counterplay - tag

One of the first things we learn about in chess is the value of the pieces. We start off with the points-value of the pieces and favorable combinations between them. Later on, we understand that this value is only relative and there is much more to chess than some simple rules. We learn that when […]

We have been talking a lot about attacking and finding active ideas in your games, but very little about how to defend and put up a good resistance when under pressure. Many players train their tactical skills, but very few know that defense can be trained in a similar way. Perhaps this is the reason […]

A very important feature of the position and one that we should pay special attention to during every game we play is the pawn structure and the changes that it might suffer throughout the game, as your plans should also change with it. The study of the most important pawn formations will not only help […]

King’s Indian Defense is one of the most popular replies for black against white’s 1.d4. It is the perfect weapon for the active player who likes to be aggressive and is not afraid of complications. The opening is well-known for the dangerous attacks that black can start on the kingside, which has produced many brilliant […]

Indo-Benoni Structure and its Pattern number 1. The Benoni Defense (arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 ed 5.cd5 d6 6.e4 g6) is one of the most attractive options to play as black for those players looking for a sharp game. Historically, world champions have employed this defense with great success; […]

Symmetrical positions can be tricky and difficult to evaluate. At first sight, they may look equal – after all, there are no visible differences between the two sides – and less experienced players are tempted to think that a draw will be easy to achieve. While a draw is likely to happen in a game […]

Getting a good positional understanding is an important step to improving your play and becoming a stronger player. Studying the basic themes, seeing the positional masterpieces played by the great players and solving many exercises can help you in this direction. One of the most important concepts, which appears in probably every single game is […]

Dynamic vs. Static Play: Here are a couple of the questions we receive most often from our students. “When do I know when to play for an attack? And, when to stay quiet and follow the strategic path?” You can always find the answer to this question by looking at the position you have in […]