How to master opening in chess

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C_H_E_S_STAR

Mar 16, 2010

Here is a little question/answer post to increase your comprehension of the opening !

Ok, here we go...

Question 1

In the end of this sequence,

We now reach a position that was once thought to be all right for black. However, a new move was unveiled that cut to the heart of the position and showed that white is actually clearly better.

- HOW WOULD YOU PLAY THE WHITE POSITION?

white to play!

Answer to question 1:

18.Na2!

the idea show that White considers the b4-Knight to be much more important than its brother on e4. The reason is the b4-Knight is the main guardian of Black weak points on a6, c6 and d5. By trading it off, all these sore spots become accentuated and Black is suddenly placed onthe defensive..

As you can see, it's important to list all the negatives in the ennemy camp. Once you're aware of them, you should look for a way to make them as vulnerable as possible. On occasion, a particular piece is the glue that holds things together. A simple exchange can sometimes send your opponent's house of cards crashing to the ground!

Question 2:

...Here, Black's Knight isattacked and he has to decide how this threat should be dealt with. WHAT IS THE CORRECT DECISION HERE?

Answer to question 2:

We come in a key moment in this game..White is attacking the enemy Knight and hopes to wrest control of the e4 square from his opponent. Black choice appear to be fairly clear: he can run with his knight, he can defend it with

4. ...d5(4. ...f5 is too weakning..) or he can throw in 4. ..Qa5+, though it's not clear what Black has accomplished after 5.c3

Question 3:

HOW SHOULD BLACK PLAY IN THIS POSITION?

Answer to question 3:

7. ...Nh5!

With this move black take a moment away from normal development and grab the imbalance of the two Bishops ..

That is what the opening is all about. You create an imbalance and then develop your pieces and pawns to squares that will help highlight this difference!!

Question 4:

This is a variation of the popular King's Indian Defense!

This one is a good test to see if you understand what's expected when a closed position is reached in the opening.

A clue!: Black has only two logical choices here. CAN YOU LIST THEM?..

Answer to question 4:

When the center is closed, play must be sought on the wings. However, instead of aiming for piece play as you would in an open position, you should instead lead your pawns so that territory is gained and half-open or open files for the rooks are created.

...And for really answer the question, th etwo logical choice for Black is 9. ...Nd7 or 9. ...Ne8

... if you try 9. ...Bd7, you are caught up in the trap of ..development at all costs!

Don't develop if it has nothing to do with the needs of the position!!

And note that by moving the Knight back to d7 or e8, Black gets out of the way of the f-pawn ....AND PREPARE HIS THEMATIC f7-f5 advance!!!

Question 5:

.....Habitually Black castle and not play Bg4.....

WHITE TO MOVE!

Answer to the question 5:

When you study an opening you can't just memorize the moves and expect to play it properly! It's also important to master the plans, ideas, and key position!!!

Then, when you're opponent play an non-book move you're able to reply correctly, based on your understanding of the position...

In the Ruy Lopez, White's most basic ideas center around expansion in the middle via d2-d4. A queenside strike with a2-a4, and the repositioning of the b1-Knight via d2-f1-g3!.. where it defends e4! ...Is out of the way of the rest of the army, and prepares to leap onto the tasty f5-square!!!

Once, you're aware of this Knight maneuver, the answer become rather obvious : WHITE JUST DELAYS THE D4 ADVANCE WITH D2-D3 AND GOES ABOUT HIS USUAL BUSINESS IN BRINGING THE HORSE TO G3!

And for really answer at the primal question: d3

Question 6:

Other commonly amateur move can be 4.Nc3, c4 and Bd3 ... WHAT ONE OF THESE ARE SIMPLY INCORRECT?

Answer for the question 6:

- 4.c4 is one of the White's best line against the Caro-Kann (this opening) by attacking d5

- A line favored by amateurs is 4.Bd3. White places his bishop on an active square, follows up with c2-c3 defending d4 and stopping a later ...Nb4, and aims for eventual kingside pressure.

-And for really answer to the precedent question 4.Nc3 is a very popular amateur move ... but it's simply bad!!! Though White think he is developing, you should already know that development without a plan is often worse than no development at all... In the present case, White blocks his c-pawn and place his Knight on a road .. to nowhere! .... The d5 pawn is as solid as a rock, especiallyafter Black tosses in ...e7-e6. The e4-square is also off-limits. Jumping to a4 is monoric and Nb5 is nothing more than a hope and a prayer---Black can always kick it with ...a7-a6.

When you develop, make sure the move works towards a particuliar goal with the rest of your forces!!!!! The inverse will put you in trouble...

Question 7:

CAN YOU FIGURE THE BLACK PLAN? AND WHITE TO MOVE WHAT TO PLAY?

Answer to the question 7:

Firstly, here somes good candidate moves for this position:

8.0-0 8.Rc1 and also the ugly 8.h4 are all common!!

But here, Ng1! is the only one listed moves that actually makes sense. Thoughit might look a bit odd, a serious study of its virtues will quicly convince the student that it smacks of logic! The first point is that Black's g4-Bishop has nowhere to run. thus, 8. ...Bxe2 is forced, when 9.Ngxe2 allows White to maintain his grip on d4! Compare this with the original position in wich Bxf3, taking a defender away from d4, was threatened!!!

Another point is that Black's normal plan of 9. ...e5 10.d5-f5 isn't as effective as it usually is in the King's Indian... because his light-squared Bishop plays a major role in the insuing kingside attack! Exchanging these bishop is usually favorable to WHITE!!,since he's trading off Black's good bishop for a White's bad one.

Secondly, to make a proper idea of position, you will first have to understand Black's idea behind ...Bg4 followed by ...Nfd7. He actually has two ideas in mind;

..both centering around the d4-square

1- Black might play ...c7-c5, hitting d4!!, when d5 can be answered by ...Bxc3+

ruining White's queenside pawn structure.

2- Black also intends to play ...Nc6, hitting d4!!, followed by chopping off the f3-Knight, one of the main defenders of d4, and ...e7-e5. Then d4-d5 can be answered by ...Nd4 when this important central square falls into black's hands. Clearly, anything White does should address these two black plans. White has an advantage in central space, so if he can successfully nullify Black's threats, he'll be able to come out of the opening with a promissing position..

Question 8:

Black play 8. ...e5 WHAT IS HIS STRATEGIC JUSTIFICATION FOR PLAYING IN THIS WAY AND WHAT WHITE MUST REPLY?

Answer to the question 8:

Here, Black whole opening concept revolves around the battle between White's two Bishops and Black's Bishop and Knight!!

By playing ...e5, Black stops White from ripping the center open with an eventual e4-e5 because an open center would favor White's Bishops. He also freezes the White e-pawn and thus makes the d3-Bishop inactive, opens up the c8-h3 diagonal for the c8-Bishop, and welcomes 9.d5-Ne7 When the closed center should prove favorable to Black's Knights. Finally, black doubled White's pawn with 6. ...Bxc3+ destroying flexibility of White's pawn formation(...but giving white the two bishops..) AND immediately set about creating a closed knight-friendly environment by ...d6 and ...e5!!! When you're creating an imbalance, make sure you do everything possible to steer it in a direction that will prove comfortable for your side!!!!!

Question 9:

LIST THE IMBALANCES OF THIS POSITION AND, FROM THAT, DEDUCE WHITE'S CORRECT PLAN ... AND HIS BEST MOVE!!

Answer to question 9:

-The main imbalance here is the powerfull b2-bishop VS the far less active Black Knight!!! EVERYTHING WHITE DOES SHOULD BE AIMED AT ENHANCING THIS PARTICULAR ADVANTAGE!!!

Many players, of course, would get bent out of shape over the fact that White's King is open and that his pawn his doubled. However, these things are actually a plus! The doubled pawn on f3 keep the black knight off of e4 and g4 ( following steinitz rule to beat knight who is to take away all their advanced posts). While the open g-file can be used by White after Kh1 and Rg1!!...The idea of playing on the g-file fits in nicely with b2-bishop's presence, since both take aim at the g7 point. Also it a bad idea, for the White, to allow a rook trade here. You wouldn't play on the g-file if it had nothing to do with your other imbalances...!

Here white just play 19.Rb1 (placing the rook on a half-open file and intending Kh1 followed by Rg1. In that case, most of White's pieces would be working together. White's queen is aimed at the kingside, as are the rook and the bishop.

BLACK HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS IDEA!!!!

Question 10:

IN THE QUEEN'S INDIAN DEFENSE, WHAT'S THE LOGIC BEHIND THE BLACK MOVE 3. ...b6

Answer to question 10:

White's 3.Nf3 didn't do anything to increase his control over the important e4 square. In fact, it actually blocked the possibility of a f2-f3 advance. Due to this, Black is playing logically by hastening to aim more firepower at e4 with 3. ...b6.

By placing his bishop on b7, this piece suddenly becomes very active and, together with the f6-Knight, Black isn't just developing. He's getting his Bishop to an active post where it performs a particuliar function in unison with other members of its army!

Omicron

Mar 19, 2010

This is a great post. Good job!

bloodymuzzle

Mar 19, 2010

amazing post.... one of these a week and we'll all be MASTERS in no time!