What to do next?

Guys,

I find I get to a position like the below and am stumped as to what to do next? Sure I can ask the computer for a hint but I don't know why I'm doing what I'm doing.

Any advice on this one in particular and further to that what sort of reading would you suggest?

 Reading on middle game, perhaps. You out of opening, so reading on openings may be unworthy.

The basics of each phase of the game

Opening:

Follow the Opening principles:

1.      Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5

2.      Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key

Ø  Complete your development before moving a piece twice or starting an attack.

Ø  Move pieces not pawns.

3.      Castle

4.      Connect your rooks

Ø    By move 12, you should have connected your Rooks, or be about to do so.

Middle game:

When you have completed the Opening Principles, you are now at the middle game.  Now you need to formulate a middle game plan.  The middle game is a very complicated part of a chess game.  A simple way to develop a middle game plan is to perform the following steps.

1.      Scan your opponents 5^th, and 6^th ranks (3^rd, and 4^th if your black)

2.      Look for weak pawns, and or weak squares.

Ø  Weak pawns and squares are Pawns, and squares that cannot be defended by another Pawn.

Ø  Knights are excellent pieces on weak squares.

Ø  When deciding on weak squares, and weak Pawns to attack, the closer to the center the better

End game:

Start with the basics:

1.      Learn basic mates – KQ vs. K, KR vs. K, KRR vs. K

2.      Learn Opposition, and Key Squares

3.      Learn basic King and Pawn endings

Pre Move Checklist

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.

2. Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) this will force you look at, and see the entire board.

3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.

4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.

5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

Cheers, any good ideas on middle game books? I've been playing for years but never took it to seriously, more of an occasional pastime. Trying to get half decent now. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007KJ2HO6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11199614-mastering-chess-strategy - reviews

Mastering Chess Strategy is on its way!

GodsPawn, thank you.

Happy to help, and good luck!

still this is a very specific and interesting Dutch position.  as I see it white is in good shape and black has a pawn weakness of e6.

on the other hand, though white has space the position is pretty block and I am definitely concerned about the loose Knight at c3.

my thoughts turn to a pawn break in the center.

and my instinctive thoughts go to Re1.

but my coach often chides me for not having a plan and I REALLY like that OP picking this specific position to discuss.  I don't see a plan- beyond trying to break the center and hope to win a weak pawn.

can someone stronger comment?

I would appreciate it....

e6, and g6 are weak.  e6 is closer to the center so that is our main target.  

If you want to delve even deeper into how to develop a middlegame plan you can try this.  Divide the board into 3 sections: Kingside, middle, queenside.  Look for the following on each part of the board.

Kingside (f-h): Material, Space, Weakness(es)

Middle (d-e) : Material , Space, Weakness(es)

Queenside (a-c): Material , Space, Weakness(es)

In the above position.  

Kingside: 

Material - White has a 4 vs. 3 advantage.

Space - Black has a slight space advanatge due to the f5 pawn.

Weakness(es) - g6 is a weak square, and black has light square wreaknesses around his king.  

Middle:

Material - Black has a 3 vs. 2 advantage.

Space - White has the space advantage because his d4 pawn is farther advanced.

Weakness(es) - Black has a weak square on e6.  

Queenside:

Material - Material is even.

Space - White has the space advantage.

Weakness(es) - White has dark squared weaknesses on the queenside.  

So where to play, and how to develop a game plan?

White has the advantage in the middle, and kingside, so that is where he will play.  Having the advantage in the middle is a "flexible advantage"  It allows to to be able to play in the middle if needed, but also allows you to play on another part of the board.  This allows to create the principles of 2 weaknesses.  

Whites game plan.  

White has the material advantage on the kingside, plus his light squared bishop, and queen point to the kingside.  

Black has light square weaknesses on the kingside.  

The move that comes to mind for me is 1.Re1 Preparing the e4 pawn break, and activating the light squared bishop.  Opening the e-file, and attacking e6.  You can then do something along the lines of Qc2, Nh4 putting pressure on f5, and threatening Ng6.  

This is just what i see, and am in no way saying this is the correct plan.  Just something to think about.  

I also want to add, that that was A LOT of typing, and i didnt put A LOT of thought into my move choice.  It is what came to mind using the method i posted.  

Though...1.Qe2 completing opening principles also works.  

 I appreciate the idea of laying out a good thought process of this move.

clearly, this is a very important move in a tense dutch middlegame.  these are the kinds of moves that get me.  I play weakly- give the opponent a chance to take the inititiative and a strong player runs the ball to touchdown.  game over.

and... I'm guessing the OP feels the same way.  it was a good position to post.

Black's pieces are worse and a bit passive, so first thing you do is look at pawn breaks.

So the first thing you'd calculate is e4, but that drops the f4 bishop. Then calculate c5 but that loses a pawn. So then I'd calculate a4 but after a5 I'm not sure.

So I'd probably choose between b4 and Qe2. With Qe2 I can play e4, but I might try to play for queenside space instead. So if I do play Qe2 (which is good anyway, completing development), then after black's next move I'd still consider which area I want to play on.

With b4, now I'm "threatening" a4 when I can meet black's a5 with b5.

Also important to check if black is threatening anything unpleasant before playing this sort of quiet move (Qe2).

I don't like Qc2 as much because the b1-h7 diagonal and the kingside in general doesn't feel very important.

Just my general thoughts about the position.

Excellent!  Thanks for that analysis.  I also would have played Re1 followed by e4, but did not see the big picture in the depth you did!

"White has an advantage on the kingside"

That's interesting, because I see it very differently. I guess maybe the difference is I count the Bf4 as a queenside piece (it's looking at the queenside).

Similarly I count black weak in the center because his bishops are there... in other words I tend to think of bishops as not being actors in the areas where they sit.

The bishops (for both players) are a big reason I was focused on the center and queenside when asked what white is planning (of course also the pawn structure i.e. space and pawn breaks).