TheChessWorld.com
TheChessWorld Facebook TheChessWorld Twitter TheChessWorld Pinterest TheChessWorld YouTube
  • Start Here
  • Play
  • Learn
    • Training Techniques
    • Openings
    • Middlegame
    • Endgames
    • General Information
  • Tournaments
  • Academy
  • 21-Day Course
  • Store
    • TheChessWorld
    • TCW Academy
    • Chess-Teacher
    • Modern Chess
    • Roman Chess Lab
    • Foxy Chess
    • Grandmaster Magazine
    • ChessLecture
    • ICC
    • Rules Chess Strategies
    • Others
  • Contact
TheChessWorld.com
Close

Positional Chess: Complete Guide

WGM Raluca Sgîrcea, IM Renier Castellanos
WGM Raluca Sgîrcea, IM Renier Castellanos
10.06.2022
Category: General Information
Tags: Complete Guide, positional chess, positional play
Positional Chess: Complete Guide

Positional Chess: To improve at chess and become a strong player, one needs to include all parts of the game in their training.

Tactics and strategy go hand in hand during a game and it is usually difficult to separate the two. One might be more present throughout a game than the other.

But, they are both needed in order to build up the game and finally win it.

Both positional and dynamic chess can be learned by going through many Grandmaster games. This is probably the most useful tool in studying chess. By seeing how the best handle different types of positions, you learn. Then, you try to mimic what they are doing in your own games.

There are a lot of positional concepts that you need to study to improve your strategic play. And, one of the most important ones is weaknesses. Understanding what weaknesses are and being able to correctly identify them during a game is an important part of the process.

It is one of the foundations of positional chess.

It is also a term that you will come across all the time when studying strategy. A weakness can be a square or a pawn that another pawn can’t be defended by another pawn.

In addition to this, it is very important that you are able to use it or attack it easily. If you can’t use a weak square for your pieces or attack a weak pawn, then it isn’t really relevant for the position you have on the board.

Why is it so important to look for weaknesses, both in your and your opponent’s camp? Because this is how you can anticipate your opponent’s plan and create one of your own.

Positional Chess – Part 1

In general, you want to use weak squares for your pieces. A piece that’s placed on a weak square in the opponent’s camp can’t be easily kicked out of there.

The most common piece to bring on a weak square is the knight. If you can protect it with a pawn and create an outpost, your piece will have more stability on that square. With weak pawns, you will want to put pressure on them and tie your opponent to their defense.

The following diagram shows an example of a weak square (d6) and the way white can use it to improve his knight from e5:

positional chess

One important principle that you will learn when studying weaknesses is that weak pawns must first be fixed. And, only then you can attack them. Basically, you don’t want your target to move after you’ve spent a few moves on bringing your pieces on certain squares. Another one is the principle of the two weaknesses. It says that one weakness is usually not enough to win the game. You need to create a second target of the attack (another weakness) and attack them simultaneously.

In a cramped position, it is more difficult for the defending side to defend both flanks. So, you will eventually manage to make progress and win the game. If the weaker side has only one weakness that needs defending, then they can focus on doing that and creating a blockade for the attacking pieces.

Positional Chess – Part 2

Knowing how to play in different pawn structures is another very important step in learning strategy. Different structures require different plans and it is much easier to find the right continuation during the game if you have already studied the pawn structure you have on the board. You can start with the structures you play most (the ones that arise from your openings). But, eventually, you should study all the important pawn structures.

It is very important, for example, to know how to play in positions with an isolated pawn.

the isolated pawn

The Isolated pawn

 

They are dynamic and very resourceful positions, where many plans are possible. Study how to play with it and then against it. Then do the same for the hanging pawns.

Other important structures are the Maroczy structure (with pawns on c4 and e4), the Carlsbad structure and the minority attack, how to play against a backward pawn, advantages and disadvantages of the doubled pawns, the queenside pawn majority, and so on.

positional chess

The Maroczy bind

 

the carlsbad pawn structure

The Carlsbad pawn structure

 

backward pawn f6

Example of a backward pawn (f6)

 

In correlation with the pawn structure, we have the pieces. Some pieces work better in specific structures. Knowing that it’s important to understand which ones to keep and which ones to try to trade. On the other hand, if you can’t trade the bad pieces, you have to know what you should try to achieve.

Let’s take positions where one side has the bishop pair.

Positional Chess – Part 3

The bishops are long-range pieces and they work very well in positions with an open center. So, it makes sense to try and open the center if you have them and refrain from central pawn trades if you play against them. Knights, on the other hand, are strong when the center is closed. That’s because they can jump over pieces and get into the opponent’s position easily. They are also very dangerous in the attack.

In the following diagram we see an example where the knight dominates the bishop:

positional chess

Opposite-colored bishops in the middlegame is another positional concept that you have to know. Although endgames with opposite-colored bishops tend to be a draw, middlegames are very different. It is very easy to get in trouble if you don’t know the typical ideas in such positions.

Part 4

To know what to do in the middlegame, you have to be able to correctly assess the position you have on the board. All the above-mentioned elements will help you understand which side is better in a game and what direction to take in a certain position. King’s safety is one of the most important factors on the board. And, that is the first to look at when assessing a position.

Then, the position of the pieces; who has the better pieces?

Weaknesses are also an element to take into account. At the end of this operation, you should know which side has a better position and have an idea about the plans each one has available.

Understanding exchanges also plays a big role in improving the level of your positional play. Trades are difficult even at the highest level and even Grandmasters make mistakes, but you can start with some simple guidelines. For example, you want to ideally trade your bad pieces for your opponent’s strong ones. You also want to leave your opponent with the bad ones, so trading only their good ones makes sense.

You should usually avoid queen trades if you are on the attacking side. On the contrary, if you are defending, exchanging Queens can be a good defensive resource. These are just some ideas; there are of course a lot more things to take into consideration when deciding on a trade.

Conclusion

As you become stronger, you will learn more and more positional ideas. One of them is the positional sacrifice, where one side sacrifices material for long-term pressure over the opponent’s position.

It can be a pawn sacrifice, an exchange sacrifice (a very famous idea, used a lot by Tigran Petrosian in his games), but also a piece sacrifice in some cases.

Patience and the ability to squeeze your opponent by slowly increasing the pressure is another ability that you learn with time and after studying a lot of Grandmasters’ games.

Patience is very important in worse positions as well. Sometimes doing nothing at all is better than trying to do something, as you might end up weakening your position even more. In practice, this is very difficult, but it is a skill that you can develop with training.

https://thechessworld.com/store/product/mastering-positional-play-with-gm-sipke-ernst/

Find this post useful? Share it?
Become a Chess Player You've Meant to Be!
TCW Academy is the fast, fun & convenient way to become a MUCH better chess player.
Join Academy Today!

Related Posts

  • How to Learn Positional Play?How to Learn Positional Play?
  • Chess Tactics: Complete GuideChess Tactics: Complete Guide
  • How to Win at Chess: Complete GuideHow to Win at Chess: Complete Guide
Related Products
5 1 vote
Article Rating
Login
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Join the FREE Road to 2200 Masterclass (and learn how to Attack Like a Chess Master)
We value your privacy
Supercharge Your Chess in 21 Days!
Join Academy Today!
TheChessWorld.com
http://pogonina.com/
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • F.A.Q.
  • Partnership
  • Blog
  • Grandmasters
  • Jobs
Chess Resources
  • TCW Academy
  • The Store
  • 21 Day Course
  • Play Computer
Top Resources
  • Opening Lab
  • Mastermind
  • Chess Mastery Series
  • Academy
100% Secure Purchase
Money Back PayPal SSL Comodo
Customer Support +1 (410) 656-9104
Email Us [email protected]
Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Mail Pinterest Youtube
Copyright 2007-2023 • TheChessWorld.com • All Rights Reserved
Cookie Policy | Acceptable Use Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
wpDiscuz