Middle Game

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
04.13.2016

Knowing how to attack is very important in chess. Just as a player must train his positional understanding by learning new concepts and putting them into practice, attacking skills can be improved by learning the standard maneuvers of each position. Attacking is not always easy. Many times a player can’t rely on calculations and he […]

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
03.28.2016

One of the main points of chess improvement is understanding the pawn structures that arise in each game. It is well known that the pawn structure is an indicator of where each side should play. However, sometimes things are not so determined; the position can have several other elements that demand action in a different […]

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
03.16.2016

Most chess players will agree that doubled pawns are usually a weakness. They can give our opponent a clear target of attack and force our pieces into passivity. It is also common knowledge that they become even easier to attack and uncomfortable to play with in the endgame, when it sometimes feels like playing with […]

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
02.03.2016

When talking about minor pieces, we have noticed that many times there is a tendency to prefer either the knight or the bishop. In general, beginners like to play with the knights because of their ability to jump over pieces.

Yury Markushin
01.25.2016
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Yury Markushin
01.25.2016

One of the most difficult concepts to explain to beginners is the concept of “compensation” in chess. As a trainer I have seen many of my pupils struggling to correctly evaluate unbalanced positions, no matter what side are they on.

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
01.06.2016

Isolated Queen’s Pawn positions can arise from many different opening systems, either with white or black pieces. I’ve always found it curious how Grandmasters enjoy playing IQP positions on either side, sometimes fighting against the isolated central pawn, sometimes with it, exploiting its benefits to the maximum. These positions seem to have a special charm […]

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
01.04.2016

One of the questions we receive from players who are starting in the game and others with more experience as well is ”what should I play?” It feels like one must decide and “marry” a set of openings for white and black in order to be a serious chess player, something close to being “an […]

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
01.01.2016

Pawn play is one difficult element in chess. Mastering the art of knowing what pawn you should move, and most importantly, when to do it, is definitely something that takes years to learn. In this article, we are going to have a look at a specific type of pawn play, the central ruptures.

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
12.23.2015

Winning a great attacking game can definitely give any chess player great satisfaction. However, it’s not always easy to go after the opponent’s king and find an efficient mating idea. Many attacks emerge right after the opening and are based on the opponent’s undeveloped pieces and un-castled king.

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
12.21.2015

In today’s article, we are going to continue our inquiry on the art of attack in chess. We have seen so far numerous ideas of sacrifices that can destroy our opponent’s castle and leave the king open. Another plan you could use in order to start an attack against the short castle is to use […]