(p. 2)
Experienced chess players know when to ask: "What does my
opponent threaten?" Having identified the threats, they then
determine if they are serious and must be defended against, or
whether they can engage in more active operations.
Palatnik, Sam, and Lev Alburt. 2013. Chess Tactics for the Tournament Player. New York, NY: Chess Information & Research Center.
"Should I drink more OJ, or save it for later?"
Also known as "OJ management"
Magnus: do I have time for a nap?
"Should I drink more OJ, or save it for later?"
Also known as "OJ management"
+1
I have a long list and a short list. The challenge for me has been to actually complete my checklist before moving. It is certainly good to have at those times when I want intimacy with a position.
I will post only my long list. Those who are interested, can make up their own short list from the long one I have prepared for myself.
Those who disagree, that's fine. I did not come onto the forum today for conflict but rather for harmony.
If our global community gets Anything out of this, I'm happy.
I wish All many enjoyable moments over the board~
Edward
Never, ever sacrifice again unless I am 100% sure that I will get enough compensation.
Each time, run the game from move one.
How has the position changed since his last move?
List provisional candidate moves.
Which squares are key?
Which key squares are controlled by him?
Which key squares are controlled by me
Defensive considerations: Can he check me?
Is my king safe?
Are there weak squares around my king?
Does it lack flight squares?
Do I have back rank problems?
Take a look from his perspective. What’s he up to?
What is he threatening?
Are there multiple threats?
What is his biggest threat?
Will his threat fail on its own?
Does he have a passed pawn he can promote?
Where are my weaknesses?
Are all my pieces protected?
Do I have an isolated pawn?
Do I have a backward pawn?
Do I have a doubled pawn?
Can he weaken my pawn structure?
Do I have a piece that he can attack with a piece of less value?
If cramped, can I free myself by exchanging?
Do I have one or more pieces that he can attack with a discovered attack?
Do I have any pinable pieces or can he exploit an existing one?
Do I have any skewerable pieces along the same rank?
Do I have any skewerable pieces along the same file?
Do I have any skewerable pieces along the same diagonal?
Do I have any pieces vulnerable to a knight fork?
Do I have any pieces vulnerable to a bishop fork?
Do I have any pieces vulnerable to a pawn fork?
Do I have any squares vulnerable to a knight fork?
Do I have any squares vulnerable to a bishop fork?
Do I have any squares vulnerable to a pawn fork?
Do I have pieces he can double attack?
Do I have any overloaded pieces guarding more than one piece or square?
Can he remove a guard or defender?
Do I have any piece with little mobility that might easily be trapped?
Can he restrict my mobility?
What’s possible for him now that wasn’t before his last move?
Which squares does he control, piece by piece.
Does he have a square available for a knight outpost?
Does he control or have open lines for his rooks?
Does he control or have open lines for his queen?
Does he control or have open diagonals for his bishops?
Offensive considerations: Is his king safe?
Can I check or mate?
Are there weak squares around his king?
Does it lack flight squares?
Does he have back rank problems?
Can I attack the king?
Can I capture?
Did he answer my threat?
Which squares do I control, piece by piece?
Close my eyes for a bit, clear the board… now take a look at the board with fresh eyes, setting aside, for the moment, my plans, expectations, and previous concerns about the position.
What can I do?
What else could I do?
Where are his weaknesses?
How can I best exploit them?
Do I have a passed pawn I can promote?
Can I improve my pawn structure perhaps with the idea of creating a future passed pawn?
What’s vulnerable now that wasn’t before his last move?
What’s possible for me now that wasn’t before his last move?
Are my pieces actively in the game?
Can I get to or create a knight outpost?
Can I create a square that my piece can exert pressure from where it cannot be easily chased away?
Can I get my rooks in an open or semi-open file?
Can I get my queen in an open or semi-open file?
Can I open lines?
Can I create a plan centered on the domination of a file?
Can I get a battery or rook or queen into the seventh rank?
Have I a good combination?
Can I gain control of or create a plan centered on the creation of a weak square in his camp?
Can I work towards exchanging into an endgame or improve my endgame prospects?
Can I increase the mobility of any of my less active pieces?
Can I restrict his mobility?
Can I weaken his pawn structure?
Are all his pieces protected?
Can I attack a piece with a piece of less value?
Does he have one or more pieces that I can attack with a discovered attack?
Does he have any pinable pieces or can I exploit an existing one?
Does he have any skewerable pieces along the same rank?
Does he have any skewerable pieces along the same file?
Does he have any skewerable pieces along the same diagonal?
Does he have any pieces vulnerable to a knight fork?
Does he have any pieces vulnerable to a bishop fork?
Does he have any pieces vulnerable to a pawn fork?
Does he have any squares vulnerable to a knight fork?
Does he have any squares vulnerable to a bishop fork?
Does he have any squares vulnerable to a pawn fork?
Does he have pieces I can double attack?
Does he have pieces that have little mobility and might easily be trapped?
Does he have an isolated pawn?
Does he have a backward pawn?
Does he have a doubled pawn?
Does he have a passed pawn?
Can I weaken his pawn structure?
Does he have any overloaded pieces guarding more than one piece or square?
Can I remove a guard or defender?
Does he have any piece with little mobility that might easily be trapped?
Can I restrict the mobility of his pieces?
Can I double attack?
How can I best exploit his weaknesses?
How can I reduce his strengths?
Consider the imbalances: Material imbalance?
Who has the superior minor piece?
Note pawn structure and majority, backward, doubled, isolated imbalances
Is there a space imbalance?
Control of files
Control of ranks
Control of diagonals
Control of squares
Weak squares
Lead in development (temporary)
More force in a specific area of the board
Piece mobility
Initiative
Who poses the greater threat?
If he, should I defend or counter?
If I or if his threat poses no real threat, can I ignore it?
Will his threat fail on its own?
Which side of the board has favorable imbalances?
If none, is there a possibility of creating one?
Are there any quite moves possible aimed at eliminating my weaknesses?
Are there any quite moves possible aimed at improving my position?
Are there any quite moves possible aimed at weakening or cramping his?
If I have the initiative, can I add pressure on weakness in my opponent’s position?
I can only play where a favorable imbalance or the possibility of creating one exists.
Which side of the board will I play on?
Is this position about defense?
Is there no attack?
Do I focus on defense?
The ideal move, if I must defend, should also setup a threat or create some other complication.
Candidate moves should do one or more of the following:
Increase my hold on the center.
Increase the pressure on whichever sector of the board I am attacking.
Create or increase the pressure on a weakness in my opponent’s position.
Open lines for my pieces.
Increase the mobility/activity of my less active pieces.
Restrict the mobility of my opponent’s pieces.
Create strong squares that my pieces can exert pressure from and from where they cannot be easily chased away.
Create (protected) outposts in my opponent’s camp.
Improve my pawn skeleton with the idea of creating the conditions of the previous goals and/or the (future) creation of a passed pawn.
Keep in my mind that middle games can suddenly become endgames. Were this to happen now, would it be decisive? If it would, and in my favor, work toward exchanging toward the endgame. If it wouldn't, avoid those types of exchanges and either try to improve my endgame prospects or bet the farm on the middle game.
If an exchange is being offered: Which piece is more active? Does either piece play a key role in attack or defense? If a knight, does it have a valuable outpost it can occupy? If a bishop, is it good or bad?
If behind in material, play for tactics, traps and avoid exchanges. If ahead in material, exchange & avoid complications.
If quiet, add moves that will increase strength or eliminate a weakness.
List my candidate moves.
For each candidate; does it leave me vulnerable?
Does it leave a previously defended piece hanging?
Does it expose my king to a check?
Does it dangerously weaken my position?
For each candidate, have I overlooked something obvious?
Ok, now, for each and EVERY candidate, calculate and evaluate.
Now that that I have the best move, here’s The Challenge: Use some time here to find the hidden King of the Hill. Find a better move.
*Remember, it’s not whether you win or lose that matters, but what you put into the game and what lessons you can take away from it. That’s it.
The trick is getting to where you don't have to ask yourself anything at all. What you want are good habits, not a list of 20 questions to go over after every move.
And it mostly boils down to trying to falsify your candidate move.
Why did they make that last move - Am I in check - Are all my pieces & pawns reasonably defended - Is my Queen about to be taken - Is an enemy Knight about to get me in a fork position in the next move (A few others depending on the situation)
nice long post
Thank you, Asakshar.
Shell Knight, agreed.
Over time, as a chess enthusiast uses a checklist prior to moving, he or she will find themselves learning it.
That concludes my contribution to this thread.
Happy chessing, people~
Edward
Can u please share the short list with us?
After my opponent moves: "What's the threat?"
Then when it's my move: "If I had his position, what move could I make that would piss me off the most?"
Nice list, ErnestDignity! That's something that others and I have been seeking recently on this forum (http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/how-to-get-in-the-habit-of-using-tactics). I would probably structure the list differently, but it looks like you have a huge amount of good material there.
i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn i hate that pawn
I more think of why they moved, rather than my plan. In short, if I was to put my odd brain into words:
Why did they just play their move? What are they going for?
If it is a waiting move:
Can I continue with my plan?
Do they have some threat later or some defense?
Should I do a waiting move as well?
If it is an attacking move:
What is their weakness?
How can I defend, or counterattack?
Did they make their position weaker, if yes, why, and can I punish it or get ready
If it is a bad move (drops a piece or something like it)
Did they just blunder?
How can I exploit their bad move?
I was wondering what thinks I could ask myself before I move, anything that is reasonable is great. It is one way I'm preparing for a tournament. Thanks for any comments!
"Why must I lose to this idiot ?"
"Is she wearing a bra?"
"Is she wearing a bra?"
"How many moves until I get Checkmated?"
You don't ask yourself anything, you just look for a better one, unless you aren't good, then you ask yourself: will I blunder?