clearly the best square for this knight that he can get to. See Minor Piece Rules number 6,7, and 8.
Then the simple and effective plan is to USE YOUR SPACE ADVANTAGE on the h-file. Black has only 2 squares he can use on that
file. White triples on the h-file and black cannot challenge the h-file, then he opens the h-file after taking his time and preparing his
battery there first.
Reti played 1. Nc3!, Rh8 2. Rh3! -using his space advantage on the side of the board he has to play on. 2...Rbg8 3. Rbh1, Qd8 4. Nd5!
(threatening Kg3, hxg5 and Rh7+) 4...gxh4 5. Rxh4, Kf7 6. Kf2, Qf8 7. Rxh6, Rxh6 8. Rxh6, Qg7 9. Qa5! and black resigned as white
threatens 10. Qc7+ and mate following.
IM Silman discusses the positives and negatives of weak pawns but doesn't lay out a set of guidelines for them as he does for our
previous Imbalances. Here I have laid out such a set of rules based on his discussion of them from his book, "Amateur's Mind."
15 Rules of Pawn Structure Defects
1.
2.
3.
4.
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5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
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In the above position who stands better and why? Try to figure out what blacks best plan should be then click on the diagram to see
how one GM handled the position as black.
Principles of Development
A lead in development is defined as having more pieces into active play than your opponent. A lead in development is a dynamic rather
than a static advantage as eventually your opponent will catch up if you do not seize the intiative.
1. A lead in development means you must find some sort of aggressive act. Quiet play puts no pressure on the opponent and allows
him to get his forces out.
2. A lead in development means the most in open positions. If you have more pieces out than your opponent and the position is
wide open (or even semi-open) don't hesitate to attack.
3. If the enemy king is still in the center and you have a lead in development, consider these factors an invitation to rip the
opponent's head off.
4. A closed position often nullifies a lead in development because the blocked files stop you from making any real penetration into
the enemy position.
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It is white's move in the above position. Many a master would play the greedy 8. Qxb7 which allows black a possible exchange of
Queens. Many computers want to play 8. Bxf7+, Qxf7 9. Qxb7 Bc5 10. Qxa8, 0-0 and black has a huge lead in development and a
strong counter-attack. White has a much simpler and better possibility. What is it? Click on the diagram above to find out.
The following example shows how to seize the initiative when one possess a lead in development.
In the above game taken from "Attack with Julian Hodgson Vol. 1 Section: The Lead in Development" white has advantages in the
center, and a lead in development. How does he take advantage of those dynamic factors? Simple. He opens lines. White played 16. e5!
and after 16...dxe5 17. dxe5 Ne6 18. Ne4 had a strong attack. In the game Jackson took the second pawn (black had little choice) with
18...Bxe5 19. Nxe6, Bxe6 (19...Qxe6 20. Bc4! wins) 20. Bc4, Qc7 21. Nd6!!, Bxd6 22. Rxe6+ with a crushing attack.
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You are white in this position with white to move. Try to determine the imbalances in the position and formulate a plan, and remember
to consider your opponent's plan or you will lose any hope of the intiative! Write down your thoughts then click on the diagram to see
how a famous GM handled the white pieces.
Conclusions:
When formulating a plan one must consider the differences in the position. One should then formulate a plan based on the favorable
imbalances in the position. Determine the side of the board you should play on and then formulate your plan around these
considerations.
Here a couple of final test positions from "Amateur's Mind", a book I highly recommend for the aspiring club player as it helps you
identify the weaknesses in your game and how to improve your strategic thinking:
In the diagram above write down the imbalances in the above position. It is black to play. Ask yourself what is blacks best move, and
what should be his plan. To see both what I wrote and what IM Silman said click HERE.
In the final test diagram (below) Black appears to have an excellent position. Is this true? It's white to move. What should he do?
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Write down the imbalances while analyzing the position and come up with a plan for white in this position. After you have finished
click HERE to find out whites best idea.
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