At the Center of it All

One of the most important and frequently taught fundamentals in chess is controlling the center. You might have been taught that “controlling the center is controlling the game”. However, while everyone agrees that this is important, people have been arguing over the best way to do it, bringing more hyper-modern styles to our wonderful game.

Most people generally fit into three main classes: Classical, Modern, and Hyper-modern. Sometimes people will alternate based on different opponent opening choices or colors they are playing as, but most people will stay as one. But what are these different styles? And which one is the best?

Classical

This is the most common approach and the oldest as well. The classical approach is to move the center pawns (e4 and d4) safely to the center. To a lesser extent, the central flank pawns (c4 and f4) can also be pushed to prevent opponent e5 and d5. With these pawns in the center, or with an advanced wedge (e4 + d5 or e5 + d4 as White), they can happily have superior space and control the game.

Hypermodern

Before we move on to modern, it's a bit easier to understand hypermodern openings. Instead of taking a direct approach not just with the pawns but also with central pieces (except knights, everybody moves those toward the center). Instead, they try to control from the rim of the game more indirectly, with the most common example of this being the fianchettoed bishop. The theory behind this type of play is to let the opponent have their ideal pawn center, and later destroy it with their pieces, and sometimes pawns. One of the most common hyper-modern openings that is well known is the King's Indian Defense.

Modern

Usually modern doesn't get its own category and is grouped with classical approaches, but we are going to give it a section for itself. Modernism is a slight combo of the two we've already discussed. While the player does put a pawn in the center (usually just one), they also attempt to control the center with their pieces, and will not create a big pawn chain. Usually, the bishops will take a big role in this, but not at the fianchettoed spot. They can protect their central pawn and thus maintaining balance.

So which is best???

Drumroll please...

(budududududududududududdd)

All three!!!

In reality, it is more a question of preference. I prefer more classical approaches, but I am deciding to maybe try out some hypermodern openings soon. I hope you can find out what is the best way to control the center, but just remember:

What you do doesn't matter, as long as you control the center of it all.