Stalemate is probably the most dramatic way of making a draw in a chess game. It is a common situation when a beginner tries to checkmate with lots of pieces against a lonely king, and then suddenly… stalemate and tears. But actually, this topic is much deeper than that. In this article, we will start with more basic stuff, and next, go to more advanced positions to see how wonderful a stalemate can be.
One of the concepts you’ve certainly heard or come across in your studying is planning. It is something every coach teaches their pupils right from the start, albeit with different words. Each move has to have an idea is something each of us has heard before. And while the level of difficulty of this idea will change with our chess understanding, this is still the essence of the word “plan”.
Chess Gambit is an opening where one side sacrifices material, hoping to achieve an advantageous resulting position. In most cases, in exchange for the material that side gets better development, weakens the opponent’s king, or opens some lines for an attack. If we compare chess gambits with life, it is like trying to prove mind over matter, trying to reject the philosophy of materialism. This is why there are so many fans of chess gambits all over the world. Besides being a truly romantic approach, it brings more fun into the game.
The Pirc Defense is one of those openings you can easily fall in love with. It is one of the most charming ways of meeting 1.e4 and there are many fans of the Pirc among the players of any level. The reason is that Black often tries to play for something more than just equality.
He has been number one in chess for over 10 years. He holds the record for the longest unbeaten streak in classical games. He is the current world champion in classical, blitz, and rapid chess at the same time. Many people consider him the best chess player ever. His name is Magnus Carlsen.
Even those who don’t know how to play chess are wondering what makes him so special, what qualities allow him to show such incredible results. Some assume that the secret is his phenomenal memory; others believe that he has an extremely high IQ level.
The Art of Exchanges is one of those under-the-radar ‘super skills’ that all the strong players possess, and the rest doesn’t quite get.
It is perhaps the most important, very underestimated SKILL in chess.
Few players, other than IMs and GMs realize how powerful that skill really is.
Needless to say, over 95% of club players do not put much thought when it comes to exchanging their pieces or pawns. If the exchange looks “fair” or “equal” why not swap a pair of bishops, trade the knight, or few pawns?
In this article, I would like to explain the reasons for recommending the Scotch Game as a way to combat 1.e4 e5 instead of many other possibilities that exist out there. As a person who has played nearly exclusively 1.e4 e5 on the Black side, and a person who just published a Black course on 1.e4 e5 and is about to publish a book, I can definitely say that White does not have any opening advantage in 1.e4 e5.
It is not a secret that passed pawns are one of the most powerful weapons on the board. A passed pawn can promote into a queen and this is something that happens in endgames more than often. But in middlegames, things are usually a bit different. When there are many inhabitants on the board the road for the pawn is not sweet and full of roses at all. Pawns rarely promote in middlegames; a more seen scenario is that it gets blocked or surrounded by enemies.
Working on strategic understanding is essential for players of any level if they want to improve. And club players know it as well, but they often prefer working on tactics instead. It is understandable; you can solve lots of puzzles to sharpen your tactical vision and then try to score some quick wins by spotting blunders. The strategy seems to be more complicated and less attractive, and so often it remains neglected. Although no one would argue that it is useful, it sounds too abstract. What are the specific benefits?
If you are looking to take your positional understanding to the next level, the TCW Academy course on the Outposts is a definite must-take! IM Milovan Ratkovic starts out with the basics and quickly deep dives into the mechanics of the outpost play.
