Instructive Games III: Deciding Your Next Move in the Middle Game (Strategy and Tactics)

Hi! 

Have you ever been in a situation in a game where it was your turn but you didn’t know what move to make? Or maybe you made a mistake in the end after thinking for a long time? Perhaps you couldn't figure out a plan to follow or didn't understand your opponent's plan. Or you didn't see the immediate threats for both sides. Those situations typically happen just out of the opening, when you have no more "book moves" available in your memory and you have to play on your own - it is the start of the middle game phase.

How to decide on our next move? First you should have a plan. Of course, we all know that the goal of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king. At the novice level, this is normally the only thing to have in mind when playing a game, but it is not a plan in itself. To beat more experienced players, you will need more than just looking for quick checkmates. You will need to start acquiring strategic and tactical skills to better decide on your next move.

What is Strategy and what is Tactics?

Strategy is the long-term plan that guides the overall direction of the game. 

Tactics are the short-term moves that exploit the immediate opportunities in the position. 

Strategy and tactics in chess are interrelated and complementary. A good strategy creates favorable conditions for tactics, while a good tactic supports the strategy. 

Deciding Your Next Move. The traditional way

In a certain position in the opening or middlegame, when it is your turn, you normally have many legal moves to choose from, typically between 30 and 40. How can you handle this huge - and not human - task of considering all of them  in the limited time of a game?

First, you evaluate the position by analyzing: material balance, pawn structure, piece activity, and king safety. This would be a static evaluation which is important for the next step.

Second,  you come up with a plan according to the evaluation of the position by following general/logical principles and your personal likes (planning is somewhat personal and for instance many times positional players would come up with different plans than attacking plyers).

Third, you have to consider the candidate moves (always look for checks, captures and threats then the moves that go in line with your plan),  calculate sequences of moves to see the future position and evaluate them. Then decide on your next move.

Finally, before making your move, you should check it is no blunder (see my post: https://www.chess.com/blog/maafernan/instructive-games-ii-prevent-blunders-and-profit-from-your-opponents)

NOTE: This method is especially suitable for "serious chess" such as classical or daily time controls, because it requires deep thinking that naturally takes time. It is also very good for analyzing a game when studying. However, you probably would'nt want to apply this method when playing a "serious game" on time pressure or a "casual game" with faster time controls. Instead you might need a more practical approach which I plan to write about in a future post.

Strategy and Tactics in Action in a Middle Game

To illustrate these concepts we will present a well know master's game: Rubistein vs Salwe, Lodz 1908, Queen's Gambit Declined.

This game has been vastly analyzed by great masters, so I don't mean to do my own. Instead, I will comment on the main takeways to understand the importance of Strategy and Tactics.

White defined quite early in the game the type of position he wanted to play. After 9 Nxc6, bxc6 the pawn structure is the "Hanging Pawns". The pawn structure largely determines the Strategy of the game. Black pawns on "c" and "d" files are separated from the others and can't be defended by them, so are easy to attack. Since these pawns are on semi-open files, White can put his rooks on them to attack the pawns.  On the other hand, the pawn on "a" file is isolated and can be also subject to attack.

White planned first to control the dark squares in front of these pawns in order to immobilize them and occupy them with pieces. On the other hand, Black should have tried mor active moves like 20...Qa5, 22...a5 or 23...a5 in order to avoid 24. b4! that cramped the Black's position on the queenside. After that pawn push White pieces became more active and Black pieces started to struggle trying to defend the weak pawns.

Then White had the better position, and it is in a situation like this that tactics become important. On move 27 Rxc6! was possible only due to the activity of the White pieces. White wins a pawn, a nice corolary of a sound strategy. Before making this move, White should have calculated at least three possible replies:

a) 27... Qxd4 28. exd4 with a pawn up

b) 27...Qb7 28. Rcxa6, Rxc6 29. Bxc6 with two pawns up

c) 27...Qxc6 28. Qxa7 with a pawn up

And had to evaluate that in all cases he came up with material advantage while Black lacked counterplay. This is an elementary tactical check that is of outmost importance before deciding 27 Rxc6!

Both strategy and tactics where important for White to decide the moves to make. For instance 11.Na4, 12. Be3, 13.Rc1 15. Bc5 are strategically oriented, because they align to the long-term plan to control the dark squares. On the other hand, 27. Rxc6 ! was a tactical coup that exploited the immediate opportunities of White superior position.

Good luck!

maafernan - chess coach