Lol (hic)! Are you lookin at me, Jimmy?

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What do you thin is the most common position after move twelve?

Almost all openings result in 6 characteristic pawn structures:

1. Open Formation:  those with at least one open file

2. Hal-open Formation - 2 Types

  a.  Ram Formation :  where the opposing pawn walls are connected by at least on ram

  b. Jump Formation:  where the opposing pawn walls are separated by the open 5th rank while the 2 head-pawns face each other at the distance of a N's jump

3. Free Formation:  those with all pawns on the board, none of them advanced across the middle-line

4.Closed Formation:  those with all pawns on the board, at least one of them advanced across the middle-line

5. Half-closed Formation:  those with half-open files and at least one pawn advanced across the middle-line

6. Hybrid Formation:  those with all pawns on the board and a hybrid file

The above information can be found on page 107-109 in Han Kmoch's book "Pawn Power In Chess."  What this means to you as player is that there are only 6 pawn structures to learn how to play from both sides of the board.  Mr. Kmoch gives insightful details about how to handle all 6 structures form the White perspective as well as the Black perspective.  Much simpler than having to learn all of those openings that are in ECO without any guidance. 

There is alot more valuable info. in "Pawn Power In Chess."

The other book that is must have is "My System", by Aaron Nimzowitsch.  My System is a manual on how to play siege warfare on chess board and  the Hypermodern Chess Opening Theory.  He informs the reader about siege warfare and the 3 methodologies (strategies):  restrain, blockade, and execute the enemy.  In addition he sheds a revealing light on practicing control of the center using Hypermodern Chess Opening Theory:  control the center with the power of your pawns and pieces (with this method you do not create targets in the center for your opponent to attack) 

It takes several months to a year to wrap your brain around what these 2 authors are writing about.  Most of it is counterintuitive.  But, once you learn to think siege warfare (restrain, blockade, execute the enemy) and practice control of the center with Hypermodern method your game will improve dramatically.  All without having to study and learn long variations in many openings. 

What thinking, restrain, blockade, execute the enemy and Hypermodern control of the center, makes common sense of positions.  In this way your job of finding the right move in a game position becomes much easier because you are looking at the position from the right perspective.

Even if you don't enjoy immediate success with these 2 methods stick with it.  It takes several months to reorient your brain to think this way when looking at a chess position. 

And, of course you need to keep your brain in shape so you have to practice tactics, and endgame technique daily.

If you would like to know more, please let me know. 

What this means to you as player is that there are only 6 pawn structures to learn how to play from both sides of the board

Actually, that's 6 types of pawn-structures, which is not exactly the same, though this classification is useful of course. But you can't hope to master say the Advance French because you're fluent in the KID main line...

only six?   interesting idea...  what about the Pawn Power of Chess...by Knoch...I will have to go back and review that...You are probably right...there is the castled position with a3 or a6....there is the dragon...there is the a4/a5 situation...there are a few variations on e4/e5...en passant...yeal, you are probably right.

The master wasn't referring to an exact position, but to similar positions with the same pawn structure.

Where do I begin.  I do appriciate your responses and I think some of you are getting the point, but nobody yet.  A1Rajipuut, I am supposed to believe you are ten years old? It that is true, my young friend, you have a lot to learn.  The move sequence you posted is impossible and has numerous errors.  Also, the moves you seem to have posted are weak.  My point, in starting this topic is, just like checkers, chess is dead.   Computers have killed chess and it makes me sad.  

ChazR,

   The position is accurate:  a Sicilian Najdorf played hundreds of time by dozens of very strong players.  I selected and copied the listed moves directly from chess.com's Game Explorer.  Go through the moves carefully and you'll see your error . . . it is a real game position and a real common one played in significant games such as Game Explorer tracks.

    Not sure where you get "ten years old" the picture is of my great, great grandson at about six years old, I believe.  My profile says  DOB:  10/16/1900.

    Speaking of "inaccuracies," I think you made one when you reported upon what the master told you in your original comment in this thread.  I think hicetnunc got it right . . . what the master probably said referred to given openings leading most often to very predictable pawn structures in which your pieces should be placed BEST on certain squares and then most often predictable plans for both sides would arise.  If and when you understand what he meant you'll have made a great leap forward in your chess understanding.  Great job interpretating Chas' Forum remarks in light of deep, deep understanding, hicetnunc!

A1:  That was very kind and probably smarter than anything I could have said....but...but..."hicetnunc"  what does that that mean?   I have only been playing 40 years and I am a beginer.

        Before you can learn, you must learn to observe:  hicetnunc is obvious if you but look.