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Chess Psychology 101

Submitted by CM streetfighter on Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:56pm.

Although opening theory, endgame study and tactics training all have their place in our battles across the board, there is an area of the game which seems to be largely forgotten by the vast majority of players-that area is psychology, and it is a... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Isolated Pawn: Strong or Weak?

Submitted by Patzer24 on Mon Nov 3, 2008 11:00pm.

Here is a game from the 2008 World Senior Championship, GM Jansa - GM Westerinen with full annotations and commentary: This game is a clear example to dismiss the myth that isolated pawns are always weak and should be feared. In ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Backed into a corner

Submitted by Jupitar on Mon Nov 3, 2008 7:51pm.

In this game, correct me if I am wrong, but the person playing white castling seemed to hurt him more than help him in the position he was in.  Once he stepped up his pawn to stop my queen-rook attack, he left an opening for my knight to fork t... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Chess Problem

Submitted by venkat_narayanan on Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:54pm.

Target Audience: 1400-2000   Hey guys! The following is a position that occured in one of my friendly games with my friend in school. In this position, Black has a minor advantage with his rooks being stronger than the white rooks! I played Bla... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Bring queen out after 7 moves

Submitted by afldood08 on Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:17pm.

Bring you queen out after 7 moves and you will always win. Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Making Something Out of Nothing

Submitted by Patzer24 on Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:16pm.

Here is a game from the 2008 European Club Cup, IM Bogut - GM Grischuk with full annotations and commentary: This game was a great example of how to play for an advantage in what seems like a boring position with no chanc... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Give a pawn to get an open c-file!

Submitted by mauerblume on Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:01am.

In my last article I showed two examples, where a pawn was offered to get the control and use of an open file. The second example was the first game of WC- match 2008. Anand gave a pawn to get the open c-file for his rooks. You remember? :   ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Petrosian - and the better pawnstructure!

Submitted by mauerblume on Wed Oct 8, 2008 10:07am.

So please look at the following pawnstructure. It is clear, white has the better one! He has a protected passed pawn at d5 and black pawn at c5 is a "weak" one. Would do you think about endgames with that pawnstructure? Right, they are in most o... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Tips

Submitted by seanki on Sun Oct 5, 2008 1:42am.

here are some tips to improve an be a better sport in chess:  Control the center  Think of your opponent's move  Plan every move. Keep your king side defensive Keep the other side offensive Use most of your pieces... Use the Queen, King. İn t... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Systematic Strangulation

Submitted by Patzer24 on Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:31pm.

Here is a game from the 2008 SPICE Cup, GM Stefansson - GM Miton with full annotations and commentary: In this game we saw white play a nice balanced game. First he was able to put strong pressure along the black pawn on the ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Winning Technique

Submitted by Patzer24 on Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:02pm.

Here is a game from the 2008 SPICE Cup, GM Kaidanov - GM Stefansson with full annotations and commentary: In this game we saw white go ahead an exchange for a pawn and the game entered into a technical phase where white had to ex... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Pawnoffer in middlegame - to get and use an open file

Submitted by mauerblume on Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:52am.

Pawnoffers in middlegame are a strategic weapon. For example to open a file and use it with a rook. Let us look first at an easy example: 1. Black offers a pawn white should better not accept                          ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

ChessRules - 1248 beats a 2220!

Submitted by KanaPolak on Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:05pm.

I have always been told "you are under-rated", it is true, I lack consitency.  On this day I arrived at the a local chess tournament with a CFC-rating of 1248, after defeating a 1600, drawing a 1700 and beating an 1800 I was faced with Mr. Mast... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Quiet Moves in Attack

Submitted by benws on Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:29am.

Have you ever been carried along in the flow of an attack, relentlessly striking at your opponent, but finding that you are missing just one little thing? Maybe you should stop and think about it, and you may find a quiet move in the position. Let... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Blocking the invaders (in or out)?

Submitted by Sas3 on Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:29am.

Another of my 'error-prone' games (both of us made errors), but is still a good example of how to lock-out/put-in-prison/block-out invaders. It is also a good example of why we should not play too many pawn-moves at the cost of development - in ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Aljechin and the "bad bishop"- concept

Submitted by mauerblume on Tue Sep 9, 2008 10:53am.

In my last article, we saw how young Aljechin let his opponent Euwe suffer with his "bad bishop". Today we see, how older Aljechin uses the same "bad bishop"-concept again. But this time he took opponent`s knight also in "prison". Seeing this... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Locking the invader in

Submitted by Sas3 on Mon Sep 8, 2008 4:15am.

I sometimes see my opponents charging in to attack with just one piece. That usually happens when I make a mistake (yeah, I tend to do those a lot) and leave a door open. It is good for them if they cash in on my mistake and withdraw. They usual... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

The Shifting Attack

Submitted by benws on Tue Sep 2, 2008 6:12pm.

Reshevsky keeps Nadjorf on the run in this game. After anchoring a kinght on d6, he then creates a queenside passed pawn. Next he stirs up a king-side attack. His poor opponent is left totally helpless. (notes & title by irving chernev) ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

My System, chapter one is online!

Submitted by likesforests on Mon Sep 1, 2008 12:13pm.

My System, chapter one arms players with the strategems they need to compete in the opening and early middlegame: Lesson 1 covers §1.1- §1.3 which explain how to develop your pieces efficiently. Lesson 2 covers §1.4 and dea... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Quiet, Like a Tiger

Submitted by benws on Mon Sep 1, 2008 10:59am.

Botvinnik wins this game purely by the strength of his position. Control of the d-file, especially d5, enables him to penetrate. After going up a pawn, he simply trades down into a rook & pawn ending, which he wins in a breeze. (notes & ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

"Sorry, Mr. Euwe, I think you have a bad bishop!"

Submitted by mauerblume on Mon Sep 1, 2008 3:44am.

In my last learning article I showed, how great Capablanca managed to make his opponent`s bishop "bad".- Today we see a position, where the bad bishop already exists . Euwe had made an opening mistake and now Aljechin is coming up with an easy p... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

The Power of Position Play

Submitted by benws on Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:15pm.

Capablanca shows just how to make use of a slight advantage. A more active rook, a closer-situated king, it all adds up to the forced win of a pawn. And once he is a pawn ahead, the win is easy for him. (notes & title by irving chernev) Read more »

» posted in Strategy

An isolated pawn d4 (d5): Three practical examples

Submitted by LydiaBlonde on Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:02am.

The most of you know, I suppose, what an isolated pawn is. For beginers, I take a definition from jeremysilman.com Glossary of Chess Terms: A pawn with no friendly pawns on either adjacent ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Capablanca and "the outlocked bishop"!

Submitted by mauerblume on Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:46am.

So in my last bloglesson (Strategy in chess: 5. Pawnoffer in middlegame) I gave an example, how grandmaster Uhlmann gave a pawn for locking out an very active bishop for the rest of the game. And this against great Bobby Fischer!- Today is this ... Read more »

» posted in Strategy

Never move your Queen pawn up unless you REALLY know what you are doing.

Submitted by Eldeon101 on Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:21pm.

Everyone knows to move your king or queen's pawn is a usual start off. Don't pick starting with the queen. It is bad bad bad bad. No commas for a reason. That is what moving your queen pawn up is like. Forgetting commas. I can really screw you up.... Read more »

» posted in Strategy