Questions tagged [theory]
Theory commonly refers to the erudite study and the philosophy behind the moves in chess (like the opening or endgame theory), but this tag can also be used for questions about the theoretic study of the game itself.
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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
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How to test the quality of an opening book?
Over the years I manually maintained an opening repertoire in a PGN file (with several "games" per ECO index on average), and now realized I can generate different opening "books" from it - for SCID, ...
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Database of every possible move in chess
Imagine that there is a chess database of every possible move and position. This database contains all possible moves from opening to end game.
If I played using my intuition against a chess engine, ...
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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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If there is a winning strategy, is it for White?
We do not know, given two perfect players White and Black, whether the game would necessarily end in a draw, or necessarily end in a win (for either Black or White).
However, can we prove that if ...
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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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What are the common themes in the Catalan?
I have looked over some of the main lines of the Catalan in MCO-15 and feel pretty lost as to what's going on in them. What are some of the key positions and goals for either side? Or is the opening ...
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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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Does white have an advantage?
It is often debated that white has an advantage over black. Some even say that with perfect play on both sides, black simply cannot win. Is there any research that backs up this claim, or is it mere ...
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How should I play the Old Benoni Defense as both White and Black?
[FEN ""]
1. d4 c5 2. d5
A lot of people play it against me as black, and I am also interested in it for both sides.
What are some of the main lines? Also, what are some of the key positions and ...
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How to blunt the Albin Counter Gambit?
I dislike open, highly tactical games. I wouldn't mind them so much if I won them, but that isn't what happens.
I was recently destroyed by the Albin Counter Gambit. I'm curious if there is a known ...
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Is learning opening theory necessary?
I have never studied opening theory. The closest I've gotten was briefly reading about several openings in books, but never memorizing or using any. While I haven't ever played in tournaments I have ...
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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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Mate in N. What is the largest N known?
What known position has one side with a forced mate in N moves, with N the largest? I came across one with 517 moves using only 7 pieces, so there should be much be larger. (Ignoring the 50-move rule)....
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Scotch gambit: 4... f6
[fen ""]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 f6
How should I play from here? This move seems to head off the main ideas of my kingside attack; what is the best way to proceed with the plan of ...
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Which sites offer good tutorials for novices to improve?
Can anyone recommend sites that they have personally had experience with to be good for learning by novices? I play chess regularly, but I have never studied theory and while I am doing fairly well ...
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Systematic approach to learning opening/endgame theory?
Some relevant information: I've been playing chess for 4 years, and for 3 in tournaments, although I've only played in about 10 tournaments so far (3 big ones, like the Pan Ams and Chicago Open). My ...
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What influenced the development of the King's Indian Defense?
The King's Indian Defense is characterized by the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6. (As opposed to 2...e6, with the intention of developing the Bishop to the Queen-side.) Black aims for a strong King-side ...
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Is it possible to get a professional degree in chess?
I am a software engineer by profession, and a chess enthusiast (around 1600 rated).
I would like to know is there any professional university certified course like Masters etc. in chess?
Can someone ...
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How do I learn a new opening?
Often times, when I find myself going through the lines of a new opening, one that I would like to start using in my games I hit the concrete wall after a couple of days of studying it.
Due to the ...
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When and why should I move the pawns in front of a castled/non-castled King?
I have always struggled with this and I believe there is some rule that someone defined at some point, but I am not sure who (Maybe it was Steinitz).
When and why should I move my pawns in front of ...
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Does the first-move advantage for White have real meaning apart from the highest levels of play?
Most games that involve taking turns, with one player going first by lot or agreement, have some sort of advantage to going first. Tic-tac-toe, for instance, is a guaranteed draw for player 1, ...
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Theoretical relationship between Caro-Kann exchange and Queen's Gambit exchange
Is there a book, or an article, which examines the relationship between these two openings? The Caro-Kann exchange (non-Panov) is 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5, and the Queen's Gambit exchange is 1.d4 ...
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Chess games that advanced endgame theory
Single games of chess can routinely have a significant impact on opening theory, of course, but it should be quite uncommon for a single game to significantly advance endgame theory, since that's a ...
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Statistics on how a rating or winning percentage corresponds to the (opening, middle, end) game?
Have their been any statistics on how your knowledge on part of the game (opening, middle, end) corresponds to your rating or winning percentage? For example, I have found that if I play opening ...
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Practical study for a former player?
I played quite often in the mid 80's to mid 90's. My highest rating OTB was low 1300's (Edited, I had thought I reached 1415, but not according to USCF site-although that doesn't include my high ...
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What is the theoretical consensus on the Roscher Gambit?
Edit: My mind played a trick on me after the fact. As Akavall notes in a comment, the Chadaev-Carlsen blitz game that I mention below actually proceeded 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nf3, a different gambit ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Should I practice openings of a famous player if I want to play like them?
I have always liked the way Mikhail Tal played and I noticed on chessgames.com, that his most played openings are:
As White:
Sicilian (B46, B43, B82, B32, B40)
Ruy Lopez (C92, C95, C93, C96, C84)
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What is a good French-like defense against 1. d4?
I enjoy playing the French Defence as black against 1. e4, for the following reasons.
It often creates a closed position without wild tactics
It takes white away from the more familiar lines (1... e5 ...
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How do you win with a queen against a rook?
What's the technique behind the moves of the stronger side in order to win?
Are there situations where the side with K+R can force a draw against K+Q?
I've read plenty of examples of K+Q vs K+R, but ...
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Is it a draw by insufficient material if the board is K vs K, N & N?
It isn't possible to force checkmate with King vs. King, Knight & Knight. A checkmate position, however, is still possible to achieve, so does that mean the 50 move rule applies, or does ...
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What should I do about the dilemma of castling early?
OK, it has been said that one of the opening fundamentals is to castle early, but I have a dilemma with this and it may very well be a natural dilemma that has to be dealt with or there may be signs ...
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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 can one become a very good chess player without studying chess or openings?
I heard that Capablanca never liked to bother with openings, would never study chess or read books. Despite all this, he became world champion. Is this an exception to the rule? Have times changed ...
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How should one continue development against an unorthodox move by an opponent?
Let's say you have been practicing a certain opening such as the Ruy Lopez and you have all the main lines down and suddenly your opponent makes some unorthodox move that you did not encounter while ...
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How should I play against the Philidor defense?
As white, I often encounter the Philidor Defense by black:
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 d6
I usually play Nc3 or d4 on the next move, but is this the best move? What are some lines (advantages or ...
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Why is the light-squared bishop considered White's best bishop?
The same question applies to Black where the dark-squared bishop is considered Black's best bishop.
This was from the book "Logical Chess Move by Move" by Irving Chernev where he quotes Siegbert ...
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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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What are good openings for White during a blitz game?
It seems as though White can easily dominate the tempo in a blitz game through a strong, aggressive opening. Is this the case? What openings are strong for White when there is a short time limit (e.g.,...
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Has AI changed opening theory, and if so, how?
Pre-AI, it's hard to imagine that opening moves had changed much. Following the birth of computer engines, has AI changed opening theory, and if so, how?
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When does the middlegame end and the endgame begin?
Is there any specific point where the middle-game ends and end-game begins? E.g. after x number of pieces are exchanged, or say 40 moves, etc.
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What proofs for refuted gambits are there?
I've stumbled upon this article a while ago, and I've also seen refutations for the Muzio Gambit (Joseph Kling & Bernard Horwitz - Chess Studies on Endings of Games). I'm wondering what other ...
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