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How To Formulate A Plan in Chess - JEREMY SILMAN

This document provides guidelines for formulating a plan in chess based on analyzing positional imbalances. It discusses the key imbalances to consider like material, pawn structure, space, and development. It then outlines steps to determine the imbalances, identify favorable squares for your pieces, select candidate moves, and calculate to ensure the plan works. The document also provides rules on using minor pieces, controlling the center, utilizing space advantages, exploiting pawn structure defects, and capitalizing on development leads.

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James de Assis Silva
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466 views3 pages

How To Formulate A Plan in Chess - JEREMY SILMAN

This document provides guidelines for formulating a plan in chess based on analyzing positional imbalances. It discusses the key imbalances to consider like material, pawn structure, space, and development. It then outlines steps to determine the imbalances, identify favorable squares for your pieces, select candidate moves, and calculate to ensure the plan works. The document also provides rules on using minor pieces, controlling the center, utilizing space advantages, exploiting pawn structure defects, and capitalizing on development leads.

Uploaded by

James de Assis Silva
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to Formulate a Plan in Chess - JEREMY SILMAN

7 major Imbalances

Minor Pieces
Pawn Structure
Space
Material
Open Lines and Weak Squares
Development
Initiative

How to Formulate a Plan

Determine the Imbalances in the Position


Figure out which side of the board has imbalances that are favorable to your
position or the side where you can create them e.g. kingside, center, or
queenside.
Fantasize about the best squares for your pieces
Select candidate moves based on these factors
Calculate to make sure it works.

10 Rules of Minor Pieces

Both Bishops and Knights are worth 3 points each


Bishops are best in open positions where pawns dont block their diagnols.
Bishops are stronger in endgames due to its long range abilities.
The term "Bad Bishop" means that your Bishop is situated on the same color
as your center pawns.
A Bishops weakness is its "one color" weakness, that is why the Bishop-pair is
highly valued negating this weakness.
Knights excel in closed positions with locked pawns.
Knights usually stand better in the center of the board.
Knights need outpost squares or "support points" to be effective. They are the
strongest on the 5th and 6th rank, if entrenched on the 6th rank it can be
nearly equal to a rook.
Knights are superior to Bishops in endgames where all of the pawns are on
one side of the board since the long range power of the bishop has no
meaning and the knight can go to squares of either color.
The way to beat Knights is to deprive them of any advanced support points, if
this is accomplished they are inferior to Bishops.

Rules of the Center

A full pawn center gives its owner territory and control of key central squares.
Once you own a full pawn center strive to make it indestructible. If you
achieve this your center will crimp your opponent for the rest of the game.
Don't advance the center too early, every pawn move leaves weak squares in
its wake. Only advance when it gives you a tactical advantage!
If your opponent has a full pawn center you must strive to attack and
undermine it.
If center pawns get traded then it creates open files for rooks.
IF the center becomes locked then play switches to the wings.
With a closed center , you know which side to play on by noting the direction
that your pawns point. The pawns point to the area where you have more
space, and that is the side you want to control.
A wide open center allows you to attack with pieces. A closed center generally
means that you must attack with pawns (this enables you to grab space and
open files for your rooks.)

3 Rules of Space

When you have more space it is usually a good idea to avoid exchanges.
If you have less space an exchange or two will give you more room to
manuever.
A spatial advantage is permanent, a long term advantage. You don't have to
be in a hurry to utilize it. Take your time.

15 Rules of Pawn Structure Defects

A weak pawn is only weak if it can be attacked.


Weak pawns must be restrained and/or blockaded before they can be
effectively attacked.
The weak square in front of a backward pawn is often a greater problem than
the pawn itself.
A backward pawn acts a guard to a more advanced pawn that can be used to
block enemy pieces and control important squares. A backward pawn is not
bad if the square in front of it is well defended.
Play to win a weak square by trading off its defenders.
Doubled pawns reduce their flexibility. It is most often the forward doubled
pawn that is the weakest.
Creation of doubled pawns lead to open files for rooks and increased square
control.
An isolated pawn is most vulnerable on a half open file.
The creation of a isolated pawn may bestow upon its possessor the use of a
newly created half open file.
An isolated d-pawn gives its owner plenty of space for his pieces, and open
files for his rooks. The player who possesses this pawn must seek dynamic
play with his pieces.
The traditional 'c' and 'd' hanging pawns control many important central
squares, offer an advantage in space and offer play on the half open 'b' and 'e'
files.
Hanging pawns are weak if the other side is able to circumvent any dynamic
tactical advance of the pawn duo, since the pawns would then be immobile
and he would then be able to train all his power on them as targets.
A protected pass pawn is not always an advantage if the square in front of it
can be controlled for a very long time (blockaded).
A passed pawn is very strong if its owner has play elsewhere, it is then good
insurance in an endgame.
A passed pawn is also strong if the squares in front of it are cleared for its
advance.

Principles of Development

A lead in development is defined as having more pieces into active play than
your opponent. A lead in development is a dynamic rather than a static
advantage as eventually your opponent will catch up if you do not seize the
intiative.

A lead in development means you must find some sort of aggressive act.
Quiet play puts no pressure on the opponent and allows him to get his forces
out.
A lead in development means the most in open positions. If you have more
pieces out than your opponent and the position is wide open (or even semi-
open) don't hesitate to attack.
If the enemy king is still in the center and you have a lead in development,
consider these factors an invitation to rip the opponent's head off.
A closed position often nullifies a lead in development because the blocked
files stop you from making any real penetration into the enemy position.

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