Everyone's First Strategy Kit
Most players (1200-2200 chess.com rating) are strong in tactics and openings, but their ratings don’t show it because their positional knowledge just isn’t up to par. In other words, they can never create the circumstances to execute those tactical knockouts. Everyone has it: that one part of their game where once they get a grip on it, everything clicks and their results improve dramatically. And for a lot of players, that area is positional play.
Almost no matter how complicated a certain position is, it can roughly be divided into one of these five categories. I therefore, do hope that you will benefit from studying these strategic concepts and that it will help you improve your understanding and overall chess strength. Those essential positional skills to take your game to the next level: Everyone's First Strategy Kit.
1) The art of the trade
Exchange the right pieces and when. Learn how you can swap off your opponent’s MVP for your weak piece (even if their point value is ‘the same’) - allowing the rest of your pieces to march in with little resistance
2) The Art of Maneuvering in Closed Games
Playing 1.d4 (or against it) is often a much different game than 1.e4. Learn the strategic maneuvers and planning skills needed to be successful in this family of openings which include 1.c4 and 1.Nf3
3) Pawn Structures
Make a strategic blueprint based on pawn structure. Understand how to play with or against an isolated queen pawn, play for the minority attack or defend against it, and other common pawn structure plans
4) Positional Sacrifice
Learn when material doesn’t matter. With a chapter dedicated to positional sacrifices, you’ll learn when you should give up material - whether that be a pawn, an exchange, or even a piece - to get long-term positional compensation
5) Exploiting Critical Squares
Exploit critical squares. Learn how to find a weak square and exploit it - or make one if there is none
These exercises - each showing very relatable situations you’re almost certain to encounter in some form - are sure to expand your brain and commit the concepts to heart such that you can apply them in your own games. So if you’re ready to kick up your strategic skills and the rest of your game while you’re at it, this is your course - get Everyone's First Strategy Kit today.
Chess lessons available at: Chess-boost
