Strategy
Understand middlegame plans.
8 articles
- The Principle of Two WeaknessesA single weakness can be held; two weaknesses overload the defender. Learn to open a second front and turn an advantage into a win.
- Improving Your Worst PieceChess games are often won by accumulation: a piece doing nothing is a piece you don’t have. Learn to spot your weakest link and turn it into an asset.
- When to Trade and When to Keep Your PiecesA trade is never neutral: every swap shifts the balance of the game. Learn the four criteria that turn an ordinary exchange into a winning decision.
- Protecting Your King: The Pawn ShieldAfter castling, three pawns stand guard over your king. Learn why pushing them weakens the shelter, where entry squares hide, and how to pause before every pawn move in front of your king.
- The Pawn Structures Every Player Should RecognizeIsolated pawn, doubled pawns, backward pawn, passed pawn, pawn chain: learn to read these five structures, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and pick the right plan for each.
- Prophylaxis: Thinking About What Your Opponent WantsProphylaxis is the hallmark of mature positional players: before every move, ask "what does my opponent want to play?", anticipate their threats, know the typical prophylactic moves — h3, a4, Kb1 — and restrict their pieces before attacking.
- Restriction and Overprotection: Two Nimzowitsch WeaponsTwo ideas from My System that mirror each other: restriction reduces the mobility of the enemy pieces before you attack; overprotection reinforces your strategic points beyond what is necessary. Together they impoverish your opponent’s game and enrich yours.
- Evaluating a Position: Structure, Pieces, KingBefore calculating, strong players evaluate: they read the pawn structure, the quality of the pieces and king safety, and let that diagnosis dictate the plan. Three elements to weigh, with a position for each.