Saturday, December 25, 2021

chess axioms

If you are behind in material, trade pawns, not piecesIf you are ahead in material, trade pieces, not pawns.

when attacked on the wing, open the center. 

a flank attack is best met by a reaction in the center. 

"Chess, like love and music, has the ability to make man happy." -- Tarrasch

the longer it takes to win, the more difficult it is to win.

"As a rule, you should try to occupy a blockading square with a piece." - Karpov

if the tactics aren't working out, switch the move order. 

For a plan: ask yourself what you would do if you had two or three moves in a row.

Make your opponent make the captures in your favor.

Throw out the move, but not the idea.

Patzer sees a check, patzer plays a check.

When behind in space, trade pieces.

If your opponent's pieces are working better than your own, trade them off.

Fixed or blockaded pawns become stationary targets.

"...a winning position can and has to be improved and perfected before material is won and it becomes a technical win." --Seirawan

Try to create play on the side of the board on which you have the advantage.

When faced with a choice of protecting a passed pawn by a rook (passive role) or sacrificing the pawn to make more active use of the rook, after careful consideration, sac the pawn.

The rook belongs behind the passed pawn, yours or the opponent's. --Tarrasch

In isolated pawn positions, trading pieces benefits the player who is facing the isolated pawn.

The player who has more space tries to keep pieces on the board.

Open positions favor the player who is better developed.

Invite all your pieces to the party!

Don't open fresh lines to a better-developed opponent. 

"It's important to continue playing accurately." -Daniel Naroditsky

Don't make unnecessary pawn moves in the endgame.

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I am the author of 5 books: Android Down, Firewood for Cannibals, The Cubicles of Madness, Robot Stories, and most recently, Various Meats and Cheeses. I live and write in Michigan. My website is at danmanning.com