Questions tagged [strategy]
Questions relating to reasoning behind a move, plan, or idea
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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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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 ...
- 1,053
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Midgame Ideas in the Caro-Kann
Most of the writing I've found on the Caro-Kann online simply makes vague assertions about how "Black's endgame is better" or how White should try [some dubious move or other] to get a good attack in ...
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What are some good middle game plans or strategies? [closed]
The objective of the opening is quite clear - develop your pieces quickly, castle and bring your king to safety, etc. Once this phase is over, and you are into the middle game, the question arises - ...
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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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Strategy in "double-isolated" Queen-pawn positions?
What should the plan be for both sides in the Double Isolated Queen Pawn formation, such as the one arising from:
[fen ""]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.e4 Bb4 5.exd5 exd5 6.cxd5 cxd5
E.G. - ...
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Queenside vs Kingside pawn majority: Looking for comprehensive resources
I am looking for a resource that describes plans for both sides in the following pawn structure:
[Title "Queenside vs Kingside pawn majority"]
[fen "8/pp3ppp/4p3/8/2P5/8/PP3PPP/8 w - - 0 1"]
This ...
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What plan should black have followed in this game?
I played as black in the following game, and with the help of StockFish I've discovered a few mistakes, one of which was a very serious tactical blunder. However, I'm having trouble figuring out where ...
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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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Is chess a game of skill or chance? To what extent?
I want to know whether chess is a game of skill or game of chance, and how much is the degree of skill or chance in terms of percentage.
Edit (21 Feb 2014):
Please make sure that your answer ...
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How should black play to save this endgame?
Recently I've played a game (with blacks) which ended with this position (White to move) :
[fen "3rk3/p1R2ppp/2p5/8/P1K5/8/1P3PPP/8 w - - 0 1"]
It's clear that White player can't protect his pawns ...
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How to make a plan in an endgame?
I need help on how to improve my thinking about endgames and how to produce a plan, what should I focus on and what should I not?
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Is this endgame winnable for white? (Knight vs two connected passed queenside pawns)
I would like to know if this endgame is winnable for white. Black to play.
Any help would be greatly appreciated :)
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Is there a good method to come up with a plan during a game?
I have started to play chess more seriously recently by playing some tournaments. During all my tournament games, I faced serious problems coming up with plans during the middle game. Is there a ...
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What is the strategic significance of the English Opening?
I enjoy playing the English opening, pushing my pawn to c4, and trying to out flank my opponent. But I have a hard time, outside of playing normal lines, understanding the advantage it gives, and why ...
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It is important to play e4 or d4 to 'control the center'. Myth or reality?
Well, there are two premises in the question itself: 1) That e4 or d4 'controls the center'. 2) That 'Controlling the center'is something important. It appears to me that 'controlling the center' is ...
- 1,053
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List of plans or strategic themes
I know of lists that cover tactical themes and endgame themes. I can't find a list of plans or strategic themes in the middlegame.
Could someone help me out with this list? A link would be nice.
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Forcing a pawn move
To create a weak square it has been suggested to me to force my opponent to make a pawn move: Weak and strong squares.
How do you do that? Is there a general situation to force a pawn move? Or are ...
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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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What is a logical move?
I'm not sure as to what constitutes as a logical move. Sometimes I hear that chess is a discussion using statements, arguments, questions and answers.
Can someone explain to me what a logical move ...
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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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Centre pawn vs. side pawn?
Chess theory suggests that pawns whose file is nearer to the central files are more powerful. This is somewhat obvious for the rook's pawn, which can attack only one square as opposed to the other ...
- 1,053
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Fianchetto bishop vs. normal bishop?
I have found the following disadvantages of the fianchetto bishop:
1) The diagonal it controls is often blocked by the knight in its natural square.
2) The diagonal it controls is often blocked by ...
- 1,053
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How should black react if white plays "defensively"?
I have heard that when White makes defensive moves, Black should take the center and be aggressive.
In such a case, is there a problem with Black making defensive moves too? Is that a bad idea?
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How to know how good an opening/defense scores?
I play Philidor defense, Lolli attack, Fried Liver attack... Other people choose to play well known openings/defenses, so i decided to ask the following questions.
Everyone learns the Najdorf defense ...
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Is this a good idea for starting the game?
Usually I am a defensive player. Because of this, a few years ago, I created an opening set of moves, where I moved every other pawn forward 1 space, starting with pawn a2. To be more specific, I ...
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Why do players attack one apparently unimportant square?
I've noticed one thing players tend to do in chess is concentrate on building up pressure on one square. I can understand early in the game if it's a central square like d4 or e5 and the king is ...
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At a strategic impasse
Is there a general guideline for how to parlay a lead in development and a slight positional advantage into a definitive win? I'm playing a game now online, and I'm stuck for a way to keep and exploit ...
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playing C00 French:KIA `2. d3 d5`
When played C00 French:KIA 2. d3 d5, I choose to move my pawn 8. ... b4 to reply 8. Bd2.
After that, 'the battle at early game is held' with 9. a3 bxa3 10. Nxa3 Bxa3 11. Rxa3 and at the end of game, ...
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Existence Flanking against Center Control
as I learnt at School of Chess,
there are 7 different school with unique 'accentuation',
Philidor, believed that maintaining the mobility of pawns was the most important strategic factor of chess
...
- 1,717
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White have an advantage with the first move [duplicate]
I am beginner in chess but in my mind one question overcome, Does white have an advantage with the first move?
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What are the techniques one can use to for chess board?
What are the techniques one can use to keep all pieces on a board ? It is like an n-queen problem
Is it a combination of n-queen
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How do I increase my chances to win as black in the Ruy Lopez?
The Ruy Lopez is one of the most difficult lines for me to play against. I just can't hold my position when I play as black. If I move 3... Nd4, I always get a draw at best, and usually take a loss. ...
- 1,717
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What are white's plans in this Scotch Gambit 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
(...
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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
All ...
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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" their opponent?
I am not asking for ...
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How do I trap the queen once it pins my rook?
I am playing as Black in this game, and after 10. Qg4, I realize that White wanted my rook. I knew I could trap the queen once it went for the rook (11. Qxg7), but I forgot how. I went on to win the ...
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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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How does strategy change in the infinite variant of chess?
I've recently become interested in infinite chess (this presentation from Joel David Hamkins [updated presentation based on the link provided by JDH in comments; significantly more comprehensive than ...
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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.
...
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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 ...
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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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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 ...
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Black castling long in the Sicilian
When and why does Black castle long in the Sicilian? 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 ...
- 4,616
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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 ...
- 4,616
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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 ...
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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 player, ...
- 4,616
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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 ...
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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 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 ...
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