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A Collection of Chess Wisdom
The Elements
Collected & Organized by Kelly Atkins
“Strategy requires thought, tactics requires observation.”
Max Euwe
Positional Themes
A. Positional strengths:
Control of the center
Center pawn on our 4th rank vs. enemy pawn on his 3rd rank
Superior development
Greater space control
Strong outpost
Control of open file
Doubled rooks
Rook(s) on the seventh rank
Control of open diagonal
Half-open file
Bishop pair
Bishop vs. knight
Mobile pawn wing
Offside pawn majority
Advanced pawn chain
Advanced pawn wedge
Advanced pawn
Passed pawn
Protected passed pawn
Outside passed pawn
Better king position
Available tempi
B. Positional weaknesses:
Restricted king
Open lines toward the king
Cramped position
Bad bishop
Isolated pawns
Doubled pawns
Backward pawns
Hanging pawns
Holes in the pawn structure
Weak square complex
C. Permanent Advantages:
Material
More pawns in the center
Passed pawn
Weak enemy squares (whether or not occupied)
Healthier pawn structure
More appropriate minor pieces
D. Temporary Advantages:
Vulnerable enemy piece
Superior coordination
Control of the center
Control of a line
Advantage in space
The initiative
Tactical Themes
E. Tactical weaknesses:
Exposed king
Vulnerable back rank
Unguarded pieces and pawns
Pinned pieces and pawns
Pieces in a line
Pieces vulnerable to knight forks
Pieces with no retreat
Overworked defenders
Unstable defenders
Vulnerable vital guards
F. Common Tactics:
Pin
Knight fork
Double attack
Sacrifice
Skewer (or X-ray)
Overloading a target
Discovered attack
Deflecting defenders
G. Less Common Tactics:
Overworked defender
In-between move (Zwischenzug)
Trapped piece
Zugzwang
Removing defenders
Clearance
Desperado
Interference
Vulnerable back rank
Improving Your Position
H. Look for opportunities to:
Gain more space – pawn advance(s)
Improve your king's safety
Put your pieces on better squares
Activate dormant pieces
Improve your pawn structure
Eliminate weaknesses in your position
Gain control of key lines or squares
Trade your bad pieces for your opponent's good ones
Prophylaxis
I. Look for opportunities to:
Anticipate and frustrate all your opponent's plans
Deny your opponent control of key lines or squares
Deny your opponent access to important squares
Drive away or exchange your opponent's well placed pieces
Limit the mobility of your opponent's pieces
Fix weaknesses in your own position in order to give your opponent nothing
to attack
Strengthen and protect the strong points in your own position
Planning
J. Imbalances:
Superior minor piece
Pawn structure
Space
Material
Control of key lines or squares
Lead in development
Initiative
K. Silman Thinking Technique:
Figure out the positive and negative imbalances for both sides.
Figure out the side of the board you wish to play on. You can only play
where a favorable imbalance or the possibility of creating a favorable
imbalance exists.
Don't calculate. Instead, dream up various fantasy positions that you would
like to achieve.
Once you find a fantasy position that makes you happy, you must figure out
if you can reach it. If you find that your choice was not possible to
implement, you must create another dream position that is easier to achieve.
Only now do you look at the candidate moves you wish to calculate.
L. Following a Plan:
Plans should have specific goals.
Plans can be offensive or defensive.
Plans should be based on the specific features of the position.
Plans are made for a few moves at a time.
Plans should be flexible, and modified or replaced when necessary.
Planning is constant – every move in a chess game should fit into a definite
plan.
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