Questions tagged [strategy]
Questions relating to reasoning behind a move, plan, or idea
81
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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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Is chess a solved game?
Chess is a zero-sum game of limited decisions. The number of possible moves at any given point, and the number of possible states of the board, are all finite.
Tic-Tac-Toe, is one of the easiest ...
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2
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Conceptually, what makes the Sicilian opening sensible for black?
We all know the Sicilian as shown below, is one of the most famous and commonly employed openings in chess. But compared to the other replies, which tend to be more about fixing the center (such as e5,...
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What is the theory behind center control?
Center control is an important aspect of playing chess, most openings are built around controlling the center, but why? Is center control really that important for winning a game?
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Why doesn't Lichess' Stockfish suggest this bishop sacrifice?
I arrived at the following position in an online game after the opponent left a queen hanging.
[FEN "r1b2r2/pp1p1ppk/2n1p3/6B1/2P5/5N2/PQ3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 16"]
In the game, I played 16. Bf6 with ...
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3
answers
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Strategy in Isolated Queen Pawn Positions
What should Black's plan be in Isolated Queen Pawn Openings like this one arising from the Caro-Kann Panov attack?
[fen ""]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.cxd5 Nxd5
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Should you always try your best (play as if your opponent is a grandmaster)?
Should you always play with your "best" skills no matter how (un)skilled your opponent is?
Is there a situation where intentionally not playing to the best of your abilities is a good strategy? Like, ...
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6
answers
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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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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
[FEN ""]
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, ...
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votes
5
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What is 'space' on a chessboard?
I know, I know, this sounds like a ridiculous question, but bear with me.
As an example of my lack of understanding, let's take the advanced variation of the French defense.
[title "Advanced ...
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15
votes
2
answers
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endgame with single Bishop or single Knight?
If given the choice should I opt for an endgame with a single Bishop or a single Knight? I understand Bishops increase in value in the endgame but is the disadvantage of covering only half the squares ...
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votes
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answer
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Could a top ranked GM draw against Stockfish using drawish opening lines in classical chess?
We know that are many lines which White can choose which are very drawish at 2700+ level. Drawing is easy to a very good chess player such as Carlsen, who knows dozens of forced draw lines. When I say ...
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5
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What advice would you give a novice in Chess?
I am a bit of a new blood when it comes to Chess. Oh I know how to play but before I started getting more serious it was more like flailing about and hoping for the best. Recently I came to the ...
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4
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What is zugzwang in chess?
What is the zugzwang? I have read this term in chess book but the term not much clear to me. Anyone know to to use this and what are the advantage of this?
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How to learn chess if you're still a 3-digit rating after a few years
I know how all the pieces move and I've learned about castling and en passant. But all I do is play online against other people and get wrecked because I don't know how to "play."
I make ...
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When is castling needed?
I am a rookie in chess. I can't understand why castling is needed.
In what scenarios is castling useful?
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3
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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. ...
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7
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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, ...
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Understanding Kramnik's play in game 1 of Candidates 2018
The position I'm studying is the middlegame part of the game 1 of Berlin Candidates 2018 between Kramnik and Grischuk, which Kramnik won with the white pieces.
In particular, I'm interested in ...
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Why do Chess GMs need coaches?
Today chess.com did an interview with Carlsen's coach.
Someone like Carlen or Anand, why do they still need coaches? Their Elo is higher than their coaches, they can use engines to analyze the games, ...
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14
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3
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Why is the centre of the board considered important in chess?
Yes, we have all heard phrases like 'control the centre'. I would like to know the concrete reason why the centre of the board - in particular the 4 squares - e4, e5, d4, d5, are considered important ...
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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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What is 'control?'
One of the important factors to take into account is 'control' of squares, ranks, files and diagonals. But what exactly, does it mean when we say that a player 'controls' space?
The reason I ask is ...
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8
votes
4
answers
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Chess variation where the goal is to lose all pieces
A friend challenged me to a chess variation I have never heard of.
All chess rules apply.
If you have an opportunity to take a piece, you must take it, you cannot avoid or block exchanges.
The only ...
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votes
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What are the main strategic concepts in the Grunfeld?
I recently picked up on the Grunfeld and I am quite pleased with this opening. To improve my skill at playing this opening;
What are the most important strategic/thematic concepts that I should ...
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3
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The difference between Rad1 and Rfd1
I've always wondered, what are the main tactical and strategic differences between Rad1 and Rfd1 (or Rad8 and Rfd8 as black)? I know it's a subtlety, but my guess is there are some common principles ...
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votes
1
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Is there a better winning plan from move 37?
From move 37-43 my plan was to convince my opponent to open the position for me with f4. This worked. If they did not oblige then I was going to walk my king to c7 to free up my rook from defense of ...
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Weak and strong squares
I somewhat understand the concept of attacking the king and pieces, but "attacking" squares is a bit of a vague concept for me.
What are weak and strong squares? When do you use them? How do you ...
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Tips on how to beat a computer?
What strategy should I use to win a chess game against a chess computer?
The engine is able to make decisions on an about 3 moves deep search graph.
Please do not say check every move in the next 4 ...
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votes
3
answers
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Attacking play in chess
How do I play in an attacking manner? I know it sounds silly, but whenever I play, I am usually on the defensive. My opponents attack, forcing me into a corner, and usually won. The few times I attack,...
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3
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1
answer
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Josh Waitzkin on trading pieces ('the art of the trade')
Based on: Josh Waitzkin Chessmaster Strategy Section 6 "The Art of the Trade." A video can be found here.
[Event "From Josh Waitzkin Chessmaster Strategy Section 6 'The Art of the Trade'...
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answers
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Josh Waitzkin chessmaster mastery quiz - spatial advantage, trading bishops
Update: The computer aspect of this can be answered with showing more lines such as in the lichess engine where h6 is slightly preferred to f5.
Based on: Josh Waitzkin Chessmaster Strategy Section 7 -...
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General advice for middlegame [duplicate]
This is a very basic and general question (and my first on this website), so feel free to tell me if this is inappropriate.
Besides specific strategies and opening sequences, there are some fairly ...
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In the middlegame, can one avoid compromising the balance one's opening has achieved? [closed]
A polite duplicate asked last week by @57Jimmy mentions an incidental matter I find interesting:
But when all the pieces are out, well placed, and I have castled, I have no idea about what I should ...
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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 example....
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Demystifying Seirawan-Kasparov 1983 king and pawn endgame
I am currently studying the Tarrasch Defense 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5, and naturally I've stumbled upon many Kasparov games as he frequentloy and quite successfully employed this opening throughout ...
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What is the Dorfman method in chess?
On various occasions in commentaries or interviews, e.g. during the World Championship commentary with Peter Svidler and Anish Giri, I've heard the Dorfman method being mentioned. I then learned that ...
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votes
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How to minimise your opponent's fun in a game?
I play numerous online chess games and in this question I am self-centred: I play for two purposes:
to win the game, or when winning is unlikely, to draw the game.
to improve my chess skills, which ...
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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 ...
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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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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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How do I promote my pawn when the king blocks it?
I was playing ChessEndGames and ran into this position (white to move):
[fen "5k2/8/4PK2/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
I can't get my pawn to promote. As soon as I do e7, black follows with Ke8. If I do Ke5,...
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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 ...
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Giving up a knight and bishop for castled rook and pawn
The opening shown here is quite common. Is it generally a good or a bad idea to give up a kKnight and a bishop for the castled Rook and the f-pawn? In terms of their "standard" value, both ...
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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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Caruana vs Carlsen game 10 (WCC) why not 18...Nxb6?
In game 10 of the Caruana-Carlsen WCC, why did Carlsen (black) not take the terribly annoying and strong dark squared bishop on b6 on move 18 when given the chance? Instead, Carlsen moved the queen ...
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When is a queen better than 3 minor pieces (or vice versa)?
Obviously a lot is going to depend on the exact position, but I'm asking if there are any general signposts - e.g. bishops usually get better than knights if the position is open, or in an endgame, ...
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13
votes
1
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Pawn confrontations: capture, push past, or leave the tension?
When your opponent moves a pawn to a position where it can be captured by one of your pawns, how should you determine whether to capture it, push past it or leave the tension on the board and make a ...
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What opening is recommended if white is only playing for a draw?
If in a tournament game, white is only aiming for a draw, what openings and strategies will be recommended for him? I guess that the answer may depend on the following different mindset for black:
...
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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 ...
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