Proper transition into the middle game

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d18thday

I have a common problem, formulating a plan for the middle game all game long or short. I have this general idea that good chess is the ability to press on your opponents weakness, however, after opening might have been concluded, and assuming my opponent developed well too, how do I formulate a plan that'll help me transit into the middle game without jeopardising my position whilst threatening to break my opponents position with precision. Please, I need ideas, so I can become the master I pray to be.

Cryptic-C62

The "correct" plan in a position is largely dependent on the pawn structure. Pawn structures that occur very frequently, such as the Isolated Queen Pawn or the King's Indian structure, have been studied enough throughout history that there will be a plan or set of plans which are regarded as being "correct" for that structure.

If you have openings that encounter regularly, you might want to watch videos or read books about the plans associated with those openings. What weakness should you target, and why? How can your opponent defend that weakness, and how can you deal with those defenses? What weakness will your opponent target, and why, and how can you deal with it? Once you can answer these questions for the positions you're familiar with, branch out to positions that you don't encounter often.

Eventually you'll get to the point where you can be shown any position and be able to come up with a solid plan, regardless of whether you've seen it before or not.

d18thday

@Cryptic-C62, Thanks a bunch

johnyoudell

Take your favourite opening, find a book on that opening which has 50% of the book devoted to illustrative games.

Now play through the games and see how the strategic aspects of the opening carry into the middle game and on into the end game.

Maybe the opening generates a queen side pawn majority. Well you play the opening with that in mnd and if you have nothing else in the early middle game you start working towards an end gamew with advanced queen side pawns which will get you a passed pawn before your opponent.

Or maybe the opening requires the opponent to compromise his pawns in some specific way. See how the illustrative games show master players exploiting this. Then play the opening with this point in your mind and you are very likely to find that it is productive of an idea or two going into the early middle game.

Enough of the illustrations. The point is to see how top class players move from opening to middle game in the games in the book and how they move from the middle game to the end game.  It will help you generate deas.

Also, be willing to spend some time aroung move 11-15 looking for a plan/s.

d18thday

@Johny, tnx!!!