Questions tagged [positional-play]
A style of play emphasizing capture of strategic squares and prophylactic moves.
211 questions
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Is it ever advantageous to make a trade that loses material for the sake a positional advantage?
For example, trading a bishop or a knight for a pawn for the purpose of breaking up the opponents pawn structure. Is this sort of thing ever a good idea? If so, could you provide some examples (or ...
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Why is it better to take with the knight than with the pawn in this position?
[fen "r3k1nr/p2b1ppp/4p3/3pP3/8/1p1B4/2PN1PPP/R3K2R w - - 0 1"]
I recently had a chess game in which I played as white and the position was as shown in the picture. I chose the move cxb3, ...
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What's the benefit to attacking f7 or f2 during the opening?
I remember a specific chess.com lesson on common openings, and it seems like one of the most common and safest openings is to take control of the center with the king and queen pawns and the attack ...
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For a beginner focused on reducing blunders, should I study positional theory or tactics more?
I've been playing chess for about a month, learning strategies and principles along the way. Initially, reviewing my games to identify frequent mistakes helped me progress from a complete novice to ...
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When is it worth it to sacrifice a knight or bishop in order to force the opponent to move the king down a rank and lose castling rights?
Specifically, I'm confused why the game review on chess.com says this move was a blunder:
I did end up losing the knight, but that's what I expected to happen. I did it on purpose to force the king ...
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Best move in algebraic notation
I have no experience in chess, and I tried my best to answer this question myself but am finding difficulties. What is the answer? It's for another game.
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Who was the first player to state that bishops are more valuable than knights?
Was this concept ever implicitly understood, like controlling open files with rooks?
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How do you systematically analyze an arbitrary chess position?
I've recently been learning the fundamentals of the game using the chess.com lessons and game reviews, but the thing I can't seem to figure out is how to even know what to look for or focus when ...
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Why does GM Larry claim that this sacrifice is brilliant?
On this webpage GM Larry Kaufman claimed (at least up to 2012) that the following move was brilliant:
[Title "Kasparov vs Shirov (Horgen 1994)"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/...
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How to come up with candidate moves or ideas in positions "with no action"?
Here is an example position:
[fen ""]
[Startply "40"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 Nd5 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 O-O 8. a3 Ba5 9. Bc4 Nb6 10. Ba2 Bxd2+ 11. Qxd2 d5 12. ...
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Trying to improve
I have a question hopefully someone can help me out.
3 days ago I won a tournament (25+5) semi-rapid section under 1450 OTB. I scored 5/5 beating some high rated players.
My rating OTB semi-rapid ...
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How strong is Stockfish's positional understanding without AB search?
At zero depth/search, i.e. only using its neural net, Stockfish's tactics would, of course, be abysmal, but how strong is its positional evaluation? Can it be compared to grandmasters or to club ...
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What openings fit the tastes of a positional player? [closed]
I am a very positional player, but, I cannot find good openings that suit my tastes. What are the lists of openings that result in strategic / positional positions?
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Is this position winnable for white if black just shuffles?
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/p7/Pp1p1p1p/1PpPpPpP/2P1P1P1/8/8/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]
If black were to just shuffle the rook between h8 and h7 until white makes a capture or puts a piece on a square ...
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Ponziani 5.. Nce7?! why is this a blunder?
The following position is from the Ponziani opening.
Starting 5.. Nce7, the computer gives over +3 advantage for white, but throughout the line I couldn't see why this is such a clear positional ...
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Nimzowitsch and the defensive theory of open lines
I have read from Nimzowitsch over and over again how one could use a file as the basis of a restraining operation. All those who know his work know what I speak of, but good players at all levels ...
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The case of the mysterious retreating bishop
In the following position from a Caro-Kann fantasy gone wrong, the engine suggests 15.Bf2 with advantage of (+2.5) among other close-by candidates such as Bf4 (+2.2) and Rfe1 (+2.0).
[Title "...
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What are the things that a 2000 player knows that a 1800 player doesn't know?
I'm stuck at 1600-1800 in chess.com. My rating fluctuates within that range. There must be something that I still don't understand that is already understood by a 1900-2000 player.
So I am asking for ...
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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 ...
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Why is 11. .. h6 such a bad move?
rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[...
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Chess calculation when there's more than 10 best moves
I have seen quite few positions where opponent has more than 10 good moves if I play a specific move. Even at that time, I have seen people calculate for so long. Is it that they are looking at all ...
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What's the positional threat in this opening of the London?
In a London system course, when explaining the following line, the author mentions that with 4.Ne5 "White is creating a big positional threat of Nxg4."
[FEN ""]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3....
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Positional analysis after a dubious move
I was analyzing a game and found that the engine gives -3.42 after 1. Rb1 and +2.72 after the subsequent 1. ...Nc2. Is Nc2 really such a bad move? For comparison, 1. ... Nd5? results in almost the ...
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{Landa vs Zhu Chen, Bad Wiessee, 2006} Lichess giving a +4.7 to white. Why?
Here is the lichess study for the game which is often presented as study.
I am curious here, as to why White is given a strong advantage, even though the material is equal and Black has a lot more ...
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In this game, should white sacrifice their bishop to expose black's king?
I (black) reached this position in a game and realised that black's king would be totally exposed if white's bishop decided to take the pawn (1. Bxh6 gxh6).
Is the smart move here for white to ...
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Why is exchanging the queens bad in this position?
Stockfish gives +6.6 to the following position.
The recommended move by stockfish is Rc1 which maintains +6.6 advantage but if I exchange the queens right away (Qxd6), stockfish gives me +5. What's ...
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Why does Black want to trade off their King's Bishop in many d4 lines?
I feel that in many lines starting with d4, such as the Queen's Gambit Declined, or especially the Nimzo-Indian, Black is more than happy to trade their King's Bishop for White's knight on c3. For ...
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Which open source chess engine has the most positional understanding?
Most open source chess engines with hand-tuned evaluations are known for their innovations on search (Fruit, Stockfish).
I was inspired by HIARCS' generally more human-like play and the fact that ...
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Was this “caterpillar” strategy a good way to advance my pawns?
I recently played an endgame as Black in which I thought up a silly, but effective, to advance my doubled pawns. Here is the relevant part of the game.
[FEN "8/6p1/2p2kp1/1p1p4/p2P2K1/P1P5/1P6/8 ...
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Where can I find exercises where the best move isn't always a tactical one?
I know solving a lot of tactics problems has its benefits, but also its limitations. In a real game there is no way to know if a tactic is present — maybe the best move is defensive. I am seeking ...
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Black's tools in the Caro-Kann Advanced Tal Variation
What are Black's plans to play for an advantage in this variation?
[FEN ""]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h5 5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. Qxd3 e6
The kingside development seems so slow, allowing ...
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Any engine that can play like Petrosian?
So, I am a big big fan of Petrosian and his Style. I tried to search for engines that can actually try to imitate it's style, instead I found Tal's engine (Opental 1.1). Can anyone help me?
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What does it mean to play "positionally", and how do you train that?
I often hear this term thrown around when people are analyzing chess, but I don't really know what it means. I assume it's a generic term that means to play defensively, or to set up for the future. ...
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How do I play against the Queen's Gambit Declined Tartakower structure?
I play the Exchange Variation against the QGD, but I'm really struggling against the Tartakower style setup in the QGD, when black plays b6 and c5. As White, I just don't really know what I'm supposed ...
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Is there any positional assessment that includes a factor for how difficult it is to play the correct moves?
As I understand it, current positional assessments by computers evaluate a position based on optimal play by both players from this point.
i.e. a trap moves that bait an opponent into making a mistake ...
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If the back row of white pieces is moved to be in front of the pawns, which side should I play?
I remember this starting position played many times by my grandfathers. But I am too young to recollect the results of their games. If I have to choose, which side should I play? (White moves 1st)
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Does blitz change the relative value of position vs material?
The way I see it, true gambits trade material for position, which in turn could give you opportunities to regain more material. However, in blitz play, you are less likely to notice those ...
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What is a "monster knight"?
I was watching an agadmator video explaining a game between two chess engines, and at one point in the video after a knight move, agadmator talks about how that knight then became "basically a monster ...
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Why is two pawns defending a outpost regarded as a strong outpost?
Quoting Irving Chernev:
A brilliant sacrifice which must be accepted. Refusing the Pawn means that Black could never free himself by … d5. It would also enable
White to play 16 ♘c3 next move (...
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Assessing an early c4 against white's Stonewall structure
I made a horrible decision as black in a game, and I do not understand why it's incorrect.
[fen "rn2kb1r/pp2pppp/1q3n2/2pp4/3P1P2/2PQPN2/PP4PP/RNB1K2R b - - 0 1"]
I played c4, Stockfish considers ...
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Why is h4 much better than h3?
rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
[Event "Rated Rapid game"]
[Date "2021.08.09"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[TimeControl &...
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Positional thinking by Grandmasters
How do Grandmasters think in an unknown position and make the best move?
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Material vs positional advantage: does Stockfish give good advice?
This is from Yusupov's "Build up your chess" volume 1, chapter 11 (pins).
[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Build Up Your Chess"]
[Date "1994"]
[Round "Diagram 11.4&...
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How come it's actually Black with the advantage here?
I was analyzing a recent game of mine, and I noticed something interesting. After I blundered back a bishop on move 16, the evaluation was -3.4, which is still strongly winning for Black.
[White "...
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How can I punish the "bad" knight on c3?
I play the Caro–Kann Defence against 1.e4 as black, and for whatever reason it feels like I get the following line way too frequently:
[FEN ""]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Nc3?!
This ...
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Pushing the e-pawn
I am having trouble understanding why the move e5 which I played in the position below
is not correct according to Stockfish (6th move for White)
I am not doing this move by winning a tempo, but I ...
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Understanding Anand's Bc4 move vs Ivanchuk 1992
In the Ivanchuk vs Anand game (1992), the game leads into an endgame after lots of exchanges, which by no means looks (to me at least) winning for black: they both have 2 rooks, 2 bishops, and black ...
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Why is Ne2 better than Nf3?
I played Nf3 for attacking on king side which is about to castle having some plans to make a battery in future after castling but I feel Ne2 is making a block for Re1 at some point. Any suggestions?
[...
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How can I remember Silman's imbalances?
I can never remember Silman's imbalances when it comes time for a tournament. I can remember them any other time when I'm not all stressed out. Is there any way that I can?
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Study endgame first before studying opening? Is it true?
While looking for and comparing suggestions that will help me to improve in chess, I have noticed that some people and some chess book authors suggest that you should study the endgame first.
Some ...
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