General Information
Initiative in chess is important in all stages of the game. It is usually associated with an attack but can be reached even in endgames. In general, one side has the initiative if they can make threats that cannot be ignored. That turns the other side into a defensive mode and doesn’t give them time […]
Alekhine Defense is the most famous example of a provocative opening. Black meets 1.e4 with 1…Nf6, attacking the central pawn on move 1 and inviting it to move farther. It is well-known pawns cannot go backward and hence leave weaknesses behind themselves. Still, it is quite a common scenario when White starts pursuing that knight […]
Accelerated Dragon is one of the most aggressive variations of the Sicilian. Black develops their dark-squared bishop to the most active position from where it puts a lot of pressure on White’s center and queenside. It usually leads to sharp and complicated positions where both sides try to launch an attack as quickly as possible.
The impact that an opening stage makes on the rest of the game is difficult to overestimate. If you get a great position out of the opening, you can defeat even a higher-rated player. On the other hand, if you end up in a worse position after the beginning phase, you might struggle for the […]
Openings: When you only start playing chess, it is enough to know only basic opening principles such as controlling the center, developing your pieces, castling early, and so on. After some learning and practicing, you will reach the point where you will start studying opening theory. It will familiarize you with typical plans and ideas, […]
Chess is a game that’s played on and off the board. On the board, players have to show their skills, understanding of different positions, pawn structures, tactical motifs, and much more. However, that’s not the only war. Chess is also played at a psychological level; the mindset you enter a game with is of great […]
There are 32 pieces on the board and you might be wondering how to remember all their positions. Don’t worry we have got you covered. In this article, we will do an in-depth dive into how to set up a chessboard. Chess is a fascinating game, full of possibilities. The two armies – the white […]
Ulf Andersson is one of the legends of our game. At his peak, he has reached number 4 on the rating list. He is famous for his great positional style and his strategic masterpieces. He contributed greatly to developing the theory in the Hedgehog line of the Sicilian, with both colors. This is one of […]
Chess Strategy is what separates a grandmaster from an international master in chess. It’s his level of positional understanding and ability to formulate an accurate strategy on ANY move, in ANY position, and at ANY time. The process is subtle and subliminal—not much on the outside, rather on the inside. If you watch a GM […]
Bobby Fischer, an icon of our sport, is perhaps one of the most studied chess players. Robert James Fischer called Bobby is famous for his universal playing style, excellent endgame technique, and his great contributions to chess in the form of chess writings, new ideas in a number of openings, and a new variant of […]
