Chess Bartering: What do you Give, What do you Get

Material, Time and Quality of Position.

The Kasparov Algorithm.

In explaining Chess to people, I often use the analogy of Bartering. What did people do before money was invited?

If I grow only oranges, as nice as oranges are, I'll become very tired of them soon. Should I seek variety, I will find someone that grows apples.

I will meet with that person, and I will trade him "x" oranges for "y" apples. I exchange one asset for another, ideally in circumstances that are favourable to me.

Chess is no different. We may give up say material, but in return we want some sort of compensation. And yet that is what makes Chess "difficult". Often we can't "quantify" what that compensation is, and ultimatley if it's worth it.

I was playing Black in a Sicilian Richter Rauzer, where my opponent offered a critical exchange.

Here White played 25. Qf2. I believe this is a bad exchange for him. Whilst Black has more central control, White's compensation is the uncastled nature of the Black King.

White has exchanged off his strongest piece, thus allowing Black to feel very comfortable.

Better would have been 25. Nd4 exploiting the discovered attack on the d-file.

Minority Attack

White has just played 27. Nd2 which releases control of the h4 square. Black doesn't need another invitation, and proceeds with 27. ... h4 himself, initiating a minority attack on the White Kingside.

Chess Barter: What do I give and What do I get?

The most difficult move relatively in this game was for me to play 34. ... d5.

Some may find this easy.

One sees that White's pawn is isolated. One may naturally not want to exchange off a "good" pawn for this bad isolated pawn.

But by exchanging off the White e-pawn, I obtain two connected passed pawns and my light squared Bishop becomes activated.

I have to give, to get.

My Game Annotations and Analysis