Questions relating to strategical play and long term planning in chess
8
votes
3answers
185 views
What are white's plans in this position?
I'll skip the long explanation, but it's not uncommon for me to reach the following position as White out of the opening:
[FEN ""]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.O-O cxb2 Bxb2
...
7
votes
3answers
93 views
At what point does the opening end, and middle game begin?
Just curious if there's a set of guidelines to determine when a player can call the opening pretty much done, and move into the middle game. I know some rules of the opening that would apply are
...
6
votes
2answers
136 views
Sacrifices, initial loss and a volte-face?
What is the most famous example where player was losing heavily (down on material) in the beginning with lots of sacrifices but came back strongly to beat or "pwn" opponent?
I am not asking for ...
6
votes
3answers
139 views
How do I trap the queen once she pins my rook?
I am playing black in this game, and after 10.Qg4 I realize white wants my rook, and I knew I could trap the queen once she went for the rook (11.Qxg7) but I forgot how. I went on to win the game but ...
9
votes
3answers
183 views
How to deal with an opposing pawn storm?
During some recent games I played, I have lost because my opponent advanced their pawns very far, attacking my pieces and forcing them to retreat. In some cases the pieces became trapped as well. ...
4
votes
1answer
60 views
How does strategy change in the infinite variant of chess?
I've recently become interested in infinite chess (this presentation talks a bit about it and some of the interesting mathematical questions). You can find another discussion of the mathematical ...
10
votes
2answers
122 views
How to reach an open position in the 4 Knights Game without exchanging too much material?
I believe that 4 knights opening is the most popular opening, especially among average players. I play it a lot, that's why I want to analyse it. I'm an average player, so I hope you can help me.
...
10
votes
3answers
177 views
Any tricks to defeat artificial intelligences?
I've been playing a lot against an old build of Chess Free on Android the other day and noted that the AI almost always chooses the safest course of play, boringly eeking out positional advantages. If ...
5
votes
1answer
135 views
What are the main ideas and goals in the Queen's Indian Defense?
There's no real surprise when it comes to the strategy for the King's Indian Defence: storm white's king side, maybe sac a few things, and mate (ideally).
But what does a practitioner of the QID hope ...
7
votes
3answers
126 views
Taking the knight on c6 in open Sicilians
Why is it generally uncommon (unsound?) for white to capture the knight on c6 in open Sicilians?
For example (this is just an example; I'm not referring to this specific position, but similar ...
4
votes
2answers
48 views
Castling long in Sicilians (for black)
When/Why does black do it? What kind of strategies should both sides adopt in such games? What kinds of games does it give rise to (i.e. positional or tactical)? Which players are well known ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
Castling long in the King's Indian Defence (for white)
When does white do it? Why does white do it? What kind of strategies should both sides adopt in such games? What kinds of games does it give rise to (i.e. positional or tactical)? Which players are ...
4
votes
4answers
99 views
Difference between tactic and combination?
What is the difference between a Tactic and a Combination? For reference, here is a game I played as white and I think I had a nice combination from move 16, but I am not sure if it is classified as ...
6
votes
1answer
122 views
How to play against the Allgaier, Horny Defense?
The Allgaier, Horny Defense in the King's Gambit is given by the sequence:
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ng5 h6 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qxg4 Nf6 8. Qxf4 Bd6
I'm a King's Gambit ...
10
votes
7answers
294 views
Why do titled players always play online (blitz) speed chess?
If you have been to an online chess server, you will notice that almost all titled players always play quick games (3 0) at a max.
On the other hand, if you go to tournaments, it needs cool thinking ...
10
votes
4answers
268 views
Giving up Knight and Bishop for castled Rook and Pawn
The opening showed here is quite common. Is it generally a good or a bad idea to give up a Knight and a Bishop for the King-side castled Rook and the f-pawn? In terms of their "standard" value, both ...
6
votes
1answer
179 views
Why would a player throw a game?
So I am kind of new to chess and I have been playing online. I have been playing for a year and I consider myself a mediocre player, not too good and not too bad. Recently I got this invitation from ...
6
votes
1answer
105 views
How does White justify giving up the bishop in ECO C36 - King's gambit declined
What are the strategic benefits to compensate for the fact that White's giving up the bishop voluntarily and so early in the game in the below variation? What does White hope to get back out of the ...
8
votes
4answers
226 views
My bishop is attacked by a rook-pawn, now what?
I usually get into this position, where I just recently moved the bishop to g5 (or b5), and his response is moving h6 (or a6):
Usually here, I only consider two possibilities:
Take the knight
...
14
votes
3answers
215 views
Strategy in middlegame from boring positions
I get into these rather vanilla, or as I call them, boring positions. Not much is happening tactically, and I can't fathom what the right course of action should be strategically.
Here is an ...
7
votes
1answer
104 views
Elements to take into account when evaluating 'board strength'
As part of a demo for a rules engine I'm dreaming up, I'd like to do an evaluation of a chess board that communicates each side's general strength at that point in time. Advanced things like ...
4
votes
1answer
120 views
Scheveningen v. Najdorf: What are some of the characteristics that differentiate the two openings?
Please note that I am only concerned about positions where the two openings share a common pawn structure; meaning Black has pawns on e6 and d6 and not on the positions in the Najdorf where Black has ...
8
votes
2answers
175 views
To what extent should you prevent your opponent from castling?
I normally try to prevent my opponent from castling if possible, by forcing their king to move or keeping an attacking piece on a diagonal or file.
I tend to make this a priority, giving up the ...
9
votes
5answers
268 views
How can I prevent games from dragging on?
How can I prevent a game from dragging on, taking 60+ moves to get anywhere near finishing?
I mainly encounter this when playing people at or below my level (~1400). This never happens when playing ...
4
votes
6answers
156 views
Is a timed game less strategic than a non-timed game?
I'm somewhat new to chess. I've been playing on and off for years but it is only in the last few months I have been playing with an increased frequency and learning about openings, tactics and such.
...
4
votes
6answers
218 views
How do strong players react to being paired with a (much) weaker player in a tournament? [closed]
I am very curious as to how stronger players react to encountering weaker players in a tournament (say, more than 200 rating points below themselves).
Specific questions that come to mind:
Is it ...
12
votes
4answers
870 views
How do I learn to understand the middlegame?
I am trying to train tactics as well as my general understanding of the beginning/middlegame. I spent a good bit of time understanding endgames, per chessmaster recommendations and those I can ...
7
votes
2answers
166 views
What color squares should pawns be on with one bishop left?
This slightly confuses me. If I have one bishop left - let's say it is the light-squared bishop - ss it better for my pawns to be on the light squares or dark squares? Let's assume also that my ...
10
votes
3answers
230 views
Should I recapture the queen with my king or knight in the Scotch Game?
I watched the following video on the Scotch Game by NM Dereque Kelley, and he clearly points out that 3...d6 is not a good move on Black's part because it causes all sorts of problems, especially ...
10
votes
3answers
608 views
Playing the French Defense Exchange Variation
In the French Defense Advance Variation, 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 ..., there are some clear game plans for both sides, areas where you want a pawn break, where you want to attack, etc.
However, in the ...
5
votes
1answer
183 views
Improving the endgame: Principles
I find I am weakest in the endgame, which is arguably the most important part of chess. Usually when I reach the endgame I have an advantage, often a pawn or a "winning" pawn formation, but I am not ...
7
votes
1answer
241 views
Which openings give a winning pawn-structure in the endgame?
For example in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6, White gives Black the Bishop pair, but gains a potentially winning pawns-only endgame. Are there other ...
6
votes
2answers
191 views
How to play the Albin Counter Gambit
The Albin counter gambit starts 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4, and there is a well known and beautiful trap with a pawn to knight promotion if white plays e3.
Recently players such as Morozevich and ...
3
votes
2answers
122 views
When are pieces worth more (or less) than their nominal value?
Which are the most common situations in which pieces are worth more/less than their value, in point?
For example, I know that a protected Knight on 6th rank (3rd for Black) of columns d and e may be ...
8
votes
1answer
189 views
Trading off two rooks for queen and pawn
I have hardly if ever seen 2 rooks being traded off for queen and pawn (or for just queen) in common games.
Under what conditions is this trade-off advisable?
Why is it fairly uncommon?
7
votes
4answers
270 views
What are White's advantages against the Greco Defense?
After the first two moves of the Greco Defense (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6), what should White's agenda be? I see that the wikibook Chess Opening Theory suggests 3. Bc4, but it doesn't go into detail. I'm ...
7
votes
2answers
536 views
Can the Scotch Game really give White chances to get an opening advantage?
If I remember well, Kasparov once said that, besides the Ruy Lopez, the Scotch Game is the only serious attempt for White to get an early advantage in the opening after 1.e4 e5. Is that true?
The ...
5
votes
2answers
124 views
Can a single player's choice of opening dictate a more (or less) aggressive game?
Usually a player feels comfortable with few "positions" (unless he/she is a GM). That's why sometimes it's said that a player should choose and begin to study openings whose outcome results in a ...
6
votes
1answer
93 views
What's the best plan for white in this position?
I have come this far and am not sure what to do further in the game. I have been doing some maneuvering here but it seemed quite disoriented. What is a good plan that will help white win?
FEN: ...
2
votes
3answers
190 views
Does it ever make sense to stall for time?
The game clock is used to prevent players from overly delaying the game (the keywords being "overly delaying the game"). Are there times in a timed game that stalling one's own development of the ...
6
votes
1answer
172 views
What are some advantages/disadvantages of accepting/declining gambits?
Most of the time I see gambits are declined, but what are the advantages or disadvantages of accepting or declining gambits? I know this depends on the type of gambit, but I am looking for a more ...
7
votes
2answers
212 views
Wedge pawn formation with slight differences
In the Nimzo-Indian Rubenstein, there's a solid line for Black that begins thus:
[FEN ""]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 Ne4 7. O-O f5
Since I am Class A rated, I normally ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
What openings are closed and defensive?
Which openings would be regarded as leading to a closed position and being defensive? Specifically, openings that would be drawish, even against stronger players, but there is still always a ...
7
votes
2answers
106 views
What counter-measures for cheating exist?
Given how huge an advantage real-time external feedback to a player during championship games would give the player, do any of the major chess championships deploy counter-measures to prevent the same ...
13
votes
5answers
203 views
How can one get the best possible result against a player of very different strength?
I (about a 1500 player) once took White against a 2100 player, and played a Queen's Gambit. I lost of course, but the other player complimented my play. He said, "You played well for about 20 moves, ...
4
votes
3answers
182 views
Is the Scandinavian Defence inferior?
As Black, I have never played the Scandinavian Defence, nor have I ever liked the Center Game for White. It seems like 1. e4 d5 wastes valuable time after 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 and Black's Queen must ...
10
votes
7answers
242 views
Is pawns supporting pawns a good opening strategy?
For my opening strategy in most chess games I play, I usually move my pawns forward two, then one in an alternating strategy, until I have a sort of WWW shape with my pawns. That way, if anyone takes ...
13
votes
5answers
245 views
How can I deal with defenses I don't like?
I like to play 1. e4, as I favor open and dynamic positions, and feel comfortable with most black responses, but I there are some openings I don't like, e.g. Sicilian or French. My aversion might be ...
11
votes
3answers
219 views
What are the reasons why I should not try to take a Knight with my Bishop if it'll result in doubled pawns?
For instance, in the Ruy Lopez, after
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
why shouldn't I take the Knight?
4 Bxc6 dxc6
Now Black has a doubled pawn.
It isn't a very popular line of play, which ...
5
votes
2answers
106 views
What are some of the main ideas in the Grand Prix attack?
I was looking at ways to improve my game by making it more sharp and be able to attack the kingside as quickly as possible, and I found a move that looks interesting called the Grand Prix Attack in ...
