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4 Important Elements of an Effective  Chess Calculation Technique:

1-Always start your calculations by observing the consequences of your opponent’s last move.

2-Understand the difference between forcing moves and non-forcing moves.

3-Your chess tactics skill supports your calculation skill.

4-The ability to calculate deeper variations rely heavily on your visualization skill.

**Advantage in development**

The more of your pieces take part in play, the more diverse attacking possibilities you have. Therefore lead in development is a very significant factor that is especially important in the opening.

There are three main opening principles.
1. Quick mobilization of pieces.
2. Fighting for the center.
3. A player, who has an advantage in development, should strive to open the position.
The old masters were familiar with these rules very well. For instance, Paul Morphy`s games provide many excellent examples.

One should not forget that an advantage in development is temporary and therefore its utilizing requires vigorous actions. Otherwise you give your opponent time to consolidate his position and your lead in development may evaporate.

The Evans gambit.

Return of extra material in the proper moment is a reliable method of fighting against gambits, which allows to simplify situation thus neutralizing opponent`s lead in development.
The Schlechter variation of the Center Gambit is a good illustration of this rule.

Now for some examples of fighting for the initiative by increasing threats to distract the opponent from developing pieces.

The principles of the opening strategy require quick mobilization of forces and castling. As a rule, only later on one may think about active operations. However, there are some exceptions. Sometimes a player, who has a lead in development, should start an attack even with his own king in the center.

As a rule, it is recommended not to make moves with the same piece twice in the opening as this may lead to lag in development. However, take a look at White`s moves 1-11 from the following beautiful game. White made seven (!) moves with his queen and knight, having completely paralyzed opponent`s forces.

In the previously examined examples a lead in advantage turned into strong attack against the enemy king.

In the  following game White`s strategy consisted in the "freezing" of the opponent`s queenside.

In the endgame too, an advantage in development is of primary importance. The following example presents one of the latest inventions in the Exchange variation of the Ruy Lopez.

Take Your Time and Play the Best Move

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**Advantage in space**

Space advantage is a significant factor for the evaluating of position. If you have extra space, you can harmoniously develop your pieces and easily transfer them from one flank to another. If you have less space, the mobility of your pieces is restricted. The great German player Tarrasch emphasized the importance of the space advantage. He even said that every restricted position might have led to a loss.

Quite often, extra space gives the strongest side possibility to quickly transfer his pieces from on flank to another, creating dangerous threats all over the board.

Better communications allow the player, who possesses more space, to attack on both sides at the same time. True, in the closed positions the events unfold much slower.

The player, who possesses less space, should strive for simplification because large number of pieces impede each other on small area of the board.

The player, who possesses more space, should try to avoid exchanges which make opponent`s life easier.

One should not think that a player, who possesses less space, is always dreaming of simplifications and draw. Sometimes, the constrained player`s pieces have a great potential energy, ready to break free.

Seizing space, one should not forget that the conquered territory may appear insufficiently protected.

When you have a space advantage, you should not always start your attacking actions immediately. Sometimes, it is better to prevent opponent`s liberating moves and to gradually squeeze his position.

In the constrained positions the defending side aims to accomplish the liberating advances. However, one should get free gradually. Too hasty opening up of position may lead to undesirable rise of the opponent`s pieces activity.

There was a time when opening systems leading to constrained positions considered dubious. However, modern grandmasters often choose such openings voluntary, relying upon potential energy of the constricted positions. One of these openings is the "hedgehog" system which occurs in different openings - English opening, Sicilian, Queen`s Indian.

World champion Garry Kasparov is one of its adherents.

In the following game the "hedgehog" occurred in the Scheveningen variation of the Sicilian Defense.

In Conclusion of this chapter let us demonstrate the importance of space advantage in the endgame.
The pawns, which are advanced far, secure a space superiority and create preconditions for promotion.

Take Your Time and Play the Best Move

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**Attack on the King**

**Attack on the uncastled King**

King`s Positioning is a very significant factor for correct assessment of situation on the board. Neither material advantage nor positional benefits are important when your king is under crushing attack. That is why in the opening both sides try to castle as soon as possible. Struggle for the center evolves from the very first moves, and if a player delays castling, his king may turn out to be in danger.

Naturally, grandmasters understand how dangerous is playing with the uncastled king, but sometimes it is so tempting to save a tempo on castling for reaching some strategic aim...

In many sharp modern opening lines one side delays castling for the sake of grabbing the initiative. One of such openings is the Sicilian Defense. Of course, the methods of fighting against this approach have been worked out. In particular, in the Sicilian, the knight sacrifice on d5 is typical, which opens the
e-file for an attack on the uncastled black king.

Usually, in the closed games the king may stay in the center because the e- and d-files are blocked
with pawns, and pieces are not in contact. Nevertheless, one should remember that a closed position may
quickly turn into open.

In an endgame, when the queens are exchanged, the kings become active pieces and, as a rule, both opponents should
try to centralize their kings. All the same, the king may get into a scrape in the center even in the endgame.

In conclusion, here is an example of a beautiful combinational attack on the centralized king in the endgame.
It is amusing that Black`s king is in the center too and plays an important role in the attack.

**Attack on the king when both opponents castled to the same side **

Attack on the opponent`s king is the most aggressive and attractive plan. From the very first moves we keep an eye on the enemy king. Even after the king is castled, this does not guarantee it an absolute safety. The XIX century masters worked out the tactical and strategic methods of organizing an attack on the king in the organizing an attack on the king in the
positions with mutual kingside castlings. One of these typical combinational attacks involves bishop sacrifices on h7 and g7.

*Piece attack*

Nowadays, typical combinations are well known and it is difficult to implement them against an experienced opponent. However, such combinations may be camouflaged with the preliminary actions on another flank.

A good example of strategic plan of the kingside attack, with was invented by the past masters, is the famous Pillsbury scheme in the Queen`s Gambit Declined.

Space advantage is quite important while attacking on the opponent`s king as it allows regrouping offensive forces in the best way.

Another important method of attack is exchange of the pieces defending the king`s shelter.

As a rule, the best defensive method is to keep the kingside pawns on the second rank. Rather often, defensive pawn`s position on the third rank is a good target for destructive
sacrifices.

In this example the destructive sacrifice become possible thanks to the powerful knight`s position on f4. Garry Kasparov once said that the knight on f5 compensates being a pawn down!

In a similar way White`s rook joins an attack via the third rank in the popular line of the King`s Indian.

An important resource to intensify White`s kingside onslaught is the h-pawn march which allows to loosen the black king shelter.

Let us conclude this theme with beautiful example in which White implemented several typical methods, such as exchange of the fianchettoed bishop, rook`s transferring to the kingside,
and a sacrifice, destroying the king`s pawn shelter.

Loosening of the opponent`s king pawn shelter is a typical method.

*Pawn storm*

In Spite of the fact that both kings are on the same flank, the pawns may be used for an attack on the opponent`s king.

The pawn advance clears a way for the pieces to the enemy king residence. The obvious drawback of this method is that the attacking player weakens his own king`s shelter. So the pawn storm is usually launched in the positions with the closed center which hampers defending player`s counterplay against the attacking player`s king.

Kingside storm with pawns and pieces is a leitmotif of Black`s strategy in the Aronin-Taimanov system of the King`s Indian.

The kingside pawn advance is possible even in the semi-open positions if the attacking player has a reliable control over the center.

While attacking on the kingside in the positions with the semi-open center, the attacking player should take great care. Opponent`s counter-blow in the center may refute the attack and demonstrate weakness of the attacking player`s exposed king position.

**Attack on the king in positions with opposite side**

With opposite side castlings, the intentions of both players are clear, one only needs to carry out the ideas quickly and accurately. Tactical skill plays a huge role in such mutual attacks, as a single tempo or unexpected emergence of combinational resources can decide the outcome.

*Piece attack*

Impetuous pawn storms are the most typical for positions with opposite side castling. However, sometimes a piece attack turns out more effective.

In this game White sacrificed a piece for the sake of opening files and gaining the initiative.

Speed of attack is not the only decisive factor in positions with mutual pawn storms. It is also necessary to reasonably combine attack and defense.

*Pawn storm*

As a rule, mutual pawn storms are typical for positions of this kind. Both players strive to weaken the opponent`s king shelter as soon as possible. It may be quite dangerous if the castling position is loosened by some pawn`s placing on the third rank as this makes it easier for the opponent to open up the files.

The pawn storm may be effective even if all the pawns covering the king are placed on the second rank. In this case the attacking player`s pawns endeavor to get in touch with the defending pawns and to break the shelter.

Although the black pawn is placed on h6, a preparation of the g2,g4,g5 advance would be too slow. So White stakes on a piece attack.

In positions with opposite side castling, one should play with great energy. A slight delay may give an initiative into opponent`s arms.

Prevention of opening up of files is an important defensive method.

One should try to prevent his main defensive pieces from being exchanged. This rule is especially important for a fianchettoed bishop which covers the squares around its king and at the same time fires in the enemy king`s direction.

An amazing defensive method was shown by Gligoric in one of the King`s Indian lines. Suddenly Black pushed his rook`s pawn which protected his king.

A similar idea breathed new life into the sharp Dragon variation of the Sicilian.

An unusual picture may be seen in some lines of the King`s Indian where White castled kingside. Both players advance pawns that protect their own kings! White develops his initiative on the kingside, Black does the same in the kingside.
This exception to the rules is explained by the pawn structure which dictates to actively operate on the flank where you possess more space.

Naturally, it possible only when the center is closed.

When you advance your pawns, you create weaknesses in your own camp.

If your attack fails, these weaknesses may be revealed.

Take Your Time and Play the Best Move

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Happy new year 2022 

Keep on living and living on strong ☯️🔥🥊

Don`t you give up on life because once your life is over you can`t comeback.
Leave your mark 🖋📰☯️🥊♟.