Questions tagged [positional-play]
A style of play emphasizing capture of strategic squares and prophylactic moves.
211 questions
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What is positional play in chess?
I have played chess so many times, understood tactics (pins, discovered check, overloading, deflection, skewer), but I never understood clearly the positional play. I have noticed not many tutorials ...
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What is the bishop pair worth?
It depends on the position but with all things being equal how much material value would you say the bishop pair is valued at?
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Why Stockfish 9 fails to see the draw?
I can reach a draw with White in the below position. The Stockfish 9, however, gives 28.1 points for black after Kf3,Ba1,Ke4,Bb2,Kd3.
[FEN "8/p7/kpP5/qrp1b3/rpP2b2/pP4b1/P3K3/8 w - - 0 1"]
1. Kf3 ...
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Which openings (black/white) should man play against a player, who is not good at endgame but a tactical beast?
I'am looking for openings with white and black against strong junior players, which are mostly tactical beasts but not good at endgame.
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What is the thought process of a GM playing bullet? [closed]
I have read other posts (e.g. this) with descriptions of the thought process when playing long time controls, but I'm wondering what kind of information a GM processes during games with very short ...
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Analysis of my recent King's Indian Defense game
I'm looking for any feedback on positional ideas I've missed on a recent KID game I played (as black). We were both about 1900 Elo, although I was slightly higher rated. I've obviously already ...
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1
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Main Ideas behind Spanish Game, Cozio Defense
I've been practicing the Spanish Game so I can have better tournament results with it,
Spanish Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6
Spanish Game, Cozio Defense
and I asked my friend to play the Cozio defense,
...
- 16.7k
0
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2
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What are the most common squares to be overworked?
Generally are there any distinguishable patterns you look find in the opening that you recognize as weak, or exploitable. Or generally any openings that provide the over-bearing sense of duty on a ...
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1
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Why are these weak squares important in this situation?
I'm watching a video on weak/strong squares. I think that I understand the concept, but not exactly why they are important in this game (Carlsen-Karjakin):
The video explains how Carlsen maneuvered ...
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3
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Why wasn't this strategy chosen?
In the below position, White chose to activate his Knight with Ne4. Of course, he will have to play g4 to prevent …f5, and that requires the moves Kh1 and Rg1. These were the moves played in the game.
...
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D4 D5 C4 NF6 Continuation [duplicate]
I'm a quiet and positional player rated in the 1400's and play exclusively online correspondence chess. I always play D4 with white as first move and usually C4 after that.
One opening I come into ...
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3
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What to do in a positionally won situation?
In the below position, White is winning because Black cannot do anything. Black's b-pawn is the last fence barring White from checkmating the king rather easily.
k1r4r/1p1nppbp/2b3p1/N7/4PP2/3PB2P/...
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How could I have played this opening better?
This was a recent game on chess.com. The "Maximum" analysis tool they have says my first mistake isn't until move 9, but I felt like I misplayed the opening even earlier. Indeed black's white squared ...
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3
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Engine with emphasis on strategic/positional analysis
Are there engines are especially recommended for strategic/positional analysis? I'm especially looking to use the engine in complex, opening position.
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Positional principles in chess openings
I am a d4 player as white and I really don't like to memorize tatical lines in the opening altought I know most commons lines very well in the first 8 - 15 moves depend on the opening based on my ...
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Has there ever been a successful FIDE or significant historical chess player, that refused to lose any and all pieces in his competitive gameplay?
Rather, has there ever been a significant chess player that avoided sacrifice or even equal exchanges at all costs?
Rather, has there been a significant player that was solely bent on maximum pawn ...
CommunityBot
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In the Queen's Gambit Declined, after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6, what is the difference between playing 3. Nc3 and 3. Nf3?
Here are Chessbase's statistics after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 :
Nc3 - N=116,000 - W=58.2% - Av=2152 - Perf=2176
Nf3 - N=54,000 - W=60.3% - Av=2239 - Perf=2264
.
N = The number of games played
W = White'...
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4
answers
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For White, which variation of the King's Indian Defence tends to lead to the most solid, positional, slow, strategic, quiet and closed positions?
I am a 1750 Elo player with a very positional, quiet and strategic style of play.
I would like to know which variation I should play when, as White, I face the King's Indian Defence: 1...Nf6 2...g6
...
- 1,398
11
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4
answers
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Which side should I castle if I have opportunity to castle on both sides?
It's a little bit confusing for me to make good decisions when I have opportunity to castle on both sides.
Can somebody explain what are the factors should be considered if we have opportunity to ...
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2
answers
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For White, which variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined tends to lead to the most solid, positional, slow, closed, quiet and strategic positions?
I am a 1750 Elo player with a very positional, quiet and strategic style of play.
I would like to know which variation I should play when, as White, I face the Queen's Gambit Declined.
The variation ...
- 25k
1
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1
answer
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Is there a misuse of the word flanking in My System by Nimzowitch?
Has anyone read the new translation of My System by Aaron Nimzowitch published by New in Chess? In it, the word flanking seems to be used to describe both the attack of a piece from the side and from ...
CommunityBot
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5
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Good master games for learning how to win from a superior position
I have recently managed to build up my opening repertoire to something that will no longer cause me to fall into lost positions against decent players, so I can no longer blame my losses upon bad ...
- 3,036
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votes
2
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Why did Andersson waste two tempi in this game?
Andersson gives Karpov two tempi (Na6-b4-a6-b4). Understandably, he moved his knight to b4 initially to attack the white bishop. But then he moved it back and forth! It was the 32nd move when he did ...
- 1,996
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votes
3
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Successful attacks against the king without control of the center
Capablanca states that "control of the center is an essential condition for a successful attack against the king."
Control of the center doesn't mean we need dictatorship over all four central ...
- 1,996
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4
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In the King's Indian Defense, is 9...Kh8 playable?
After elaborately detailing the imbalances, I've concluded that black needs to take advantage of his kingside space with ...f5. Therefore, the move ...Nd7 is completely justified (the author agrees ...
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In the Classical Variation of the Caro-Kann, what is the most positional, strategic, quiet, slow, closed, boring, dry and solid variation for Black?
I am not sure what to play as Black in the Classical Variation of the Caro-Kann, after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3
[...
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The New Art of Defense in Chess vs The Art Defense in Chess
Is The New Art of Defense in Chess or The Art Defense in Chess better? I am 1900 on an upward trend.
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Queens Gambit Declined vs Slav: Exchange Variations
I am a keen player of d4 as white. One of the things that I often read is that the exchange variation of the Queens Gambit Declined is generally considered good for white:
[fen ""]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 ...
CommunityBot
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program to output features in a position
is there a program available that will take a position as input and output the features in that position such as: bad knight on H3, good bishop on g2, knight outpost on E5, passed pawn on c6, etc. It ...
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3
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Ways to evaluate a position?
I was wondering if the only way to evaluate a position is by looking for next moves like a chess engine does.
Is it possible with only a static evaluation of the board to get a correct evaluation ...
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2
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How to improve positional play while keeping the initiative?
I consider myself an advanced beginner in the 1400-1500 range. I play for fun, like to do tactics and I try to understand instead of memorizing openings and such.
I've been analyzing some grandmaster ...
- 345
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Pawn structure books
Which book is better for a 1700-1800 player?
Pawn Power in Chess by Hans Kmoch (originally Die Kunst der Bauernführung, 1956)
Pawn Structure Chess by Andrew Soltis
Chess Structures: A Grandmaster ...
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2
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Positional motifs and training websites/softwares/apps?
Tactics have motifs like skewer, pin, fork, weak back rank etc which can be used to guide you towards candidate moves.
Are there similar positional motifs?
I think Silman's imbalances is close to ...
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2
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Is game analysis based on "squares" instead of "pieces" of any value?
Most all analysis I've seen in chess focuses on pieces development, and not the development of unoccupied spaces. Is there any value in analyzing game play in this way, and if so, how is this done?
...
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What plan should I have followed in this particular position?
I played a game today where I feel that I had a nice positional advantage (the computer supports my opinion) but I only managed to draw it in the end. This is the position that I consider to be ...
- 8,028
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1
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Is there any software that can be used for positional chess training?
I am looking for a software that would help me in improving my positional chess understanding. Is there any such software or website?
8
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3
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What are some good books on the Caro-Kann which propose a Black repertoire based on positional, strategic, solid, boring and quiet variations?
I'm a 1750 Elo player, and 6 months ago I bought the book Grandmaster Repertoire: The Caro-Kann by Lars Schandorff, and I was disappointed.
In my opinion, the repertoire proposed in the book is too ...
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Why is bishop slightly better than a knight? [duplicate]
While i was going through the chess piece values, Bishops is worth 3.30 points while Knight has 3.0 points.
Although the 1/3/3/5/9 system of point totals is the most commonly
given, many other ...
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Significance / Plan behind the move
White's last move was Ra2. I was to curious
to know the plan behind or any strategical / tactical significance
behind that move.
- 20.1k
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3
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141
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Plan from the position
I am not asking for analysis, just want to know what are the plans to continue for black .(white to move)
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What positional play strategy should white adopt when fighting against the Philidor exchange variation?
What are the key squares to control? What are ultra aggressive moves white can play at the advance level (expert or higher class)?
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Is it true that Queen's Gambit tends to have positional play and King's Gambit A tactical one?
I have heard somewhere that Queen's Gambit is favored by those who like quiet positional play and King's Gambit by those who like lively game studded with tactical traps. Is this true?
- 8,028
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White's plans from this position
I am not asking for analysis, just want to know what are the plans that white should go for (long term / short term) given that black pawn structure is not so great.
[Title "Black to move"]
[...
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Which type of openings generally lead their users not to waste much time on the clock: sharp/aggressive/tactical or positional/solid/quiet openings?
I’m only asking this question out of curiosity. The answers I’ll get won’t make me change my opening repertoire.
OTB which type of openings generally lead their users not to waste too much time on ...
- 3,036
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3
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What are books about the French Defence which feature a Black repertoire that tends to lead to solid/positional/closed/slow/quiet/strategic positions?
I am a 1750 Elo player with a very positional, quiet and strategic style of play.
I am looking for one or more books about the French Defence which fits these 3 conditions:
It must offer a complete ...
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Equalize - What does it really mean?
We often read or hear in books or video tutorials the following: "With this move, Black can equalize!". Some authors give 15-move or 20-move variations of some openings (e.g. Caro-Kann, Slav, Semi-...
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In the Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack 5... e6 6. Nf3, what are the differences between 6... Be7 and 6... Bb4 ? Which one is more solid and quiet?
In the Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack 5... e6 6. Nf3, I am hesitating between 6... Be7 and 6... Bb4
[StartPly "11"]
[FEN ""]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Be7 (6.....
CommunityBot
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In the Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack which move tends to lead to the most solid, positional, slow, closed, and quiet positions: 5... e6, Nc6 or g6?
In the Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack, after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3, which move tends to lead (on average) to the most solid, positional, slow, closed, quiet and strategic ...
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In the Delayed Open Catalan, what is the best move after 7. Ne5 c5 8. dxc5 Qc7 9. Nxc4 Rd8?
I'm building my White repertoire.
After 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Ne5 c5 8. dxc5 Qc7 9. Nxc4 Rd8 we reach the following position:
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/...
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3
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Is it important to have pawns at the centre of the board?
Is there any strategic importance in having pawns at the centre of the board? Please provide a detailed explanation.
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