Material Imbalances, Opening Ideas, and Hanging Stuff
MASTERING MATERIAL IMBALANCES
HiddenDeath said: “After reading your HOW TO REASSESS YOUR CHESS 4th Edition and going over the examples where a player sacrificed his queen for two pieces, a pawn, and some positive imbalances, I decided to give this ‘sacrifice material for other imbalances’ a try. However, as in the following game, I always lose miserably...
“This example, taken from the team4545 final u2000 board 1, is just one of many losses which I suffered because I was more inclined to sacrifice material for imbalances. Another trainer (Dan Heisman) says that material is almost always the most important.
“With mixed results (as board 1 in team4545 U2200 I won against an IM and performed ok, but for some reason my performance in the U2000 section was the worst of all times) and mixed recommendations, I am more confused than ever. Your help is needed!”
In the diagram, how should Black recapture on f6?
I won’t discuss the opening, but I think it’s here, on move 14, that the most can be learned. Let’s look at all three recaptures:
First on our agenda is 14…Rxf6:
14...Qxf6 is black’s most natural move:
Finally, let's take a look at 14...gxf6:
I think it’s great to explore material vs. other imbalances. Yes, you’ll have lots of mixed results, but the whole process should be exciting, and over time this skill-set will be honed into a serious weapon. One thing you need to realize is that, in my book, I was talking about giving up material for (mainly) dynamic and/or positional compensation. In other words, trading one imbalance (material) for any number of others (space, squares, superior piece activity, targets, etc.). If you think that it’s all about going after the opponent’s King, then your sacrifice will, more often than not, fail. That doesn’t mean that an attack against the enemy King isn’t “on”, it just means that you need to make use of all your plusses and not become snow-blind when the enemy King tosses you a smile.
UNDERSTANDING THE IDEAS OF THE YOUR OPENINGS
In the game Eimad (1378) – Pauix (1307), chess.com knockouts 2011, the common opening sequence 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 occurred. Most popular is 6.a3, making sure that none of black’s pieces will ever leap to b4 (after …cxd4 cxd4), and also intending queenside expansion by b2-b4. Next in line (as far as popularity goes) is 6.Be2, and then 6.Bd3 (which usually leads to the Milner Barry Gambit). In our game between 1300 rated opponents, White gave 6.Na3 a try. Does this move make any sense? Explain why it does or doesn’t.
ANSWER: Though very rare among titled players, the move does indeed make sense. The idea is similar to the old main line: 6.Be2 Nge7 7.Na3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Nc2 Be7 10.0-0, etc. As you can see, Black intends to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the d4-pawn, and White uses his queenside Knight as a major defender of d4 via Nb1-a3-c2. Thus, 6.Na3 is a faster version of this same concept. After 6.Na3, White hopes that in some lines he can save time and not develop the light-squared Bishop on e2 at all.
Answering this question in a proper way has nothing to do with tactics or heavy book knowledge. It had everything to do with understanding the position after 5…Qb6, and the resulting importance of the d4-pawn for both sides. You need to understand the basic ideas of all the openings you play in the same manner!
Here are some examples of White making use of 6.Na3:
In our amateur game Eimad (1378) – Pauix (1307), chess.com knockouts 2011, Black ignored all the strategic implications of 6.Na3 and instead did a seek-and-destroy mission against d4:
LESSONS FROM THESE EXAMPLES
* Exploring the world of material imbalances (e.g., Rook, Bishop, and pawn vs. Queen; Knight and pawn vs. Rook; a pawn sacrifice for positional compensation) is a rich and highly instructive adventure. Toss away your fear and leap right in!
* Keep in mind that sacrificing material isn’t always about attack. Often one gets serious positional compensation for the material deficit.
* You have to know the ideas behind your opening. If you don’t, you will misplay it every time.
* The ideas behind your openings is far more important than memorizing moves.
* All the skills in the world won’t help you if you hang your pieces. If you suffer from “hangurpiecesmortuus” then you need to train yourself to be aware of every piece, and make sure they are always protected or, at the very least, completely safe from the enemy units.
HOW TO PRESENT A GAME FOR CONSIDERATION
If you want me to look over your game, send it to askjeremy@chess.com
I need your name (real or chess.com handle), your OPPONENT’S name (real or chess.com handle), both players’ ratings, where the game was played, and date. If you don’t give me this information, I won’t use your game! BTW: I’ve noticed that many people are reluctant to give me their opponent’s name. This is very strange! Showing the names of both players is the way chess games are presented in databases, books, magazines… everywhere! Permission from the opponent isn’t necessary. If permission was necessary, everyone who ever lost a game wouldn’t allow their name to be on it!
