Thanks again!
The notion of positioning setting up tactics jives with my experience, naive as it may be. I'll stay out of the Steinitz debate, but I love the expanded reading list to our developing chess 101 course!
And, yes, opponents can be annoying, very annoying. Isn't that so...yoohoo, you know who you are. ;)
Another option might be Jacob Aargaard's 2-DVD set from chessbase. They've gotten very good reviews and seem to be a DVD-replacement to Vukovic's Art of Attack.
http://www.classicalgames.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=000937&Category_Code=S
http://www.classicalgames.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=000938&Category_Code=S
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Thanks, Eric. Would you know where the DVD's are available?
I gave some links, but you could just order them from chessbase too.
http://www.chessbase.com/shop/product.asp?pid=204&user=&coin=
http://www.chessbase.com/shop/product.asp?pid=205&user=&coin=
http://www.chesscentral.com/Attacking-Chess-Volume-1-p/1931375.htm
http://www.chesscentral.com/Attacking-Chess-Volume-2-p/1931374.htm
Oh. lol
Note to self--open links before opening mouth.
Thanks for the extra links from chessbase. I appreciate it.
So, is the pussy cat satisfied?
meow for no.
roar for yes.
Is the pussy cat ever satisfied? Always in want of more, more, more.....
For now though, this pussy cat has plenty of new toys to play with.
Roar
Everybody, thanks once again for your guidance!
I think everyone has given great advice. I will just add that if you want to get good at attacking chess (and u seem to indicate it is more the killer instinct that you lack) then just attack(more specifically sac) every time you see there is an opportunity(sound or not).
This is how I improved my attack. I didn't study a bunch of problems. What I did do was simply start playing sacs every time I saw one(see saw a sac-not every time I saw a sac that worked). I should add that calculating sacrifices(I felt wrong saying sac so many times in a thread about a pussy) was what my attack was lacking. As you start playing them more and more you will see what "works" and what doesn't.
These are really excellent pages, everyone should have a look - thanks!
Chess Tactics for Advanced players, by Yuri Averbakh. Published by Sport Verlag Berlin in the 1980's, now somewhat rare but if you can find it -snag it!
E-bay sometimes has listings.
Wait! I see three used copies on Amazon.com right now - price range from $110-$200 U.S./well worth it.
I found mine in a used book store...in Germany.
You are an advanced player, Lisa. Your rating just hasn't caught up.
hmm i was kind of hoping this thread wouldn't be about chess...
lol off topic forum ;)
Ok, so I'm assuming you want to know about the "strategy" of the attack as I call it, because the other three quarters depends on your tactical vision.
First of all, you can only attack if your position is strong enough, like if you have a lead in development or central space like a pawn on e4 against a pawn on d6. Also, you have to consider how well your opponents king is defended. The most common situation is with a knight on f6 which guards h7. In fact it's hard to attack a king if it has one there and isn't under any pressure. Generally the first step of an attack is to weaken the strong pawn position by threatening checkmate. With a bishop on g5 (which can get rid of the knight), queen on d3, bishop on c2, you would be threatening Bxf6 followed by Qxh7, which usually forces g6. Once a dark square weakness is created, you could play Bh6, force the rook away and then hit the new weakness f7 as well as trying to occupy the weak dark squares. Of course sometimes a sacrifice is necessary to destroy its cover, but that involves alot of tactical calculation, which you just have to practice to get good at. So what I'm trying to say is that you attack by removing the kingside defenders and weakening the king position more and more until you can strike a decisive blow.
I'm not a good attacker myself, so that probably doesn't even help much, but those are the basics that everyone needs to know.
The there's pawn storms, which is quite different. The basic idea though (which you probably already know lol) is to advance the pawns to force open files usually, though they also gain space and drive back defenders. Once the rooks can join in, you have every chance of finding a strong blow. Pushing the pawns in front of your own king is good as long as you control the squares behind them and the center is closed/stable or semi closed and nothing going on there.
Yum. The pussy cat's getting more teeth. :)
Many thanks.
More important than attacking is to learn how to keep parity/balance in the game. Learning when is the best time to trade pieces of equal value, either for positional or material advantage is very important. Bear in mind that a lot of moves in Chess are actually forced, the trick is to figure out what needs to be moved.
Attacking:
Your plans should be based around weaknesses in your opponents position. This comes down to pattern recognition, which you will pick up the more you play (usually through humiliating defeat followed by lots more humiliating defeats)
Attacking according to what you would like to do isn't really the way to look at it. You should attack where your opponent is weak (rather obvious), making double sure that you don't weaken your own position at the same time.
The opponent unwittingly create a weakness in their own position, you see it, then plan and attack. From this point of view you are only attacking what they have 'allowed' you to attack. Again, make double sure that wasn't their intention!
Lots of positions are not attack orientated, especially when playing black. I expect to play a defensive game as black, if the chance to attack comes I take it. Keeping the balance in the game is how you learn to defend which is just as important as attacking, if not more.
My advice to you is to take your time, the longer you look at the board the more you will see. Get some good Chess software and pay attention to how the computer plays. If your one of those people who doesn't see the point in playing Chess alone then find someone who is stronger than you who doesn't mind playing you over and over.
Correspondence Chess is good for that. Good luck!
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