GM Larry Evans' method of static analysis

If we go by "Beginning at the fourth rank, count all the squares that your pieces attack", this is what I see. 15 squares.

Quoting from post #10:

Method one:

Ignore your first three ranks, since they are well covered in the starting position. Beginning at the fourth rank, count all the squares that your pieces attack... UNLESS you have a friendly Pawn on that square. You don't count squares occupied by your own Pawns, because you can't make any use of those squares... you aren't allowed to capture your own pieces.

In your diagram above, Who is attacking the a4 and b4 squares? You cannot make a capture on those squares, can you?

Yes, I get 15, not 13 that way. 

I just counted again, and I still get 13.

You CAN'T count a4, b4 or h4. Nothing is guarding those squares. You CAN count d4, because it is not occupied by a friendly PAWN.

Why do you want to do this? I don't understand the point. 

Seems like pawn to 4th rank benefits white for grabbing space, and pawn to 5th rank benefits black. Why not count all the pawn moves?

How much of the thread have you read? Did you read the Results Matrix?

THAT'S the point of doing the count.

And what will that give me in the end? I am not seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Why should someone who wants to get better at chess do what you are saying?

Can you present a GM game and go over the advantages showing how a GM did the same thing and won a game because they counted squares from the 4th rank?

What you say maybe be true, but where is the usefulness of it? I am not seeing it. Sorry. You have been extremely helpful and I don't mean anything bad by this, but I think there are easier ways for beginners to work out the bishop pair.

Wow, that was really interesting! Thanks @blueemu

bump becuz this is useful forum

thats good... i like that

ill help

Anyone know if Larry Evans played Bobby Fischer? I think that they were around at the same time. Maybe I'm wrong. 

Robert James Fischer vs Larry Melvyn Evans (1963) (chessgames.com)

Larry Melvyn Evans vs Robert James Fischer (1965) (chessgames.com)

This thread has taught me more than a few books I've looked through... Thanks for that! Will be reviewing this multiple times over.

Also bump best forum ever

Bump #3 for instructive value.

i bump it up too

For space do you count squares with enemy pieces on? Like here the Queen is attacking f6

Yes, you count squares occupied by enemy pieces, but not those occupied by friendly pieces (because you can't MOVE there).