What should you do while your opponent is thinking?

One of the most noticeable differences between a club player and an elite player doesn’t just lie in the moves they make, but in what they do when they’re not moving. While the opponent’s clock is ticking, many players fall into a passive state, letting their mind wander or, worse, simply “resting” until their next turn.

But modern chess—fast, precise, relentless—doesn’t allow for that luxury.

The opponent’s time isn’t dead time—it’s vital time. It’s an extension of your own clock, a strategic opportunity to anticipate, go deeper, and even surprise. Ignoring that time means silently giving away the advantage. Using it wisely is often what separates the ones who merely react from the ones who take control.

1. Evaluating the position: the silent scan

Before thinking about lines or variations, take an objective X-ray of what’s going on over the board.

Ask yourself key questions:

• What structural weaknesses exist—or could be created?
• What’s my worst piece? 
• What’s my best one? What’s my opponent’s worst piece? Why?
• Which squares are candidates to become entry points, or what breaks can I prepare?
• Are there latent tactical motifs that might come to life soon? (X-rays, pins, forks, in-between moves, etc.)

This isn’t glamorous work—it’s routine. But as any surgeon knows: precision comes from preparation. Let’s walk through a practical example:

White: Lenderman, Aleksandr (2717)
Black: Bagchi, Sounak (1995)
Tournament: Emerald City op 2020

Black to move—put yourself in the shoes of the player with the white pieces. While your opponent is thinking, evaluate the position using the points mentioned above.

We can see we have doubled pawns; however, they’re on a closed file, so the opponent won’t be able to exert pressure on them. Meanwhile, Black has a backward pawn on a7, sitting on a semi-open file—an easy target for us.

The only one of our pieces not playing a relevant role right now is the queen. Still, it’s not out of the game. On the other hand, the opponent has a knight on c7 with no range and a rook on a8 stuck defending the pawn.

We have the c4-square, which could be useful for a knight (via d2–c4), and at some point, we might prepare the e5 break.

There are no obvious tactical shots for either side.

Conclusion: according to our evaluation, White has a clear advantage.

2. Reinforcing the main line: the skeleton of calculation

Once you’ve made your move and it’s your opponent’s turn, you should already have a hypothesis: “If he plays X, I’ll play Y.”

That skeleton of lines needs constant maintenance. Has enough time passed that your opponent might be planning a surprise? Am I still convinced about my reply? Any improvements?

At least 70% of your opponent’s time should be used to keep this main line alive. It’s the most critical variation and therefore must be fresh, active, and well-tuned.

Returning to the diagram, my last move was 15. axb5. In my head I should have a plan: “He’ll likely play 15... a6, and I’ll respond with 16. bxa6 Rxa6 17. Rxa6 Nxa6, and then probably 18. Nd2 to dominate the queenside squares.”

3. If the opponent has two defenses: think for them

In many positions, there are two or three reasonable replies for the opponent. Instead of waiting for them to choose, decide yourself which is most likely.

This habit not only saves you time—it trains you to think strategically from both sides of the board. “Thinking for your opponent” is one of the most underrated practical skills in chess.

For instance, in the diagram, aside from 15... a6 which we’ve considered the main line, Black might also play 15... Nh5 aiming to win a pawn with Bxc3 and Nxb5. In fact, that was the move Black chose.

4. Only if time allows: explore a secondary line

This is the famous 30% of your opponent’s time. If you already have your main line clear and are reasonably prepared for the second most probable defense, you can explore further.

The key: don’t get lost in them. These lines aren’t a priority—they’re tools for discovery. They often generate pleasant surprises, yes, but they shouldn’t distract from the core calculation.

If your opponent ends up choosing that secondary option, no problem. It’s likely a mistake—and that’s good news for you.

In this game, that’s exactly what happened. Black played 15... Nh5 16. Bh2 Bxc3 17. bxc3 Nxb5 18. c4 Nc7 19. e5! and White has a crushing advantage.

Remember: In a tournament game, your opponent thinks between 45% and 55% of the total time. Not using that time is like leaving half of your clock unused. Strong players know chess is being played even when no piece is moving.

The difference between one player and another isn’t always about the best move… but about who saw it before it was their turn.