Middle Game Plans

8/18/2019 Middle Game Plans

1/19

Middle Game Plans• Samantha212

• | Oct 16, 2015 at 10:33 PM

• | Posted in: Samantha212's Blog

• | 2920 reads

• | comments

!ello "hess #ans,

Most o$ o%r games are decided in the middlegame,ma&ing it immensel im(ortant to %nderstandmiddlegame (ositions to create constr%cti)estrategies and e*ecti)e (lans+ !ere are a $e

conce(ts to &ee( in mind the ne-t time o%'recon$ronted ith a relati)el e.%al middlegame ando%'re not s%re ho to (roceed:

https://www.chess.com/members/view/Samantha212https://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212https://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212https://www.chess.com/members/view/Samantha212


2/19

General Middlegame Plans: 1/ Improve the position of your pieces+ #ore-am(le, (%t &nights on o%t(osts, isho(s on o(endiagonals and roo&s on o(en les+2/ oes o%r o((onent ha)e a weakness you canattack? #or e-am(le, isolated (ans, idolateddo%le (ans, an 4P, a ac&ard (an on a hal$

o(en le, a (otentiall tra((ed (iece ith limitedmoilit Or (ossil a 7ea& S.%are 8hen gang%( o%r (ieces to gain a decisi)e ad)antage+ 8hese tactical articles ma e hel($%l Plainggainst an solated 4%een Pan and 8ra( t 8hen7in it+3/ $ a (iece is adl (laced and cannot e

im(ro)ed, can o% exchange it $or one o$ o%ro((onent's etter (laced (ieces/ "reate weaknesses in o%r o((onent's (anstr%ct%re+ #or e-am(le, creating do%le, isolated(ans or $orcing (an mo)es that lea)e ehindea& s.%ares $or o%t(osts+

5/ $ o% o%rsel$ ha)e ea&nesses, can o%

eliminate them $ not, g%ard them ell, li&e an4P or a ac&ard (an on a hal$o(en le+

6/ ;ee( o%r (ieces coordinated and see i$ o%can dist%r the coordination o$ o%r o((onent's

http://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/queens-gambit-accepted---playing-against-an-isolated-queen-pawnhttp://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/queens-gambit-accepted---playing-against-an-isolated-queen-pawnhttp://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/trap-it-then-win-ithttp://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/trap-it-then-win-ithttp://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/queens-gambit-accepted---playing-against-an-isolated-queen-pawnhttp://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/queens-gambit-accepted---playing-against-an-isolated-queen-pawnhttp://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/trap-it-then-win-ithttp://www.chess.com/blog/Samantha212/trap-it-then-win-it


3/19

(ieces+ oo& $or o((ort%nities to ring o%r roo& to the2nd?=th ran&, inltrating o%r o((onent's side o$ the oard+10/ 8a&e ad)antage o$ o%r Pan Ma@orit+ oo& $or o((ort%nities to create a (assed

(an+


4/19

a central o%t(ost, is a start %t alone is not eno%ghto in+ o%r aim is to amass as man ad)antagesas o% can e$ore dealing o%r lethal, attac&ing

lo ith as man (ieces as (ossile+ BAM! O$ co%rse, i$ o%r o((onent ma&es a mista&e orl%nders then it ma come more .%ic&l, %t don't(lan on it+ Slo and stead im(ro)ement o$ o%r(osition is the est a to go+

Grandmaster Games 8he $olloing e-am(les are $rom Crandmastergames+ 8o access o%r on thin&ing Dshortcomingsand strengths/, thin& ao%t each (osition rst andcreate a (lan+ $terards, e'll re)ie the (lanthat as (laed in the act%al game+ 8he Master's

agenda is clearl e-(lained to enrich o%r insightinto middlegame (lanning+

You're Mission: 8a&e aa the ideas (resented

here and %se them in o%r on $%t%re games+

Cood >%c&E

Position F1: Blac& @%st (laed+++;-g=+


5/19

Sergey Makarichev 2!""# vs$ %obert &ellin2'2!#!astings, Gnglan | ec 19=9 | G"O: "55 | 10

1$ e'e!2$ (f)(c*)$ &c'(f*'$ d)&e+!$ &b),-,*$ ,-

,d*+$ c)&d+.$ (bd2&e./$ %e10h.1"$ d'(d+11$ (f

1&f*12$ (g)g*1)$ &h*&g+1'$ &xg+0xg+7hen e

e)al%ate the (osition $rom this (oint e notice that thedar& s.%ares aro%nd Blac&'s &ing are )er ea&+ !is >S

isho( is tra((ed his on (ieces and oth o$ his

&nights are de$ending the e5 (an+

1!$ a'Serge has a )er acti)e isho( ho controls a


6/19

center diagonal+ !e ma&es this (re)entati)e mo)e to

maintain the isho('s acti)it along the diagonal i$ the

&night sho%ld attac& it+

D15+ h$ he egan his &ingside attac&

rst 15+++ Ha5Blac&'s &night co%ld attac& the isho( and

he's either ca(t%red or $orced to mo)e to a more (assi)e

(osition+ 16+ Bc2/1!$$$ a!Blac& res(onds in li&e to

(re)ent hite $rom (%shing the (an to a5, hich o%ld

ta&e aa the 6 s.%are $rom the &night+ 8he c5 s.%are

is alread controlled the hite (an, limiting the

s.%ares the &nights can mo)e to+

1*$ h'BME 8his is 7hite's main (lan+ 8o attac& the

ea&ened &ingside ith an h(an (%sh

1*$$$ h!Blac& sto(s the (an's (rogression %t it also

ea&ens the g5 s.%are to %se as an o%t(ost+

1+$ (g!PO7E 8he &night immediatel ma&es %se o$ the

o%t(ost+ Blac& can not (resentl (%sh the $(an to $6 to

&ic& the &night aa eca%se it o%ld allo the &night to

$or& the &ing and .%een+

1+$$$ 3e+ 8he .%een mo)es to (re)ent the $or& and

de$ends the e6 s.%are+

D1=+++ $6$ this mo)e is made+ 1+ He6Ie)astating $orBlac&+ /1.$ f'Serge ants to rea& o(en the (an

center+

1.$$$ exf'Bellin ta&es the (an

1/$ (e2 8he &night sings o)er to ca(t%re the (an


7/19

1/$$$ (d.Blac& (%ts another de$ender on the e6 s.%are+

$ter the &night ca(t%res $, 7hite ill ha)e 3 attac&ers

on the e6 s.%are+

2"$ (xf'c* 8his (an (%sh de$ends the d5 s.%are,

(re)enting the &night $rom attac&ing the .%een ith Hd5

21$ 3d) .%een li$t accom(lishes three things: 1+She's

on a more acti)e s.%are+ 2+$ter the e(an (%shes, she'll

ha)e a eeline to g6 and 3+She can slide o)er to g3 i$

needed+

21$$$ %h.e$ends the hle+

22$ %e2 8his .%iet roo& mo)e allos the aroo& to @oin the

(art o$ attac&ers, either on e1 or $1+

22$$$ f* 8he $(an attac&s the &night %t it also ea&ens

the e6 s.%are+

2)$ (ge*O# "OJ


8/19

roo&+

)"$ %e+"PO7E 8he roo& inltrates the =th ran&E

)"$$$ 0h*


9/19

1+CM Ma&ariche) started de$ensi)el (re)enting

a ell(laced isho( $rom eing &ic&edo* the

center diagonal+

2+8hen $olloed it %( (%shing the h(an to$%rther ea&en Blac&'s &ingside (ans+

3+!e too& ad)antage o$ o%t(osts created Blac&'s

(an (%shes, and immediatel (laced a &night on

them+

+7e sa the &nights e-ert their (oer o)er a

ea& s.%are De6/ ith the hel( o$ the isho(+5+!e %tiliQed oth roo&s to control the center,

&ingside les+

6+


10/19

Alexander 5olush vs$ 6ladimir AlatortsevJ


11/19

attem(ting to mate in 2 mo)es+ !e's threatening to

ca(t%re the &night on h5 and mate ith 4g= a$ter Blac&

ca(t%res+ B%t 7hite has handica((ed himsel$ not

attac&ing ith all his (ieces+ !is isho( A &night (assi)el

de$end s.%ares on the .%eenside and can not .%ic&l get

to the &ingside+ Blac& needs to de$end his (osition %t

ho 8here are 2 t(es o$ de$ense+ Passi)e e$ense li&e

e sa in the game ao)e and cti)e e$ense here o%

create a co%nter threat+ 7hene)er a (osition allos o%

to acti)el de$end O 8E

D3+ 4e38his as the mo)e 7hite sho%ld ha)e made+ 8he

.%een de$ends the ea& dar& s.%ares along the diagonal,

(re)enting Blac& $rom inltrating 7hite's

(osition+ /')$$$ 3b*PO7E 8his is an cti)e e$ensi)e

Mo)e+++8he .%een attac&s the roo& and threatens to

inltrate 7hite's hal$ o$ the oard+ $ s%ch a mo)e isn't

a)ailale, then o% alas ha)e +++


12/19

game and a mate ill not occ%r as .%ic&l+ /''$ %e1 8he

roo& retreats to de$end the .%een $rom entering on e3+

''$$$ %f2BME Gnters the 2nd ran& to e-ert more

(ress%re on hite+ Hotice that 7hite's .%een is loc&ed

his on roo& to enter in the de$ense

'!$ 0c1G


13/19

N

$ F ,+Middlegame Summary hat did "e learn#

1+7hen cti)e e$ensi)e Mo)es are a)ailale, ta&e

ad)antage o$ the co%nter threats the create

against o%r o((onent+2+8ol%sh too& control o$ the 2nd ran& as soon as

7hite's attac& as sto((ed+

3+!e (laced the &night on an o%t(ost that also

inter$ered ith his o((onent's ailit to moiliQe his

.%een+

+ ea%ti$%l e-am(le o$ a "learance 8acticith +++


14/19

Position F3: Blac& @%st (laed+++$6+

,ctavio 5roianescu vs$ 7arlos &enite8

Mosco olm Prel | Mosco,


15/19

hich is )er ea& eca%se there are no other (ans

de$ending it+ 8he d5 s.%are is also ea& and in 7hite's

control+ 7hite can not attac& the d6 (an at this time

and loo&s to create another ea&ness in Blac&'s (osition

to e-(loit it+

21$ %h)BME Octa)io rings the roo& to the hle

intending to $ollo it %( ith 4d5I and 4h5+ 8his

(ossiilit $orces lac& to (re)ent the attac& (%shing

one o$ his (ans, either +++h6 or g6+ $ +++h6 it creates a

ea& s.%are on g6 $or 7hite to e-(loit+ $ +++g6, alloing

the .%een and roo& atter to de$end the h= (an, it

creates a ea& s.%are on h6 and the $6 (an hangs+

21$$$ g*"arlos (%shes the g6 (an no gi)ing Blac& 2

7ea&nesses+++d6 A $6+

22$ %d)!a)ing accom(lished his goal, the roo& ret%rns to

maintaining the tension on the dle+

22$$$ a*Blac& (re(ares to create co%nter(la on the

.%eenside+

2)$ 3f'PO7E 8he .%een attac&s oth ea&nesses at

once+

2)$$$ 0g+ 8he &ing de$ends the $6 (an+

2'$ h'7hen the o((onent &ing is in a anchettoed(osition, it's a &non strateg to (%sh the roo& (an %(

the oard to ea&en the &ingside (an de$enses+ 8his is

a similar (osition e sa in the rst game here Serge

(%shed the h(an and too& ad)antage o$ o%t(osts


16/19

created Blac&'s co%nter (an mo)es+

2'$$$ b!"reates .%eenside acti)it

2!$ cxb!axb!2*$ h!Ho contin%es (%shing the h(an

%( the oard

2*$$$ c'ttac&s the roo&

2+$ h*7!ME 8here's a tactical reason h Octa)io

chec&ed the &ing instead o$ remo)ing one o$ the (ans+ t

mo)es the &ing aa $rom de$ending the $6 (an+ $ +++;$=

then 7hite $ollos%( ith


17/19

ho%se o$ cards+

)2$$$ f!Blac& can not ca(t%re the e5 (an %t this mo)e

isn't an etter+ t creates a ea& s.%are on g6,

rein$orcing the (rinci(le that e)er (an mo)e lea)es a

ea&ness ehind it+

D32+++ d-e5$ Blac& too& the e5

(an 33+


18/19

$orced Blac& to ea&en his on &ingside (ans

and hanging his $6 (an+

2+8hen 7hite &e(t sitching eteen threatening

one ea&ness then the other+3+7e sa Octa)io (%sh the h(an %( the oard to

$%rther ea&en Blac&'s &ingside+

+Blac&'s (osition as $%rther ea&ened hen the

.%een mo)ed aa $rom de$ending her (osition to

gra a (oison (an+ ord to the ise+

5+7hite then (ierced the center ith an e5 (%sh,hich as the catalst to creating more

ea&nesses $or Blac&+

6+ 7hite immediatel ho((ed his .%een into a

ea& s.%are to create a critical rea&thro%gh into

Blac&'s de$enses+

Cood or& e)erone+ Ho go s(end some time

ith o%r $a)orite (et+ o%')e earned itE 8hen

a$terards, ith a clear head, re)ie the games

again to rein$orce them into o%r memor+


19/19

ho(e this has shed some light on Strategi&ing

Middlegame Plans+ >oo& $or the ne-t in the

series and $eel $ree to send a $riend re.%est to e

notied o$ $%t%re articles+ Jntil then++++"heers+

Documents

Middle Game Plans