Winning Chess Strategy

by International Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier

Answers to Chess Strategy Examples

Chess Strategy - Example A: White is threatening to play Qxf7 checkmate! Black defends best by moving 1...Nf6. This move meets the threat and develops the Knight to a good square.

Chess Strategy- Example B: White can win his pawn back immediately with a move like 1.Nbxd4. But did you look for a better move? By playing 1 Nc7+, you can win Black's Queen!

Chess Strategy - Example C: One good plan for White here would be an attack on Black's King. Once he has decided to do this, White should figure out how to bring his pieces to that area of the board. After 1.f4, for example, White can bring his Rook to f3 and then to g3 or h3, where it would exert pressure around Black's King.

Chess Strategy - Example D: White's threat here is to play Nxf7, with a double attack on Black's Queen and Rook. Black should simply castle (0-0). Now if White continues with his "threat," Black merely captures the Knight and the Bishop. That continuation would be

1...0-0  2.Nxf7 Rxf7 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7

You can see that White has traded Bishop and Knight for Black's Rook and pawn. That's about an even exchange, except - in the early part of the game especially - these two pieces are often handier than the Rook. Note that White has exchanged his only developed pieces, while Black has a Bishop and two Knights ready to attack.

Chess Strategy - Example E: Here is an example where a Knight is better than a Bishop. The Bishop is trapped behind its own pawns, while the Knight is free to hop in and out of Black's position. It will be easy to maneuver the Knight to f6, and if Black defends the pawn at h7 with his King, White's King will enter Black's position by way of c5 or e5, with decisive effect.

Chess Strategy - Example F: The tables turn; Black's Knight moves so slowly that after 1 h6, the pawn cannot be prevented from reaching the eighth rank and being promoted. If Black has a Bishop on b6 instead of the Knight, he could answer 1.h6 with 1...Bd4+, when the Bishop would control the crucial square h8.

Chess Strategy - Example G: It is easy to see that White has control of the center in this position. His pawns occupy center squares, while Black's pawns are not yet involved in the struggle. Note how easy it will be for White to develop his Bishops to squares that help control the center, while Black's Bishops are hemmed in by his own pawns.

Chess Strategy - Example H: There, too, White has more central control and a freer game. The pawn at e4 attacks two squares on Black's half of the board and helps control d5, preventing the pawn on d6 from advancing while providing protection in the event that white plays Nd5. White can put a Rook on d1 later to put pressure on the d-file.

Chess Strategy - Example I: This example shows why King safety is the most important factor. Black is ahead in material by a Bishop and a pawn, has control of the center, and has more pieces developed, but this is all worthless because he is unable to prevent white from playing Qxh7, checkmate!

Chess Strategy - Example J: White has doubled pawns on the e-file, normally a disadvantage. Here, though, the pawn on e3 controls the vital squares d4 and f4. Also, White can mount an attack by putting his Rooks and Queen on the f-file, which is no longer blocked by one of his pawns.

These doubled pawns could turn out to be weak in the endgame. Therefore, White should avoid unnecessary exchanges and concentrate on winning in the middlegame.

As you can see, this forces Black's Queen to capture White's Queen, placing the White King in stalemate. The game would be a draw!

Chess Strategy - Example K: Black has the "healthier" set of pawns here, since White has doubled pawns on both the a- and c-files. Such pawns cannot protect each other. Also, notice that the trailing or "caboose" pawn must stay forever behind his leader. A set of doubled pawns are worth little more than one pawn.

Chess Strategy - Example L: Did you get this one? It's a toughie. As Black in this superior position, if you capture White's Knight on e5 with your Knight (1...Nxe5) instead of your Queen (1...Qxe5), then white should move 2.Qf2+!

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