Instructive Games III: 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.
So how to decide on our next move in the middle game? You will need to start acquiring strategic and tactical skills to better decide on it.
What is Strategy and what is Tactics ?
Strategy is the long-term plan that guides the overall direction of the game. Planning is somewhat personal and for instance many times positional players would come up with different plans than attacking plyers. Usually a long-term plan can be divided into smaller plans or concrete positional manouvers. This keeps things flexible because more often than not, we need to adjust our plan during the game.
Tactics are the short-term moves that exploit the immediate opportunities in the position. For instance we might find a forced checkmate in two moves, or a skewer that wins material.
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.
Players begin defining their strategy from the very first move, based on the opening they choose. White plays 1.d4, signaling a preference for classical central control and closed or semi-closed positions (in contrast, 1.e4 typically leads to open or semi-open games of a different nature). Black responds with 1...d5, engaging in a classical fight for the center (whereas 1...Nf6 would steer the game toward hypermodern openings).
The game transitions into the Tarrasch Variation of the Queen’s Gambit, a line where Black aims for active piece play at the cost of accepting an isolated queen’s pawn. White opts for a fianchetto setup for the king’s bishop, increasing pressure on the d5 square.
However, White soon shifts the nature of the position. After 9.Nxc6 bxc6, the pawn structure transforms into the "Hanging Pawns" formation. Pawn structure plays a crucial role in shaping strategic plans. In this case, Black’s pawns on the c- and d-files are disconnected from the rest and cannot be defended by adjacent pawns, making them vulnerable targets. Since these pawns lie on semi-open files, White can position rooks to exert pressure. Additionally, the pawn on the a-file is isolated and may also become a target.
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 manouvers, because they align to the long-term plan to immobilize the opponent's forces, in this case through the control of the dark squares in front of the hanging pawns. On the other hand, 27. Rxc6 ! was a tactical coup that exploited the immediate opportunities of White superior position.
Good luck!
maafernan - chess coach
