Understanding Chess Strategy

by Alexander Raetsky

Preface

Strategy is the most fundamental part of chess. Strategy means systematic action on the basis of an understanding of the game, and the implementation of a plan aimed at weakening and – in the end – destroying the opponent’s position. Tactics are single moves within the framework of a strategic plan.

Clearly strategy has been with us since the beginning of the game, but a strategy based on pawn structure (and subsequently the placing of both pieces and pawns) was not developed until Philidor came along. Strategic theory was first analysed by Steinitz. Subsequently, Tarrasch, Nimzowitsch, and the so-called ‘hypermoderns’ (Reti, Tartakower) and other twentieth century masters made important contributions to chess theory. Today chess strategy develops as the game evolves, but the classic fundamentals of theory remain the same. Strategy can be broken down into a number of topics:

1. Open files

2. Long diagonals

3. Weak pawns

4. Weak squares

5. White or black square weaknesses

6. Space

7. The bishop pair

8. Passed pawns

9. Blockade

10. Bad piece placement

11. Bad co-ordination

These topics are dealt with in the first eleven chapters.

Chapter 12, a little longer, deals with a fundamental strategic idea: the centre.

Charter 13 discusses how to assess positions and planning as a synthesis of the strategic elements discussed in the previous chapters.

Chapters 14-16 examine strategic methods: attack, defence, counter-attack and slow manoeuvring.

The final chapters deal with some important strategic questions: the isolated pawn, hanging pawns, prophylaxis and exchanges.

Famous games have been used to exemplify the text and the strategic concepts discussed; occasionally, less well-known contemporary games for current tournament practice have been used.

Although it is increasingly difficult to draw a line between the opening and middlegame or the middlegame and endgame, the openings leading to certain types of middlegame are not discussed in this book. The middlegame is discussed in terms of concepts that refer chiefly to this phase of the game and have three pieces (plus the queen) or four pieces (without queens). The resulting endgames are omitted or given without comment.

The section with tests set problems relating top all the subjects dealt with in the previous chapters. Readers should try to solve the problems mentally, without a chessboard. The moves showing the right strategic idea are sufficient. The solutions include the final moves of each game.

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