Initiative

Initiative in a chess position belongs to the player who can make threats that cannot be ignored. He thus puts his opponent in the position of having to use his turns responding to threats rather than making his own. A player with the initiative will often seek to maneuver his pieces into more and more advantageous position as he launches successive attacks. The player who lacks the initiative may seek to regain it through counterattack. Due to moving first, White starts the game with the initiative, but it can be squandered in the opening by accepting a gambit. Players can also lose initiative by making unnecessary moves that allow the opponent to gain tempo, such as superfluous "preventive" moves intended to guard against certain actions by the opponent, that nonetheless require no specific response by them. The concept of tempo is closely tied to initiative, as players can acquire the initiative or buttress it by gaining a tempo. The initiative is important in all phases of the game, but more important in the endgame than in the middlegame and more important in the middlegame than in the opening (Euwe & Meiden 1966:xvii,xxii). Having the initiative puts the opponent on the defensive. Grandmaster Larry Evans considers four elements of chess: pawn structure, force (material), space (controlling the center and piece mobility), and time. Time is measured in tempi. Having a time advantage is having the initiative (Evans 1958:123). The initiative should be kept as long as possible and only given up for another advantage (Capablanca & de Firmian 2006:65–66).

Even when you are losing, you sustain hopes of a miracle as long as you hold the initiative. If you can hold the initiative long enough, sometimes your opponent blunders, leaving you with a draw or win.

Strategy

In chess, strategy (or positional play) is the aspect of chess playing concerned with evaluation of chess positions and setting of goals and long-term plans for future play. While evaluating a position strategically, a player must take into account such factors as the relative value of the pieces on the board, pawn structure, king safety, position of pieces, and control of key squares and groups of squares (diagonals, open files, individual squares). Chess strategy is distinguished from chess tactics, which is the aspect of chess playing concerned with the move-by-move setting up of threats and defenses. Some authors distinguish static strategic imbalances (having more valuable pieces or better pawn structure), which tend to persist for many moves, from dynamic imbalances (such as one player having an advantage in piece development), which are temporary. This distinction affects the immediacy with which a sought-after plan should take effect. Until players reach the skill level of "master", chess tactics tend to ultimately decide the outcomes of games more often than strategy does. Many chess coaches thus emphasize the study of tactics as the most efficient way to improve one's results in serious chess play. The most basic way to evaluate one's position is to count the total value of pieces on both sides. The point values used for this purpose are based on experience. Usually pawns are considered to be worth one point, knights and bishops three points each, rooks five points, and queens nine points. The fighting value of the king in the endgame is approximately four points. These basic values are modified by other factors such as the position of the pieces (advanced pawns are usually more valuable than those on their starting squares), coordination between pieces (a bishop pair usually coordinates better than a bishop plus a knight), and the type of position (knights are generally better in closed positions with many pawns, while bishops are more powerful in open positions). Another important factor in the evaluation of chess positions is the pawn structure or pawn skeleton. Since pawns are the most immobile and least valuable of the chess pieces, the pawn structure is relatively static and largely determines the strategic nature of the position. Weaknesses in the pawn structure, such as isolated, doubled, or backward pawns and holes, once created, are usually permanent. Care must therefore be taken to avoid them unless they are compensated by another valuable asset, such as the possibility to develop an attack.

Classic Chess Problem

M Niemeijer
Good Companions, 1924
White to move and mate in 3 moves (the solution is after the diagram).

1 ... Nxe5   2 Nxe5+ Qxe5 3 Rd3
1 ... Qxe5   2 Rd3+         exd3         3 Nxe5
1 ... e3    2 Nf6         Nxe5 3 Nxd4
1 Bf5 (> 2 Kxg1 ... 3 Nh2)

Puzzle

A chess puzzle is a puzzle in which knowledge of the pieces and rules of chess is used to solve logically a chess-related problem. The longstanding popularity of chess has paved the way for a rich tradition of such chess-related puzzles and composed problems, which assume a familiarity with the pieces and rules of chess, but can set different objectives than a standard game. Some chess puzzles may derive from studies which were intended to help a student of the game learn how to seal a victory, but have since evolved into an entirely separate art. Examples of a chess puzzle include deducing the last move played, the location of a missing piece, or whether a player has lost the right to castle. Sometimes the objective is antithetical to normal chess, such as helping (or even compelling) the opponent to checkmate one's own king. 


Whereas the term chess puzzle refers broadly to any puzzle involving aspects of chess, a chess problem is an orthodox puzzle in which one must play and win or draw a game, starting with a certain composition of pieces on the chess board, and playing within the standard rules of chess. Orthodox chess problems involve positions that can arise from actual game play (although the process of getting to that position may be unrealistic). The most common orthodox chess puzzle takes the form of checkmate in n moves. The puzzle positions are seldom similar to positions from actual play, and the challenge is not to find a winning move, but rather to find the (usually unique) move which forces checkmate as rapidly as possible. Heterodox chess problems involve conditions that are impossible with normal play, such as multiple kings or chess variants, while fairy chess problems employ pieces not used in orthodox chess, such as the amazon (a piece combining the powers of the queen and the knight).


Chess puzzles can also be regular positions from a game (with normal rules), usually meant as training positions, tactical or positional, from all phases of the game (openings, middlegame of endings). These are known as tactical puzzles. They can range from a simple "Mate in one" combination to a complex attack on the opponent's king. Solving tactical chess puzzles is a very common chess teaching technique. Although it is unlikely that the same position will occur in a game the student plays, the recognition of certain patterns can help to find a good move or plan in another position.

Carlsen's Corresponding Squares

In the following puzzle, it is Black (Levon Aronian) to play. White (Magnus Carlsen) just played pawn at g2 to g4. Black can choose some critical corresponding squares in this position. He can choose b2 for the rook. b1 and f7 are squares playable for the bishop to take or go. But Levon Aronian (currently one of the best players) choose b1 for the rook, adding White winning advantages quicker.




The following is the game in PGN format.

[Event "London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2012.12.02"]
[EventDate "2012.12.01"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Black "Levon Aronian"]
[ECO "C77"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "117"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.Nc3 O-O 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.Bxd5 Rb8  0.O-O Ne7 11.Nxe5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Re8 13.d4 Bf8 14.b3 Bb7 15.c4 d6 16.Nf3 Qf6 17.Be3 Bc8   8.Qd2 Qg6 19.Kh1 h6 20.Rac1 Be7 21.Ng1 Bg5 22.Bxg5 Qxg5 23.Rfd1 bxc4 24.bxc4 Qxd2 25.Rxd2 a5 26.h3 Rb4 27.Nf3 Bf5 28.c5 Kf8 29.Nh2 Reb8 30.Ng4 Rb1 31.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 32.Kh2 a4 33.Ne3 Bg6 34.Kg3 Rb4 35.Kf3 Ke7 36.Ke2 Kd7 37.f3 Rb5 38.Nd1 Rb4 39.c6+ Kc8 40.Nc3 f6 41.Ke3 Rc4 42.Ne2 a3 43.h4 Rb4 44.g4 Rb1 45.h5 Bh7 46.f4 f5 47.g5 Rh1 48.Ng3 Rh3 49.Kf3 hxg5 50.fxg5 g6 51.Re2 Kd8 52.hxg6 Bxg6 53.Re6 Bf7 54.g6 Bg8 55.g7 f4 56.Kxf4 Rh2 57.Nf5 Rxa2 58.Rf6 Re2 59.Rf8+ 1-0

Wang Yue's Corresponding Squares

In the following puzzle, it is White to play. Black just played Qf6 to e7. White can choose some critical corresponding squares in this position. He can choose e2 and e1 for the queen. d3 is also a playable corresponding square for the rook. g1 and h1 is very interesting for the king to move. But Moiseenko (2700+) choose h2 for the king.

The following is the game in PGN format.


[Event "World Cities Team Championship"]
[Site "Al-Ain UAE"]
[Date "2012.12.25"]
[EventDate "2012.12.22"]
[Round "4.9"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Alexander Moiseenko"]
[Black "Wang Yue"]
[ECO "D17"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "176"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Nh4 Bc8
7. Nf3 Bf5 8. Nh4 Bc8 9. e3 Bg4 10. f3 Bd7 11. f4 e6 12. Nf3
Bb4 13. Bxc4 c5 14. O-O cxd4 15. exd4 O-O 16. Ne5 Nc6 17. Be3
Rc8 18. Bd3 Ne7 19. Ne4 Nxe4 20. Bxe4 Bc6 21. Nxc6 bxc6
22. Qd3 g6 23. Kh1 Nd5 24. Bg1 Qa5 25. g3 Rfd8 26. Bf3 Bf8
27. Rfc1 Rb8 28. b3 Rb6 29. Bf2 Qb4 30. Bd1 Qe7 31. Rc4 Qb7
32. Kg1 h5 33. Rb1 a5 34. Bf3 Rb8 35. Bd1 Nf6 36. Kg2 Qd7
37. Bf3 Nd5 38. Bd1 Qd6 39. Qd2 Ra6 40. Rbc1 Qd7 41. Qc2 Ba3
42. Ra1 Bd6 43. Qe4 Kg7 44. h4 Kg8 45. Rb1 Rab6 46. Qf3 Nf6
47. Rbc1 Ba3 48. Ra1 Bf8 49. Rac1 Nd5 50. Kh2 Ra6 51. Kg2 Rbb6 52. Kh2 Nf6 53. Kg2 Qd5 54. Bg1 Kg7 55. Bc2 Ba3 56. Re1 Bd6 57. Rc1 Kf8 58. Bd1 Ke7 59. Be3 Kd7 60. R4c3 Bb4 61. R3c2 Ba3 62. Rb1 Ra8 63. Be2 Qf5 64. Bd1 Nd5 65. Bd2 Bb4 66. Rbc1 Ke7 67. Bxb4+ Rxb4 68. Rd2 Rb6 69. Bc2 Qf6 70. Bd1 Kf8 71. Rc5 Rb4 72. Qf2 Ne7 73. Bc2 Kg7 74. Qe3 Nd5 75. Qf2 Qe7 76. Kh2 Nf6 77. Kg2 Ng4 78. Qg1 Rd8 79. Rxa5 c5 80. Bd1 Rbxd4 81. Rxd4 Rxd4 82. Bxg4 hxg4 83. Qe3 Qb7+ 84. Kf2 Qh1 85. Ra7 Rd5 86. Qc3+ e5 87. Qe3 Qh2+ 88. Ke1 Qc2 0-1

Corresponding Squares

Corresponding squares (also called relative squares, sister squares and coordinate squares (Mednis 1987:11–12)) in chess occur in some chess endgames, usually ones that are mostly blocked. If squares x and y are corresponding squares, it means that if one player moves to x then the other player must move to y in order to hold his position. Usually there are several pairs of these squares, and the members of each pair are labeled with the same number, e.g. 1, 2, etc. In some cases they indicate which square the defending king must move to in order to keep the opposing king away. In other cases, a maneuver by one king puts the other player in a situation where he cannot move to the corresponding square, thus the first king is able to penetrate the position (Müller & Lamprecht 2007:188–203). The theory of corresponding squares is more general than opposition, and is more useful in cluttered positions.

Corresponding squares are squares of reciprocal (or mutual) zugzwang. They occur most often in king and pawn endgames, especially with triangulation, opposition, and mined squares. A square that White can move to corresponds to a square that Black can move to. If one player moves to such a square, the opponent moves to the corresponding square to put the opponent in zugzwang (Dvoretsky 2006:15–20).

One of the most famous and complicated positions solved with the method of corresponding squares is the following endgame study composed by World Champion Emanuel Lasker and Gustavus Charles Reichhelm in 1901. It is described in the 1932 treatise L'opposition et cases conjuguées sont réconciliées (Opposition and Sister Squares are Reconciled), by Vitaly Halberstadt and Marcel Duchamp.

Suggested Solution of Corresponding Squares :

1. Kb1 Kb7

2. Kc1 Kc7

3. Kd1 Kd8

4. Kc2 Kc8

5. Kd2 Kd7

6. Kc3 Kc7

7. Kd3 Kb6

8. Ke3 and White wins by penetrating on the kingside. Each of White's first seven moves are the only one that wins (Müller & Lamprecht 2007:193–94).

A puzzle of fianchetto opening patterns

Black to play.

Fianchetto

In chess, the fianchetto (Italian : little flank) is a pattern of development wherein a bishop is developed to the second rank of the adjacent knight file, the knight pawn having been moved one or two squares forward. The fianchetto is a staple of many "hypermodern" openings, whose philosophy is to delay direct occupation of the center with the plan of undermining and destroying the opponent's central outpost. It also regularly occurs in Indian defences. The fianchetto is less common in open games (1.e4 e5) but the king's bishop is sometimes fianchettoed by Black in the Spanish Game or by White in an uncommon variation of the Vienna Game. One of the major benefits of the fianchetto is that it often allows the fianchettoed bishop to become more active. Because the bishop is placed on a long diagonal (either h1-a8 or a1-h8), it controls a lot of squares and can become a powerful offensive weapon. However, a fianchettoed position also presents some opportunities for the opposing player: if the fianchettoed bishop can be exchanged, the squares the bishop was formerly protecting will become weak and can form the basis of an attack (particularly if the fianchetto was performed on the kingside). Therefore, exchanging the fianchettoed bishop should not be done lightly, especially if the enemy bishop of the same colour is still on the board. The most common type of fianchetto can be seen in the Sicilian Dragon, Pirc Defence, Benoni Defence, and Benko Opening among many others.

The following example is about four fianchettoed bishops.

Lost

All chess players have lost games. All chess players have lost games while being in a good position, maybe up some material. It is usually the most painful experience when you lose a chess game that you were winning just a move before. A little, tiny thing you do in one second can ruin previous hours of concentrated work and great amount effort put throughout the game. The price of a wrong move is too high in chess. For instance, in basketball you can make a mistake, allow your opponent to score and you can keep playing and still have a good chance winning the game. In the game of chess if you drop your queen or miss a mate there is no way you can recover. Chess players are all different, but in one thing they all the same: no one likes losing. Due to individual characteristics, chess players react very differently when they lose a game. How many times have you noticed that you opponent got mad, aggressive, apathetic, upset or distressed after the negative outcome of their game? What about yourself? It is pretty sure that you have some negative emotions when you lose a game, why else would you be reading this article right now? It is impossible to say what reaction is the best or the worst, but it's not important how to react right after losing a chess game. It is important what you learn or do some time after that painful experience of losing.  Some, in fact many, people give up after the painful defeat and say, they will never play this game again. They are not mentally strong enough to get over the lose and to keep playing. Some on opposite, get motivated by the defeat (by a stronger) and turn it into a win (beating a weaker) by training and getting better. Then they come back and win. GM Maurice Ashley stated: "Look at Garry Kasparov. After he loses, invariably he wins the next game. He just kills the guy. That's something that we have to learn to be able to do."

Most players do not like losing, and consider defeat as something shameful. This is a wrong attitude. 

Those who wish to perfect themselves must regard their losses as lessons and learn from them what sorts of things to avoid in the future.

Domination

Particularly in endgame studies, domination occurs when a piece has a relatively wide choice of destination squares, but nevertheless cannot avoid being captured.

The following puzzle is an example from actual play. The position occurred in the game Beliavsky - Korchnoi, György Marx Memorial, 2004. White blundered with 38.Kh2? allowing 38...Qd3, this dominates the knight, despite having six squares available to it, its capture cannot be avoided. b2, d2, a5 and e5 are guarded by the Black bishop, d6 by the Black queen, and b6 by the pawn. Additionally, there is no way for the White queen to safely defend it, as every square she could defend it from is guarded by the Black queen.

Manoeuvre

A manoeuvre is a movement performed with care and skill. A manoeuvre is also a clever plan, action or movement that is used to give somebody an advantage. In chess, a manoeuvre is a series of quiet moves designed to redeploy your pieces more favourably.


Pawn Maneuvers
Pawns are the weakest pieces on the chess board. They are slow moving and unable to retreat because they cannot move backward. They can be easy to attack and difficult to defend. It is no wonder that many beginners completely ignore their pawns and concentrate on their more valuable pieces. Yet, pawns are very valuable and important. Pawns are the backbone of chess. They form the structure around which the other pieces move. You need to think about pawns throughout the entire game. In the opening, pawns determine where you can develop your pieces and help you control the center.  In the middlegame, pawns control space and provide mobility and protection for your pieces. They can be used to help launch an attack or to break through the opponent’s defenses. In the endgame, pawns can advance to the back rank and promote to a queen. One pawn can make the difference between winning and losing the game. How? Every pawn could turn into a queen.


Knight Maneuvers
Knights are short-range pieces. They are good at maneuvering around in cramped positions because they can jump over pieces. Knights can get to every square on the board, though it may take them time to get there, even if the square is right next to them. A knight is generally worth a little less than three pawns, and it is usually weaker than a bishop.  The value of a knight decreases as more pieces are traded. A knight works better than a bishop in closed positions, but loses its advantage when there are fewer pieces to jump over. A knight also loses some of its mobility as it gets closer to the edges and corners of the board. Two knights are much weaker than two bishops. A knight and a queen work well together because of their different types of movement. Knights are often worse than bishops when working with your own pawns or when working against the opponent’s pawns.


Bishop Maneuvers
Bishops are long-range pieces. They work better in open positions where there are fewer pieces to block their movement. They are at their best when placed on long, open diagonals. Each bishop can move to only half of the squares on the board, but it can move across the board very quickly. A bishop is generally worth a little more than three pawns, and it is usually stronger than a knight. The value of a bishop increases as more pieces are traded. A bishop gains mobility and can maneuver better in open positions. A bishop is usually not as strong as a knight in closed positions. Two bishops are much stronger than two knights. They work well together to attack and defend both the light squares and the dark squares.  A bishop and a rook work better together than a knight and a rook. Bishops are often better than knights when working with your own pawns or when working against the opponent’s pawns.


Rook Maneuvers 
Rooks are long-range pieces. They work best in open positions where there are fewer pieces to block their movement. Rooks often hang back early in the game, waiting for the board to clear before coming into play. When other pieces and pawns are traded and the board opens up, the rooks play a greater role. A rook is usually worth much more than a bishop or a knight. A rook can get to every square on the board whereas a bishop cannot, and a rook can get across the board quickly whereas a knight cannot. The value of a rook increases as more pieces are traded, especially as more pawns are traded. Two rooks are a little stronger than a queen. They work very well together. They can team up to double their power in ways that two bishops cannot. Rooks are much better than bishops or knights when working with your own pawns or when working against the opponent’s pawns.

Queen Maneuvers 
The queen is your most powerful piece. It is a long-range piece that works best in open positions where there are few pieces to block its movement. You should be very careful when you move your queen. You do not want it to become exposed to attack and you do not want to get it trapped or blocked out of play. The queen is worth a little less than two rooks. Two rooks can work together to double their power when attacking or defending, but a lone queen cannot. A lone queen is good at maneuvering around the board, but the queen works best with the help of other pieces. Other pieces can support the queen, allowing it to exert pressure on any area of the board. The queen is often used to launch mating attacks. With support from other pieces, the queen can give checkmate at close range to the opponent’s king. It is usually best to use your queen to attack, not defend. You do not want to use your most powerful piece to defend your weaker pieces, especially not your pawns. The queen is often used to defend the king, though.


King Maneuvers
The king is your most valuable piece. The king can never be captured, but you lose the king and you lose the game when you get checkmated. You must be very careful when you maneuver your king. It must be kept safe from checkmate at all times. One of the best ways to keep your king safe is to castle. This puts your king behind a protective wall of pawns, shielding it from attack. After you castle, try not to move the pawns in front of your king, unless you have to. Every time you move one of these pawns, you weaken your king’s safety a little bit. If you move too many of these pawns, they will no longer protect your king and it will become exposed to attack. When should you move your king?  Should it always stay on the back row and never move? Early in the game, the king should generally not move, but there are times when you need to move your king. King maneuvers can help you defend your king, and they can sometimes help you attack with your king.

Brilliancy

A brilliancy is a spectacular and beautiful game of chess, generally featuring sacrificial attacks and unexpected moves. Brilliancies are not always required to feature sound play or the best moves by either side.

In the following middlegame puzzle from Magnus vs. Groenn 2005 of very difficult patterns, it is White (Magnus Carlsen) to move. How should Magnus proceed?

Morozevich's Chigorin Defense

Morozevich has been one of the best chess players in the world for nearly a decade. He is famous for employing unusual openings, for example the Chigorin Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6), and more recently the Albin Countergambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5); both systems are hardly ever seen at the top level. He is also well known for preferring complicated rather than clear positions. Due to his risky and spectacular style which produces relatively few draws, Morozevich is popular among chess fans. Among his most notable results are 7.5/10 at the 2000 Chess Olympiad (winning Bronze Medal for board 2 and gaining the highest Elo performance rating at 2803.7) and 7/11 at the 2002 Chess Olympiad; first place in the overall standings at the Amber tournament in 2002, 2004 (shared with Kramnik) and 2006 (shared with Anand); first place in Biel tournament three times: 2003, 2004 and 2006; and twice winning the Russian championship (1998 and 2007).

Carlsen's Playing style

As a teenager, Carlsen became known for his attacking playing style. His win over Sipke Ernst in the 2004 Wijk aan Zee C-group, which ended with an epaulette mate, was admired by several other chess players. As he matured, Carlsen found that this risky playing style was not as well suited against the world elite. Around 2007 Carlsen was struggling against top players, and had trouble getting much out of the opening. To progress, Carlsen became a more universal player, capable of handling all sorts of positions well. In the opening, Carlsen has alternated between various opening moves. Instead of specializing in either 1.d4 or 1.e4, Carlsen has alternated between them, thus making it harder for opponents to prepare against him.

Since the announcement that he was coaching Carlsen, Garry Kasparov has repeatedly stated that Carlsen has a positional style similar to that of past world champions such as Anatoly Karpov, José Raúl Capablanca and Vasily Smyslov, rather than the tactical style of Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal and himself. Similarly, Viswanathan Anand compared Carlsen's style to that of Bobby Fischer, suggesting that both are "brilliant in simple technical positions". However, Carlsen has claimed that he does not have any preferences in terms of playing style. Kasparov and others have claimed that while Carlsen spends less time on opening preparation than other top-level players, his positional understanding more than makes up for it. According to Kasparov, Carlsen has the ability to correctly evaluate any position, which only Karpov could boast of before him. Carlsen's endgame prowess has been described as among the greatest in history.

Tal's Playing style

Tal loved the game in itself and considered that "Chess, first of all, is Art." He was known to play numerous blitz games against unknown or relatively weak players purely for the joy of playing.

Known as "The Magician from Riga", Tal was the archetype of the attacking player, developing an extremely powerful and imaginative style of play. His approach over the board was very pragmatic, in that respect, he is one of the heirs of ex-World Champion Emanuel Lasker. He often sacrificed material in search of the initiative, which is defined by the ability to make threats to which the opponent must respond. With such intuitive sacrifices, he created vast complications, and many masters found it impossible to solve all the problems he created over the board, though deeper post-game analysis found flaws in some of his conceptions. The famous sixth game of his first world championship match with Botvinnik is typical in that regard : Tal sacrificed a knight with little compensation but prevailed when the unsettled Botvinnik failed to find the correct response.

Although his playing style at first was scorned by ex-World Champion Vasily Smyslov as nothing more than "tricks", Tal convincingly beat virtually every notable grandmaster with his trademark aggression. Viktor Korchnoi and Paul Keres are two of the very few with a significant plus record against him. It is also notable that he adopted a more sedate and positional style in his later years; for many chess lovers, the apex of Tal's style corresponds with the period (approximately from 1971 to 1979) when he was able to integrate the solidity of classical chess with the imagination of his youth.

Of the current top-level players, the Latvian-born Spaniard Alexei Shirov has probably been most influenced or inspired by Tal's sacrificial style. In fact, he studied with Tal as a youth. Many other Latvian grandmasters and masters, for instance Alexander Shabalov and Alvis Vitolins, have played in a similar vein, causing some to speak of a "Latvian School of Chess". Tal contributed little to opening theory, despite a deep knowledge of most systems, the Sicilian and the Ruy Lopez in particular. But his aggressive use of the Modern Benoni Defense, particularly in his early years, led to a complete reevaluation of this variation at the time, though it is seldom seen in top-class tournament play in the 21st century.

Four Games with FM MichiganEagle

In the follwing endgame puzzle, it is Black to play and win.

In the follwing endgame puzzle, it is White to play and win.

In the follwing endgame puzzle, it is Black to play and win. 

In the follwing middlegame puzzle, it is White to play and win.

Overprotection

An overprotection is the strategy of protecting a pawn or specific square of the chessboard more than is immediately necessary. This serves to dissuade the opponent from attacking that specific point and provides greater freedom of movement for the pieces protecting that square. This can cause an opponent to pursue a faulty plan or no plan at all. Aron Nimzowitsch was one of the foremost proponents of overprotection.

In the following middlegame puzzle, White (Aron Nimzowitsch) has just played 20. Rhe1, completed the overprotection of e5 and thus deciding the fate of the game. Black has no defence. Note the aesthetic effect created by White's position.

Adjournment

Some boardgames such as chess use an adjournment mechanism to suspend the game in progress so it can be continued at another time, typically the following day. The rationale is that games often extend in duration beyond what is reasonable for a single session of play. As in chess, there is sometimes a sealed move, where the next move that would be made is sealed in an envelope, to be played out (usually by an independent third party, normally the director or arbiter). In chess, the practice of adjournment is far less common today than it was a few decades ago, due to a trend towards shorter time controls and the advent of strong chess computers.

When an adjournment is made, the player whose move it is secretly writes his next move on his scoresheet but does not make the move on the chessboard. He places both his and his opponent's scoresheets in the sealed-move envelope and seals it. The names of the players, the colors, the position, the time on the clocks, and other data are recorded on the envelope. The arbiter keeps possession of the envelope until it is time to restart the game. The arbiter opens the envelope, makes the sealed move on the board, and starts the opponent's clock. If the sealed move is ambiguous and subject to more than one interpretation, the opponent of the player making the sealed move may choose among the reasonable interpretations (Just & Burg 2003:72–78). If the sealed move is illegal and there is no reasonable interpretation, the player making the sealed move loses the game (Just & Burg 2003:38).

The envelope above is used for the adjournment of a match game Efim Geller vs. Bent Larsen, Copenhagen 1966.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

In the above middlegame puzzle, it is Black to play. How he exploits the weakness of White's queenside pawn structure? The following is the suggested solution.

KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is a fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, which specializes in fried chicken. An "American icon", it is the world's largest fried chicken chain and the second largest restaurant chain overall after McDonald's, with over 17,000 outlets in 105 countries and territories as of December 2011.

Another Example of Coercion

In the following puzzle, Black has just played 25... Nxf4. White should response 26. Qxf4+! (not gxf4?),  coercing the king to a very poisonous square (e7).

Coercion

Coercion is the act of coercing an opponent's piece or pieces to poisonous square or squares without a sacrifice or sacrifices. Coercion occurs when a player forces a piece to a square where it will later come under attack. 

In the following example, Black should play 1... Rh2+, coercing the king to g4.

Antipositional

An antipositional is a move or a plan that is not in accordance with the principles of positional play. Antipositional is used to describe moves that are part of an incorrect plan rather than a mistake made when trying to follow a correct plan. Antipositional moves are often pawn moves; since pawns cannot move backwards to return to squares they have left, their advance often creates irreparable weaknesses.

In the Gunderam defense, Black may surprise the attacker after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bf5 6.Ne5 c6 7.g4 and now, insteading of retreating to g6, Black plays the antipositional 7...Be6.

Mobility and Spatial Advantages

Mobility is a measure of the number of choices (legal moves) a player has in a given position. It is often used as a term in the evaluation function of chess programs. It is based on the idea that the more choices you have at your disposal, the stronger your position. A study of tournament games in which the material balance was still even after the 20th move showed a definite correlation between a player's mobility and the number of games won. In computer programs, mobility is sometimes calculated differently than simply by summing up the number of legal or pseudo-legal moves. Often, it is done piece-by-piece, and the mobility bonus per possible move is not always the same for each type of piece (e.g. in the opening, the mobility of the bishops and knights is more important than that of the rooks). Sometimes forward mobility is scored higher than backward mobility, sometimes (in case of rooks) vertical mobility gets priority over horizontal mobility. Also, if a piece can move to the square of another friendly piece, sometimes that move is also counted - although it would not be a legal move, it is protecting the friendly piece, and therefore still serves a useful role.

Said the physician and chess master Siegbert Tarrasch, "Cramped positions bear the germs of defeat." Mobility and spatial advantages are key to a positional understanding of chess. A spatial advantage in a game will allow you to move your pieces from one edge of the board to the other faster than the opponent. In general, the side with a weak pawn or weak square to defend has a spatial disadvantage, as he would have by reason, needing to huddle up all of his pieces together to defend that weak point. A spatial advantage allows you more territory to maneuver through. If your opponent has a spatial disadvantage, this is a long-term plus for you. The spatial advantage allows you to build up slowly, letting your opponent stew in his own juices for as long as you want him to. The advantage in space will not go away. The principal idea of a spatial advantage is to not make too many exchanges. Think of a bottle of water. If you have a spatial disadvantage and your pieces are the water, the air is the remaining maneuvering space you have. But as the water is drunk (pieces get exchanged), there is more space for you, and material is still level.

In the following puzzle, White (Keres) has his pieces at their optimal posts. Every piece is pressuring a weak point in Black (Capablanca)'s position. The queen is especially well-posted; she is attacking both weak pawns at a6 and c6. Black's chances of surviving this game are pretty bad, but he can still struggle on. Therefore, White creates a third weakness and Black's position collapsed: 22.Ne6! Qb8 23.Ng5! Rb7 24.Qg4 Bf4 25.Rc4 Rb5 26. Nxf7!! White sacrifices his knight to create a kingside weakness, for after 26....Kxf7 27.Rd7+ and White wins due to the weakness of the g7-pawn. Black declined the sacrifice with 26....Re8! 27.g3 Qc8, hoping to alleviate the pressure by making the transition into an ending. However, Black's game is still lost due to the organic weaknesses on a6 and c6. 28.Rxf4 Qxg4 29.Rxg4 Kxf7 30.Rd7+ Re7 31.Rxe7+ Kxe7 32. Bxg7. White is up two pawns and won on move 38.

Nimzowitsch

Nimzowitsch (7 November 1886 – 16 March 1935) is considered one of the most important players and writers in chess history. His works influenced numerous other players, including Savielly Tartakower, Milan Vidmar, Richard Réti, Akiba Rubinstein, Bent Larsen and Tigran Petrosian, and his influence is still felt today.

Nimzowitsch supplemented many of the earlier simplistic assumptions about chess strategy by enunciating in his turn a further number of general concepts of defensive play aimed at achieving one's own goals by preventing realization of the opponent's plans. Notable in his "system" were concepts such as overprotection of pieces and pawns under attack, control of the center by pieces instead of pawns, blockading of opposing pieces (notably the passed pawns) and prophylaxis. He was also a leading exponent of the fianchetto development of bishops. Perhaps most importantly, he formulated the terminology still in use for various complex chess strategies. Others had used these ideas in practice, but he was the first to present them systematically as a lexicon of themes accompanied by extensive taxonomical observations.

Karpov's Playing Style

Karpov's "boa constrictor" playing style is solidly positional, taking no risks but reacting mercilessly to any tiny errors made by his opponents. As a result, he is often compared to his idol, the famous José Raúl Capablanca, the third World Champion. Karpov himself describes his style as follows :

"Let us say the game may be continued in two ways: one of them is a beautiful tactical blow that gives rise to variations that don't yield to precise calculation; the other is clear positional pressure that leads to an endgame with microscopic chances of victory. I would choose the latter without thinking twice. If the opponent offers keen play I don't object; but in such cases I get less satisfaction, even if I win, than from a game conducted according to all the rules of strategy with its ruthless logic."

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Petrosian's Playing Style

Petrosian was a conservative, cautious, and highly defensive chess player who was strongly influenced by Nimzowitsch's idea of prophylaxis. He made more effort to prevent his opponent's offensive capabilities than he did to make use of his own. He very rarely went on the offensive unless he felt his position was completely secure. He usually won by playing consistently until his aggressive opponent made a mistake, securing the win by capitalizing upon this mistake without revealing any weaknesses of his own. This style of play often led to draws, especially against other players who preferred to counterattack. Nonetheless, his patience and mastery of defense made him extremely difficult to beat. He was undefeated at the 1952 and 1955 Interzonals, and in 1962 he did not lose a single tournament game. Petrosian's consistent ability to avoid defeat earned him the nickname "Iron Tigran".

Fortress

The fortress is an endgame drawing technique in which the side behind in material sets up a zone of protection around their king that cannot be penetrated by the opponent. This only works when the opponent does not have a passed pawn or cannot create one, unless that pawn can be stopped.

Sacrifice

A sacrifice is a move giving up a piece in the hopes of gaining tactical or positional compensation in other forms. A sacrifice could also be a deliberate exchange of a chess piece of higher value for an opponent's piece of lower value.

In the above example, Black played 14... d4! 15. Nxd4 Nd5. In exchange for the sacrificed pawn, Black has obtained a semi-open file, a diagonal, an outpost on d5 and saddled White with a backward pawn on d3. The game was eventually drawn.